Warm seedling mat made in China. Heating for seedlings and heat-loving plants Heating for seedlings

It is known that during plant growth, temperature is one of the key conditions. Both the temperature of the surrounding air and the soil. The latter is perhaps even more so. If we ignore the completely extreme temperatures for plants when it comes to survival, then some interesting dependencies emerge, for example. Increasing the soil temperature at a depth of 40 cm to 32 degrees Celsius increases the yield by 2...2.5 times and reduces its ripening period by 30 days. The eggplant harvest, under the same conditions, increases 4 times. In general, an increase in soil temperature relative to the air by 3...4 degrees increases yields, for example, of tomatoes, by 43% and reduces the ripening period by 9 days. And it has also been proven that increasing soil temperature from 12 to 16 degrees Celsius increases the absorption of phosphorus oxide (P2O5) by plant roots by 100%, and this is plant nutrition.

Or in a test tube, like in a garden,
grow new food -
and use instead of regular
or with a regular outfit.

Mikhail Shcherbakov “Fontanka”.

On the other hand, there are also plants that are essentially heat-loving, for which slightly elevated temperatures are generally native and comfortable. For example. Having decided to experiment with growing tobacco in Perm region, immediately faced the problem of low soil temperature.

With our short summer, tobacco can only be grown in more or less early ripening varieties and only through seedlings. Otherwise, even the lower leaves do not have time to ripen.

The optimal temperature for the germination of tobacco seeds is from plus 23 to plus 28. Ideally, it is plus 25. Tobacco is a southern plant, so if the room temperature is from plus 18 to plus 22, this can delay the emergence of seedlings by several weeks. And at temperatures from plus 10 to plus 15, they may not sprout at all (they will simply rot). Moreover, it is desirable that optimal temperature combined with good lighting - tobacco seeds are extremely small and are not embedded in the soil - they are distributed over the surface and are slightly trampled.

So, the task was to provide plus 25 degrees and decent lighting in a small volume. It was decided to organize heating of the soil and place the box itself on the windowsill. In principle, it was possible to take an alternative route - place the box with seedlings in a warm place (for example, on a stove) and organize additional illumination with electric light.

A relatively compact, inexpensive, sealed heater of low power was required. Several designs of homemade sealed heaters exist among aquarists; in fact, the conditions are quite similar. The old design of a U-shaped glass tube with a saline solution was rejected as not very reliable and dangerous, moreover, a design, unlike the prototype, was required that worked in a horizontal position. And here’s another one, made from a vitrified wire-wound resistor filled with oil, which seemed closer. Particularly good heating element, indeed - a powerful wire-wound resistor PEV - like a heater - a wire of high resistivity, wound on a round ceramic tubular frame, the winding is vitrified. Lovely.

Aquarium colleagues also have options with resistors as fuel elements, covered with dry sand. This is really good. Yes, the use of resistance wires as small heaters is known. This practice is common, and not only among craftsmen who, in general, immediately see a dozen “undocumented possibilities” and alternative uses in any subject. I came across an industrial housing for a video camera for “external” street surveillance. In it, near the sight glass, was installed a miniature heater made of a ceramic resistor, theirs, from the bourgeoisie. To prevent the formation of condensation inside the case and fogging of the glass.

What was used in the work.

Tools.
A set of tools for radio installation, of course - a soldering iron with accessories. Construction hair dryer for working with heat pipes, extruder for sealant. Used to make the box carpentry tool, screwdriver. Polystyrene foam, convenient to cut with a sharp construction knife, with disposable blades, like a stationery knife. Better for a ruler, better for a metal one.

Materials.
In addition to the resistors themselves, you needed several suitable glass bottles, silicone sealant, sand, a tin container for calcining it, and a fine sieve. The electrical cord is flexible and double insulated. Some thermotubes. Pieces of thin boards for the box, screws, Penoplex 20 mm thick.

