You won't need a heating pad for each tray unless all your seeds are kinds that *need* bottom heat and you plan to start them all at the same time.

So first of all, are you sure that your seeds need bottom heat at all? The optimum germination temperature for lavender is 55-65 degrees, so unless you have a cold basement you can skip the heating pad for that tray.

Second, once the seeds have sprouted, they don't need the bottom heat any more at all. The optimum temperature for growing the seedlings is generally a good 5 or 10 degrees cooler than what was needed for germination. Stagger your plantings so that after one tray of seeds sprouts, you can use the same heating pad for the next tray.

Besides the safety issue in running an electric heater in a closet, it's very hard to keep a constant temperature that way. You especially wouldn't want to leave the heater running while you were asleep or not home, so the temperature would drop way down again during those times.

Check out the chart at the website below. It lists optimum temperature and other recommendations for starting seeds of many common plants.

Here is a link that might be useful: Germination information chart

Just a quick note on the 'desperation' factor:
Join us over on the Winter Sowing forum to find out how to start seeds right now! Yes, in the snow!

lisa2004 - I am zone 5 in Massachusetts. In my basement, I start mostly annuals and tomatoes and don't start my seeds under lights until 1st or 2nd week of April if you can believe it! I put my plant seedlings out in the garden Memorial Day or the week after depending on how cold the ground is. So I only keep the new seedlings inside for 6 or 8 weeks. If you start too early inside there are many drawbacks such as there is a chance that plants will be leggy, grow too large for your containers, you have to pay higher electric costs and monitor the plants for water longer etc. If you are starting perennials you could start earlier as they take longer to get going. I have been starting plants in my basement for 14 years now and used to start much earlier and have learned from experience later is better...

Until then I get my labels ready which I print on my computer and organize my lists. I map out how many plants I need based on what happened the previous year etc. So there is somethings to do while waiting to get planting but I know what you mean about wanting to do something garden related. In the meantime, I try to go to some of the garden shows in the area or go to a gardening related lecture or class.

One more thing I have never used heating mats. My basement is unfinished and unheated and is around 45-50 degrees and the plants I grow just fine without the bottom heat. I have grown many annuals this way and tomatoes and have not needed the bottom heat.

Thank you very much for your quick replies. When I looked at that chart I was surprised at how few plants need very warm conditions. My basement is heated and the temp is usually kept around 60-65, so I'm not even going to worry about mats. I guess you've talked me into waiting a few more weeks, even to start the lavendar. (We had 60 degree temps last week and I think it got me started on needing to plant.) I have grown plants from seed for the past 2 years and to be honest I haven't done that great. For one thing I do think I have started way to early. Maybe I'll see if I can find a garden show somewhere.

I live in NY too and get the planting bug in the winter. I find that doing cold stratification helps satisfy that urge. I have about 80 groups of seeds stratifying in the garage in paper towels inside baggies. I also have some in pots in baggies on the north side of a shed. This is supposed to be help for those seeds that need extra cold, like aconites, but it looks like this year we are not going to get extra cold. I have been thinking about shifting the pots to the deep freeze to get that extra cold for them. It's been such a warm winter here that I am worrying about how hot a summer we will have. Last summer was really hot.

Anyway, think about starting cold stratifiers now if you need to be planting things.

Lisa -- you may want to check the link below to verify your last frost date. I just saw this link on another post - interesting info. As well as the last frost date, how warm your soil is can influence when you put plants out. Many plants don't like cold soil and will just sit there and not do much until the soil warms up a bit. Also as far as why you haven't had as much success as you've liked starting seeds inside - have you considered the type of seed starting soil you've used? This can greatly influence how successful you are. You have to make sure you get good seed starting soil anything else will be too heavy to start seeds. One year I made the mistake of going with a 'bargain' brand of seed starting mix and I paid for it!

Here is a link that might be useful: Last Frost Date

WOW, I'm glad I don't live in Lake Placid! Their growing season must be about 8 weeks long. (It is a VERY beautiful place in the summer). Anyway, I think I'm about right with saying our last frost date is around the beginning of May. I just bought 2 bags of what I hope is decent seed starting mix. I've used Miracle Grow Seed starter before, but I'm not so sure about that stuff. Anyone else's thoughts on it?

I like pro-mix, but i've used others. As long as they're sterile and soilless, they should work. Test out how water absorbent they are...the soil may need to be kneaded with water before planting if a wetting agent hasn't been added.

About the heating mats...I use the heat from the fluorescent fixture for those seeds needing heat. Under or on top of the hot spot...just be careful they don't cook. You're using a fan in that seed starting 'closet', right?...to prevent damp-off.

Some seeds can be started now, like tender perennials and pansies, snapdragons...I've learned to wait with hardy perennials because they need the whole year anyway, to bloom next year. Why waste electricity.

Winter sowing outdoors (see the forum on it) takes care of those seeds that need stratification (cold period) to germinate.

Visit a large garden center right now, to view spring blooming plants in pots and seed racks are up. That'll satisfy some planting urges and make you feel good, too!

I usually place my sown seeds trays on top of the refrigerator for a few days. There isn't a whole lot of warmth, but it seems to be enough to jumpstart the seeds. I just had mesclun lettuce and coleus seeds sprout within a week of being sown. I used the plastic trays lettuce is often sold in, the kind with a lid. They work like a charm.

Winter Sowing isn't just for seeds that need cold stratification...works for most seeds. Perennials are outside right now and germinating, to boot!

This is my first year WS'in and I can't believe the results already...and so cheap, too! No lights, no heating mat, nothing but protection, moisture and aeration holes.

Annuals will be outside the beginning of March.