[Pollard]

Low was 11 degrees here this morning.

We heat with wood only and so the temp can vary in this thin drafty place. I’m starting seeds right now and have a heat mat and another on the way and I also bought a temp controller since without it, they just add 10-20 degrees to the ambient. I have it set for 74 degrees but it’s not quite keeping up. The soil in the tray was 60 degrees this morning.

Good thing they’re hardy plants. I’m going to try putting a few layers of corrugated cardboard under the heat mat and maybe cardboard on three sides since it’s near a crappy window.

[pax_et_bonum]

I’ve had good luck starting seeds with this.

Earlygrow is the company and they make lots of different sizes and types of seed propagators.

Smaller ones might be more convenient and easier to use in a window, but I needed to put everything in one place and the windowsills weren’t warm enough even with sunshine.

There are three individual tiers on this model which can be removed and added as plants grow.

The vents work well to help control humidity.

I’ve put my warming mat on 1” styrofoam sheets to protect the table top and to send the heat to the propagator.

It’s worked well.

The top of the styrofoam melted only very slightly - enough to conform to the shape of the mat.

[who knows what evil?]

For those who plant by the signs, March is a MISERABLE planting month...’Ember Days’ on the 9th, 11th and 12th (during which you are not supposed to plant or sow seed of ANY kind), followed immediately by the killing sign of Leo thru the 15th (during which the same protocol applies). Many continue to sow seed during these astrological kill zones...it would be interesting to see if long-term veggie performance is actually affected, or whether this is just a ‘wives tale’...