So, selection of materials - having studied the assortment of a local radio store, I chose resistors with a power dissipation of 5 W, in a ceramic rectangular case. A small but selection of denominations was offered. As the body of the heater, I decided to use something at hand - a small pharmacy glass bottle worked perfectly.

Based on the available resistor values, I chose the heater power.
6200 + 3600 = 9800 Ohm - Resistance of a chain of two resistors.

I=U/R = 220/9800 = 0.022 A – Current in the circuit.

P=U*I = 0.022*220 = 4.9 W – Power dissipated by two resistors.

U = I*R = 6200*0.022 = 139 V – Voltage drop across the 6.2 kOhm resistor.

P = U*I = 139*0.022 = 3.12 W – The power dissipated by a 6.2 kOhm resistor is within the permissible limit for a resistor (5 W) with a large margin; for a 3.6 kOhm resistor there is no point in counting, and so it’s clear – it will be like roll cheese in butter.

So, the heater power is about 5 W. It was decided to make two pieces for more uniform heating. Conclusions are made from a soft multi-core “network” cord.

Of course, it was impossible to do without temperature control. Was involved. The temperature sensors used are digital DS18B20, in a three-lead TO-92 package. The temperature sensor, in order to avoid local overheating of the soil due to limited heat transfer in it, was placed inside one of two identical heaters. In addition, this placement made it possible to avoid sealing the sensor separately. Structurally, the sensor is located in the heater body, possibly further from the heat-generating resistors. This allows you to get a small hysteresis.

The prepared and connected heat-generating resistors, after being placed in a glass bottle, are filled with pre-sifted and calcined sand. I poured it in small portions, tapping the bottom of the bottle on the table - to lay the sand more densely. Not reaching 1.5...2 cm to the top, fill the neck with silicone sealant and shape the protruding part with a soapy finger. Glass surfaces in contact with the sealant must be dry, preferably free of grease.

Silicone sealant, V this application, can probably be replaced with acrylic - it does not contain fungicides or silicone for aquariums. Alternative option sealing with epoxy glue.

While the sealant hardens, the wires are laid approximately in the future working position.

Ready-made heaters, one of them with a temperature sensor.

The seedling box was thermally insulated - the inside was lined with thin construction foam (Penoplex 20mm). I distributed the heaters at the bottom of the box, collected the wires into a bundle and secured them to the corner with a tin clip. Self-tapping screw. In order not to pull out the heaters along with the seedlings in the midst of the experiment, tripping over the wires.

Spring does not always please us with its warmth, so harvested seedlings cannot grow and develop quickly. And even if containers with seedlings are placed on the windowsill, the plants may feel discomfort for the following reasons:

the heating is turned off early, sometimes the temperature in the room remains for a long time at a lower level than required and is not sufficient for the seedlings;
The temperature on the windowsill is lower than inside the room, so the growth of seedlings may stop or they will die altogether.

For successful seedling growth, its root system must be warmed up. Craftsmen come up with many ways to ensure good growth of sprouts: there are various tricks and tricks, many of which can be borrowed for the conditions of a city apartment.

To create comfortable conditions, you can do DIY insulation for seedlings. It can be either portable or stationary, that is, installed in one place, where it will remain permanently. Stationary insulation is especially relevant when seedlings are constantly being cultivated and there is a permanently allocated place for them.

Making a heater for seedlings: a simple method

On the Internet you can find numerous options for creating a favorable temperature that is optimal for the growth of seedlings on the windowsill:

using chipboard and plywood, you can provide access to warm air masses from heating radiators;
the use of foamed polyethylene, which is laid so that heat from the radiators flows to the roots of the seedlings.

In the first case The disadvantages include the following:

not an easy process construction work, thanks to which the flow of warm air will be directed in the right direction;
on modern wide window sills it is not recommended to place a lot of seedlings and plants, due to too much weight load, and if the window sill is too narrow, then there is too little space on it to place a tray with seedlings;
the cold from the window lowers the temperature in the window sill area.

