Seeds now planted!

I just planted a bunch of seeds and they are sitting on my new 4' long seedling heat mat. I have a theromostat temperature probe in an empty pot with soil to keep the newly planted seeds toasty. The thermostat is hanging on the wall across from the seeds so it doesn't get wet. I'll see how long they take to germinate with this new mat. I have never used one before, so this is the earliest I've tried to grow seeds in the winter. I planted 54 different flowers in a 6-pack for each type.
6 of my 6-packs wouldn't fit on the mat, so I'll rotate if others germinate first.

This message was edited Dec 27, 2008 2:52 PM

This message was edited Dec 30, 2008 7:28 AM

Another shot of my newly planted seeds.

I started sewing seeds on the heat mat weeks ago and have already rotated onions,giant chinese garlic and foxgloves out to the un-heated lean-to so I could have the heat mat for more seed staring. I love my heat mat under light.....only thing wrong with it...it's not big enough. I plan on saving back some money from farmers market sales to buy a bigger set-up this year.

Right now I have a 36 ct flat of perennial marjoram "Zaatar" ,a pot of aristolochia galeata(sewn 12/13...up),variegated lavatera and roselle(last two sewn 12/26 and the roselle is already sprouting)

this is the roselle up after only two days....WOW!

How excitng!! 2 days... WOW! I will be watching my daily. As soon as I spot growth, I'm going to take a picture to show my progress. I agree that big is better for the heat mat.

Yup...darn near put my eye out,they came up so fast....LOL. I wasn't expecting it to be that quick. I understand roselle needs a long growth period(w/heat) to bloom so I wanted to get them started early in hopes for blooms later in '09.

Peggy

Pamela and bigred, Looking good. I can hardly wait to stick a few seeds myself. Maybe start end of next week.

I guess I'd better get me one of them heat mats. I planned to buy one when they were offered here on DG, but I put it off because of the hot and cold flashes with this weather. As sure as I don't get one there will be a 3-5 week stretch of pure cold cloudy weather and I will have wished I had got ahead and bought one.

I decided today to cover all my newly planted seeds in the picture above with a piece of greenhouse plastic to keep the warmth and humidity in around the pots longer to encourage germination. I can walk out and just stand there and look at them and feel happy. Even so there is nothing to see yet. I just like to look at them.

You GO girls/boys!!! I will watch with great, green envy til it's time for me to start.

I got home from work and went to check my seeds, not expecting anything and was I ever surprised!!! Just look at these. http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/54760/

I traded their placement with one that hasn't germinated yet and is off the heat mat. This 6-pack is the only one germinating so far. 2 days. WOW!
This is the greenhouse plastic I had put over them all yesterday.

Congrats PamelaQ!

Woo-Hoo! It's it great to see some green this time of year.

I sewed some mimulus pictus on the 28th. but that's the only other seeds I've sewn. Almost out of room already.Maybe if I'm real good this year,Santa will bring me one of those 3(4 even better) shelf units with heat mats next year.

4 shelfs with heat mats, huh? That would be one sweet set-up. Lots and lots of happy seedlings.....

I have more seeds germinating. They are going crazy. Woo Hoo!!!!!
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/58049/

This message was edited Dec 30, 2008 5:41 PM

There are about 3 or 4 different Salvias also sprouting.

And these Crysanthemums...I think I'm really liking this heat mat.
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/showimage/227731/

This message was edited Dec 31, 2008 6:28 AM

And here are the Millet today....
At this rate, I'm going to need a lot more potting soil and bigger pots for these guys until Spring. I'll just shift them into my temporary greenhouse space.

Ok those of us in the time of the dark who can't seed yet will just not like you for a little while PamelaQ :( TOTALLY JUST KIDDIN! WHOOO HOOO YOU GO GIRL!!

Woo-Hoo! I have some millet PM and Jester too but I'm waiting a bit longer then sewing them in the greenhouse.

So far nothing else has come up for me other than the aristolochia and roselle...*Pout*
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Question- for those of you using heat mats... what temperature do you set them at?

I've a couple heat mats and there is no setting the temps on mine. Just plug 'em in. Course I have the cheapies to others may have ones where you can set an actual temp.

I got anxious and planted some seeds Monday the 5th. I've heliotrope, 3 varieties of Coleus and Inula orientalis germinated now. Though they are just poking through its a breath of fresh air with so much snow on the ground its good to see green.

I have one like cece..no controls but I believe the max temp on them is 70. You can buy a control for them but since most seeds germinate at 65-70...why go to the expense

bigred..
Did you do any pre-treatment with your aristolochia galeata ?...soaking? I've got A. Trilobata started the 29th of Dec. and noticed this morning one just sprouted. (Yippie!!) got some other Aristolochia seeds in trade and am waiting till I've got a bit more room to start those.
Mj

This message was edited Jan 26, 2009 5:56 AM

I soaked mine in hot water 24 hrs,changing water 2-3 times

I received some seeds for a.fimbriata just recently. Soaked and sewed them 1/20/09. One has sprouted this morning.

Peggy