It would be easier if you said what want to grow and then people could offer help. Are you talking about vegetables? Ornamentals? Annuals? Perennials? Once you know what you're growing you can just check requirements for each one.

Hi there,

Sorry about that.

I'm referring to vegetables.

Let me try to clarify a bit more.

When starting seeds and using heat mats, I'm just trying to understand if you should generically use the heat mats for all vegetable seeds you start indoors, or do certain types of vegetables prefer cooler soil to be started in.

I understand the seed packages and the start indoor or after last frost outdoors part and perhaps in the big picture that is what we are really talking about.

Was just trying to understand the use of heat mats for vegetable seeds in general.

Thanks,

Check the germination temperature for each variety on line and then deploy your heat mats accordingly. If you google 'vegetable germination temperatures' you'll find a selection of charts.

Chard and parsley should be in the cool group imo.

I think what you're asking is what veggies require heat mats. In my opinion peppers like a heat mat. I have 5 pots on my window sill of peppers, none have germinated. I also have tomatoes and cabbage. 2 of 2 tomatoes and 3 of 4 cabbage have germinated.

I grow tomatoes and a few cukes every year and have never used a heat mat. I tried lights one year and think it was a lot of ugly mess. The seedlings did look better, but in my opinion once you put seedlings in the ground there's not much difference months later when you go to harvest your produce.

I've started zucchini in trays and think they do better just planting seeds in the ground when it warms up.

As Floral suggested there are resources on line that give optimal seed sprouting temperatures for every kind of veggie you might be considering. I often use the Johnny’s Selected Seeds website. Under each vegetable there is a small graph that shows germination percent at a range of temperatures.

Hi and thanks to all for your feedback.

Yes, I have found the vegetable charts online and that helps a lot.

Good growing to all!