Last year was the first time I’d really attempted starting seeds. I think I can consider it an overall successful attempt in that I didn’t buy a single seedling or start the entire growing season. Everything we grew came from seed or our own starts, including garlic  and sweet potatoes. This year I’m trying to learn from last year’s successes and failures and improve the efficiency of our growing system. For me this includes getting things started much earlier, using more heat mats to help the seedlings grow faster and stronger, and in general just starting more seeds, instead of direct sowing. I threw a ton of carrot and beet seeds out into the garden last year, and because I didn’t do a very good job of making sure the surface of the soil stayed moist (the one thing our soaker hose watering system isn’t good at), relatively few came up. So this year I’m starting almost everything inside. I’ve invested in a few new pieces of infrastructure this year to make this scaling-up possible.

1. A new, bigger heat mat. Last year I only had one heat mat, and it was only large enough for a single flat. So far this year I have 12 flats planted already, so clearly one mat isn’t going to cut it. I invested in a larger heat mat that fits 4 flats. Between the big one and the small one I still don’t have enough mat space for all my flats, but because of the expense of the mats I decided to just get the one big mat. I searched around quite a bit and found the cheapest price for a new Hydrofarm 4-flat heat mat on eBay. We house our grow op in our basement, which is cool but not freezing (especially not this winter). These mats raise the ambient temperature by 10-20 degrees, which is just fine for my purposes. There are fancier systems with temperature control dials, but the simple on/off mats work fine for me right now. To make the best use of space, I rotate flats on and off the mats and preferentially give some plants that especially need the heat (like tomatoes) permanent real estate.

I just learned about capillary mats a few weeks ago, and after reading the rave reviews I decided to jump in. Capillary mats are essentially a big piece of fabric that wicks moisture along the length of the mat. You stick one end of the mat in a bucket of water, set your mesh-bottomed flats on the mat and the mat absorbs the water and feeds it to the seedlings. Bathtub Refinishing ColorsThis avoids over- and under-watering seedlings by keeping them evenly moist (and allows you to be lazy and forget about them).Best Running Shoes For Peroneal Tendonitis I ordered 6 yards from Gardener’s Supply. Perfect Body Duvet Cover King SizeWhen it arrived I was somewhat surprised to find that it looked like a big roll of white felt.

It took some experimentation to figure out how to make it work, but after a week or two of tweaking, I think we have it figured out. More on that soon.Our “grow lights” are cheap shop lights from Lowe’s (about $10 for a 48″ fixture that holds two bulbs). We suspend them from the rafters in our basement with chains so I can move the lights up and down based on the height of the seedlings. To avoid the confusion of trying to combine bulbs with different portions of the light spectrum, I just bought full spectrum bulbs. We bought them in a bulk box and they came out to around $3 a piece. This means that you can put together a perfectly sufficient grow light with two bulbs for around $16, rather than the hundreds of dollars grow light systems online would like you to pay. This year we bought two more sets of lights and the chains and fixtures to go with them. This allows me to have 12 flats (up to 576 seedlings in 2″ seed blocks) under lights at one time.Our seeds and mats live on top of plastic folding tables.

I guess we could theoretically just put them on the floor, but we’d have to have really long chains for the lights, the floor would become a mess from the water and soil, and the floor would be colder. Having them on tables makes them easier to work with. To accommodate our increased number of flats and lights, we needed to also get another table to put them on. These aren’t cheap, but they’re sturdy and not bothered by the constant moisture that seed-starting requires. So that’s the scoop. I have about 500 seedlings started already, and they are looking really good. I’ll probably need to start only one more flat of seeds (mostly cucurbits: summer squash, winter squash, cantaloupe and watermelon) before summer. And then of course it will be time to start seeds for fall and winter growing. But for now, 2012 is off to a good start!Skip to main contenteBayShop by categoryEnter your search keywordGrow Light Parts & Accessories└Hydroponics & Seed Starting Supplies└Gardening Supplies└Yard, Garden and Outdoor Living└Home & GardenAll CategoriesAntiquesArtBabyBooksBusiness & IndustrialCameras & PhotoCell Phones & AccessoriesClothing, Shoes & AccessoriesCoins & Paper MoneyCollectiblesComputers/Tablets & NetworkingConsumer ElectronicsCraftsDolls & BearsDVDs & MoviesEntertainment MemorabiliaGift Cards & CouponsHealth & BeautyHome & GardenJewelry & WatchesMusicMusical Instruments & GearPet SuppliesPottery & GlassReal EstateSpecialty ServicesSporting GoodsSports Mem, Cards & Fan ShopStampsTickets & ExperiencesToys & HobbiesTravelVideo Games & ConsolesEverything ElseAdvancedDaily DealsGift CardsSellHelp & Contact see allsee allsee all$$see allsee all2 miles5 miles10 miles15 miles20 miles50 miles75 miles100 miles150

VIVOSUN 1/4" Rope Ratchet Heavy Duty Hangers for Grow Light Fixture Reflector2x 150lb Rope Ratchet Yoyo Hangers for Grow Tent Room Fan Filter HPS MH T5 Light12PCS Rope Ratchet Adjustable Heavy Duty Hanger Light Lamp Reflector Max 150LBS1 Pair 1/4" Heavy Duty Rope Ratchet Grow Light Fixture Reflector Hood HangersVIVOSUN 2 Pair 1/8" Rope Ratchet Heavy Duty Adjustable Grow Light Hangers 150lbsVIVOSUN 6 Pair 1/8" Rope Ratchet Heavy Duty Adjustable Grow Light Hangers 150lbsVIVOSUN 1 Pair Rope Ratchet 1/8" Heavy Duty Adjustable Grow Light Hangers 150lbsApollo Horticulture GLRP18 Pair of 1/8 Adjustable Grow Light Rope Ratchet HangerApollo Horticulture GLRP18 Pair of 1/8 Adjustable Grow Light Rope Ratchet Hanger2 > Apollo Horticulture 1/8" Grow Light Rope Ratchet for Reflector Hood & Inline150lb 1/8" Rope Ratchet Yoyo Hangers for Grow Tent Room Fan Filter Grow Light1/8" Rope Ratchet YOYO easy Hanger kit for Hydroponics Grow Aquarium Light VIVOSUN Pair Of 1/8 Adjustable Grow Light Reflector Clip Hanger Rope RatchetGot one to sell?