The only advantages include the ease of setting up such a heating system and its low cost, since chipboard or plywood can be found at almost any owner.

Considering second case, the following inconveniences can be noted:

covers a significant part of the window, which reduces light entering the room;
a small window sill will not be able to accommodate a lot of seedlings, and modern wide ones may not be able to withstand a large volume of seedlings;
is not durable design, since foamed polyethylene is quite fragile.

The advantages include, as in the first case, the low cost of materials and the ease of such a design.

We suggest considering this method of heating seedlings, which is more global, as it will provide a comfortable temperature for seedlings anywhere.

In order to warm the seedlings well on cool or even cold days, for the successful cultivation of seedlings it is necessary to make insulation; its body can be made of tin. It is worth noting that if you plan to make portable insulation, you do not need to make it in large sizes, since in this case it will be difficult to lift or move.

The walls of the case can be insulated with foam plastic; for convenient transportation of the structure, make handles on the side walls by which it can be lifted.

The next question is key: how to heat seedlings? At this stage, we have a tin box insulated with foam plastic, but this is not enough to establish the desired temperature regime; for this, there must be an additional heat source at the bottom of the box.

Everyone chooses the most acceptable and easily implemented heating method for themselves: for example, the source of heat can be hot bottles of water, or you can simply install a heater. We recommend the most best option- a set of heated floors, with it the seedlings will be optimally heated, the heating process can be regulated.

A piece of IR heating film is placed at the bottom of the constructed tin box and connected to the film (on it you can set the exact temperature that you want to set for your plants, and the set temperature will be maintained by the device constantly).

Having considered everything possible options heating seedlings, we decided to use the “warm floor” system for several reasons:

the installed thermostat can be set to a certain temperature, which will be maintained at the desired level and, therefore, electricity will be consumed more economically;
heated floor warms up well root system seedlings, which ensures their active growth, and the open part of the insulation provides not only the lighting necessary for the normal growth of seedlings, but also ventilation;
It’s enough to turn on the thermostat and you will no longer need to worry about how the seedlings are growing and whether the temperature is set comfortable enough for its growth;
during a period of time when there is no need to heat the seedlings, you can use the film for another purpose, for example, as a warm rug under your feet.

Received proper care and temperature conditions the seedlings will sprout well.

If you don’t know how to make a heater for seedlings using a heated floor, call our managers, who will always give professional answers to all your questions.

Warm mats for heating seedlings

Also, if you don’t have on hand necessary materials You can use a simpler and faster option for heating seedlings - warm mats. The versatility of this option lies in the possibility of using mats not only for heating seedlings, but also for drying shoes, organizing a warm place for pets, for drying vegetables, fruits, etc.

Our highly qualified employees are ready to promptly provide you with answers to even the most unexpected questions related to the creation of special insulation for heating seedlings and the selection of optimal warm mats. Do you want to ensure good growth of your seedlings and a comfortable temperature? Our company will provide you with the highest quality assistance!

