chappie

From http://www.mandalaseeds.com/html/germination.html:

"Do not use heating mats. A dysfunctional heating mat, or a mistake in the temperature control, can easily boil the seeds or dry up the substrate and shrivel the feshly emerging seedling."

Would you agree to this? Seems to me that a mat with a decent thermostat is an amazing boon to germination (I use them for other vegetable seeds).

Mandala also suggests not covering the seed trays, and not pre-soaking. Any of you have good success with their style?

For the record, I have always done it that way, just putting seeds into rockwool cubes or jiffy pellets. Not sure why so many of you do soaking and messing with paper towels and all that.

I'm planning to follow the Mandala technique, but am interested in using a heating mat anyway. So I guess I would like to hear of sucesses or failures with mats, and also if anyone wants to explain why soaking/paper towels are worth thinking about, I would like to hear it.

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neotracexpress

Soaking em before you plant kinda takes the guessing out of it. Like if you know the seed has cracked you have an idea of how soon it is going to break ground.

If you put it stright into the soil it takes longer...

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southpaw

I use my monitor,tv,cable box or vcr for heat. Making sure it's warm and not too hot. This is with the wet paper towel in a container method.

Silentsmoke

I have a cheapo heating pad from the pet store in the mall... Has no heat control but gets pretty hot....

I put a folded dish towel on top of that and then seedlings or clones on top in a plastic container.... Works for me. Ya don't lose anything if you check on them often.

The Revelator

I reckon I'll follow their guidelines, too, figure they know how to geminate and raise their own wares. I've always just put mine in seedling mix or rockwool, kept the temperature in the room/area warm, and make sure they stay moist.

Seems to work fine - except for postage cracked seeds

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chappie

I guess the crux of my question was: since I will be germinating in a cool space, and have a heat mat with a (decent and new) thermostat, would anyone say its a bad idea to use it anyway? I will defintely closely monitor the temps, but I think it will be much more energy efficient to get the tray up to mid 70s with a mat while keeping the room at mid-60s with a heater.

Its just Mandala's stern warning NOT to use a mat that had me concerned.

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take it easy,

~~~chappie~~~

present: DJ Short's Blueberry
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redman71

Whats up buddy, I like to think of myself as the resident Mandala blowhard around here. I have been growing Mandala genetics for 3 years now. I follow Mandala's germ guidelines fo sure. I have on many, many ocassions simply pre-pared a 16oz cup of moist Fox Farm soil, and put the seed on its side in a little 1/8" deep hole made by a chopstick. 3-4 days later..... bang seeds have sprouted. No pre-soak method, heat pad, paper towels, dome, anything! I have never had a Mandala seed NOT germ.
I have used a heating pad in the past, without any harm, but after having success without one for some time now, I figure why risk it. I have also sprouted Mandala seeds in Rapid Rooter plugs using the same method. I like just putting them in the soil. The most natural way it seems anyway. I dont know too many plants out in the wild that soak their seeds in paper towels! Plus everything Mandala explains scientifically makes perfect sense. Hahaha sorry for the rambling I just ripped a big ass joint of Satori! But in closing yes follow Mandala's guidelines. They know what they are talking about!

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"I like to think of myself as the resident Mandala blowhard around here "


Redman71 you are hereby appointed ....
A proof of the qualifications are in your Signature!

People soak and "presprout" their seeds in paper towel to know which ones are viable seeds. this is/was more important when working with bagseed

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I soak for a day, then into rw cubes. My cubes are in a prop tray/humidome. And yes I use a seedling heatmat. (I use the heatmat to root my clones in my cubes/dome also and get 99%) I'd say use the heatmat. I've never tried the thermostat that you can get for the mats, never had a need.

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outdoors

Cappie, Ttytt, some folks like to fuss more than others.

I think if the room the seeds are planted in is warm enough you
should be good to go.

If the room is cold, as you mention and as mine is, I'd not be
afraid to use the prop mat but I might put some egg crates
between the mat and your pots just to be sure nothing gets
too hot.

Good luck to you...

Peace- OD

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