Seed Starting

I want to start some plants this year from seed indoors. Although I have planted seeds and grew things indoors, this is my first time starting seeds with the purpose of transplanting. My question, there are grow lights and heat mats and timers, seed pods galore. How much of that is really necessary? I have planted a seed and grew fine, but yet there's so much out there...

I would appreciate any help on which things are really necessary and links to products that are useful. At this time I'm not looking for a huge DIY system I have to create myself, yet not something outrageously expensive or enormous either. Kind of middle of the road would be good... like a 'take and bake'.

It depends largely on how long you'll have the seedlings indoors.
Lights, usually fluorescent, are necessary if you're starting seeds months before your last frost date, that will have to be kept indoors to put on growth. If you're planting vegetable and annual seeds - things that have very simple, rapid germination (compared to perennials) - and plan to plant them out in short order (e.g. once they've reached the true leaf stage and are easier to handle), you may be able to get away with a sunny window sill.

Heat mats are only helpful if you're growing in an unusually cold place. Dr. Norm Deno answered the question in his Second Supplement to Seed Germination Theory and Practice, as follows:
"Are Temperatures Above 70 F Beneficial? Bottom heat and temperature above 70 F have often been recommended for germination, particularly of the common garden vegetables and annuals. Henry M. Cathey has already studied this question extensively, and his results were published in Florist's Review, August 21, August 28 and September 4, 1969. He studied germination at five degree intervals from 50-85 F. Germination was usually optimum around 70, and temperatures down to 50 or up to 85 often result in markedly lower germination. I have studied germination at 40 and 70 for most of the species studied by Cathey and confirm that germination at 70 is satisfactory. A significant number of the common garden annuals require light for germination. This data is incorporated in the data section.
Both Cathey's results and my own indicate that temperatures above 70 are neither necesary or desirable for germination. However, there are two situations to date where temperatures in the 85-95 region may be beneficial. Fresh seed of Gomphrena required such .temperatures for germination (2nd Ed.), but soon lost this requirement on dry storage. The second situation involves the genus Passiflora (referto the Data Section) where there have been reports that temperatures above 70 are required for germination. I have not tested this myself.
Why have temperatures above 70 have been recommended so often? Many of the recommendations in the literature are inferential such as recommendations to use heating cables or place the seed flats on hot pads or other warm surfaces such as the top of a refrigerator. There are possibly two reasons for these traditional concepts. Many greenhouses in spring may be at temperatures significantly below 70 and particularly the soil temperatures are below 70. Bottom heat could be helpful. Secondly, a century ago temperatures inside houses were colder than the 70 which is now customary. In such colder houses bottom heat was beneficial in order to raise the temperature to 70."
You will read tons of opinions, based on anecdotal experience (as opposed to controlled studies), telling you that you need a heat mat, but here's the science. Room temperature is ideal; if you're dealing with temps under 50 F, you may benefit from a heat mat.

So, whether you "need" lights or a heat mat will determine whether you "need" a timer for them. Without that, all you really need is some pots and soil.


This message was edited Mar 29, 2016 8:30 AM