Advantages of heating mats in seed germination
Advantages of heating mats in seed germination
Germinator and heated seedbed. Is seed germination uneven and inconstant? Every time you try to germinate seeds then the seedlings do not germinate or eventually dry up. You should know that not everyone has a green thumb or the right equipment. So what do you do? You give up, just like any inexperienced and hopeless gardener would. But it’s not your fault.
Fortunately, you have come across this article. Here you will learn the advantages and importance of heating germinators and seedbeds with a focus on direct heating of the root area with electric greenhouse heating mats (basal heating).
It is probably already time to clean the seedbeds, prepare to sow and start selecting the best seeds. For seeds to germinate, a series of reactions, both physical and chemical, are required. The efficiency, speed and outcome of the reactions are highly dependent on temperature.
A heating mat for germinating seeds is a medium that contains elements that heat up. By connecting the mat to the socket, the heat will spread over everything on it.
If the heating mat has a low cost, it means that in addition to being worth the price paid, it is designed to provide heat at a fixed temperature. A professional heating mat has a higher build quality and safety of use, and is normally connected to a thermostat that helps control the temperature to the required levels.
The most notable temperature-dependent process is when the seed breaks down the carbohydrates inside it to produce the energy needed to germinate. Chemically, an optimal temperature is required for this process to take place. When the temperature rises or falls, it has a huge impact on germination and the reaction may slow down or not take place at all.
Different types of seeds have different requirements for the optimal temperature needed for germination to take place; this process takes place in a precise minimum and maximum temperature range.
EH-POWERGROUND: PLUG & PLAY ELECTRIC BASAL HEATING SYSTEM FOR GREENHOUSES
Heated for seed germination and optimal temperature
The optimal temperature refers to the temperature at which the germination rate is fastest and of best quality. When seeds take longer than normal and the germination rate is low, it means that the seeds will most likely not become plants.
During the initial stages of germination, there is the highest probability of mortality caused by fungi such as Fusarium spp., Pythium spp., Phytophthera spp. etc. These pathogens cause the seeds to rot in the soil. They can also decompose seeds before they emerge well. To prevent this, some seeds are coated with a fungicide to provide protection. This will be of great help if the seeds are of the slow germination type or if you sow them before the soil temperature reaches optimum.
Optimum temperature in turn leads to high germination success and faster emergence of sprouts. Slow seed development can result in stunted harvests or total failure because the damaged carbohydrates are exhausted, but the seed relies on them before photosynthesis occurs.
Whether you grow indoors or outdoors, seed germination will depend heavily on temperature for success. Different seeds require different optimum temperatures to germinate. Warm-season crops can be started early indoors, where temperatures can easily be controlled to higher levels. Summer flowers, peppers and tomatoes are examples of warm season plants and their optimum temperature range is 20-25°C.
Lower temperatures work best for cool-season crops. This means that seeds from the cool-season crop can be sown directly without using temperature-controlled environments. An example is lettuce, spinach and other leafy vegetables.
Note that crops such as broccoli and cabbage grow best in cool temperatures and also have an optimal temperature for germination. They germinate excellently in warm areas and slow down their growth rate when temperatures drop.
During winter, it is a little difficult to keep the temperature inside around 20°C, which is why it is necessary to use seedbeds with heated benches or tables to start seeds, because heating the entire area would be too expensive.
There are professional and hobby heating mats that are used to provide additional heat, which in turn increases the temperature of the substrate. You can also use a soil thermometer that provides very detailed information on the specific temperature of the soil. In addition, if you have a weather station in your region, it can help you periodically get a good idea of the ambient and soil temperature.
How to use a heating mats in a seed germination?
Place pots, trays or seedbeds on top of the mats, if there is a temperature sensor on top of it.
If heating mats come with a thermostat check the temperature periodically if you are using hobby mats use a soil thermometer to check the temperature of the substrate. Very often cheap mats do not include a temperature control and sometimes heat too much or too little, if they heat the soil more than the required amount, lift the trays or pots slightly. Too much heat will make the seedlings weak and weakened, too little will make germination difficult.
After the seedlings have germinated, they will need a lot of light. If the room temperature is still not ideal for growth, keep the seedlings in a warm area.
Advantages of the EH-POWERGROUND professional heating mats in creating a heated germination greenhouse
They increase germination success and promote strong, healthy seedlings by maintaining a constant temperature range.
They have easily adjustable thermostats for easier setting of the optimal temperature of plants, cuttings and seeds.
They reduce heating costs in greenhouses, accelerate nutrient uptake and plant development processes, and promote more production cycles by reducing their duration.
They are completely waterproof and designed for professional use.
Conclusion
As with anything worth doing, it is essential to warm up germinated and seeded plants and to know the optimum growing temperature. As obvious as it may seem, this is the surest way to ensure high germination success in seeds.
Using heating mats to raise temperatures within the required limits reduces the time it takes for seeds to germinate and greatly increases rooting rates.
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