Cheap Bottom Heat/Seed Set up

8 years ago

I'm going to start my seeds for next spring pretty soon. I don't want to pay the high costs of the heat mats. I have 3 track lights that hold 2 T12 lights. My DH made a setup using PVC pipes for them to hang on. I have three sizes. I use boxes and books to move my plants up and down. Sometimes they are on the floor or on the bed of my spare bedroom. I need lots of flowers for my one acre yard. Can't afford to buy all that I need so I plant from seeds.

I was reading the bottom heat suggestions from way back in this forum. The pictures don't show up now I guess because they are too old for my phone. Can you post your bottom heat suggestions. Or cheap seedling set ups. Add pictures if you like.

Here is one of mine from last year on the floor:

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (4)

Jon Biddenback
8 years ago
I try to recycle waste for my needs where possible, so for cheap heat, I'd be looking for wasted heat.

Surely all the heat from your refrigerator and freezer go somewhere, feel around the sides and back and see what you find. Can you place the seedlings above the hot spot?

Televisions, DVD players, computers and other sizable electronic devices create waste heat as they run. Do have a hot spot near a cluster of them that you could tuck one or more trays into?

Dryers blow a lot of hot air as they run. Could you insulate a small structure around the exhaust port, capture and save that heat?
Cathy Cokley Shilow z8 SC
Original Author
8 years ago
Great ideas Jon. I'll try some of them. Someone posted an electric blanket in a spare bedroom to put the trays on also.
Related Professionals
Tampa Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Fayetteville Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Utica Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Lagrange Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Paducah Landscape Contractors · Elizabethtown Landscape Contractors · Waterbury Landscape Contractors · Fergus Falls Landscape Contractors · Sarnia Landscape Contractors · Mobile Tile and Stone Contractors · Sebring Tile and Stone Contractors · Cumberland Tile and Stone Contractors · Frisco Tile and Stone Contractors · Saint Cloud Tile and Stone Contractors · Laconia Tile and Stone Contractors
Mike Larkin
8 years ago
Cathy - I would avoid heating pads and electric blanket - these should not be allowed to get wet - shocking results - look for rope lighting at home depot , lowes etc - bottom heat
albert_135 　 39.17°N 119.76°W 4695ft.
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
If electric bedding were a hazard then wouldn't many of us old geezers with incontinence problems be found fried to our metal bed frames?