The season for growing seedlings is beginning (and for some has already begun in January), so this material about arranging heated seedling boxes will be very helpful.
To germinate some types of plants that prefer high temperatures, it is necessary to create additional heating. For example, vegetative development in cacti, coffee, adenium, etc. fully takes place only at a soil temperature of at least 30 C. And if, say, you need to root cuttings of bougainvillea, acalypha, cordyline, codiaeum, the minimum temperature should be around 25 C. Even Growing eustoma requires maintaining a temperature of 21 degrees Celsius, and on an unheated loggia in the spring such a climate rarely occurs.
As a rule, the “weather” in the apartment is not exactly what is needed for heat-loving seedlings, so you will have to provide suitable conditions ourselves.
The simplest thing is to place the container with the seeds on some constant source of heat: a radiator, a heating pad, an electric heater, etc. But the battery will only help in winter, and it is not recommended to keep an electric heater on all the time; besides, it burns oxygen.
It is best to make a simple heating system with your own hands. Will need a big one flower pot with a drainage hole or other similar container, an electrical cord with a plug, a 15 W incandescent lamp and an electric socket.
We pass the cord through drainage hole Leaving the plug outside, connect the cartridge to the other end of the wire and secure it to the bottom of the pot. We place dishes with seedlings or seeds on the pot.
Thus, the surface on which the pot is installed does not overheat and the heat will be used purposefully.
Instead of a pot, you can put two benches of the same height, put a sheet of thin plastic or other material between them and place a cuvette with plants on the sheet, and place a lamp with a reflector under it so that the heat goes up. In general, there are many options for how to make bottom heating.
It is important to adjust the temperature correctly so that it is optimal for the plants. To measure, use a room thermometer, placing it in the place where the bowl with seedlings will stand.
Most likely, the temperature will be higher than required, so to adjust, take a thin book and place it on top of the pot, making a spacer between the container with the cuttings and the lamp. You can easily select the required thickness of the gasket experimentally.
A more advanced method is to use a “warm floor” system for heating. The choice of these systems on the market is huge, but the cost varies from 1000 to 5000 rubles per square meter such pleasure. The supplied regulators will allow you to set the desired temperature and not waste electricity in vain.
Another solution is special heated mats for animals and reptiles. Honestly, I have not seen such mats in our pet stores, but if you open Chinese aliexpress.com or the same ebay.com, by searching for “heated pad” you will find a huge number of mats for every taste and color. The cost of such a rug ranges from 200 to 1500 rubles per piece. In my opinion, this is the best option for plants in terms of price-quality ratio. But the situation with Chinese orders is worsened by our Russian Post, which will deliver the parcel only in a month, or even two. Here is an example of such a rug for 7 bucks:

If you also use a timer, which will automatically turn on the heating during the day, and at night the temperature will drop to room temperature (if this is necessary for a particular type of plant), then this option will simply ideally maintain the temperature regime recommended for growing most plants.
As you can see, making bottom heating is not at all difficult, and now you can do any operations with heat-loving plants, for example, growing cacti from seeds.

Rate

Preparing for summer season starts already in March. Lovers fresh vegetables grown in their own garden, they gradually begin to select seeds and prepare to care for the seedlings.

If you decide to start growing sweet peppers, tomatoes or cucumbers for the first time, be sure to study the recommendations of experts. The main condition for successful seed germination is warmth. Common mistake for a beginner - placing a container with seedlings on the windowsill, where after turning off the heating the temperature may be even lower than in the apartment.

If you have certain skills, you can make a device for heating the root system yourself or purchase a special “warm” mat from an online store. This electrical appliance is in demand due to its versatility. In the fall, you can use an infrared mat to dry fruits, in the winter to tidy up your shoes after a long walk, and in the spring to grow beautiful seedlings.

The outside of the product is covered with moisture-proof material, which is easy to clean with a vacuum cleaner or brush. The cable length is 1 meter, power - 25 W. Temperature adjustment is not provided.

The cost of a seedling heater in Russian online stores is from 700 to 1000 rubles. The AliExpress trading platform also offers “warm” rugs, the parameters of which have minimal differences. For example, the power of the device is 18 W, and the cord length is 1.85 meters.

Buyers note that when using a mat with an infrared element, seeds germinate 25-40% faster due to direct heating of the soil. The product from the Middle Kingdom performs its functions perfectly and also does not have unpleasant odor. In addition, economical heating of plants will have virtually no effect on energy consumption.

When using a seedling heater, the seller recommends following two simple rules:

Do not immerse the product in water or other liquid.
Do not install it near heating devices or insulating materials.

On the AliExpress website, the cost of a “warm” rug is approximately 1,100 rubles. This is a little more expensive than in domestic online stores, so some buyers do not advise wasting time waiting for a parcel from the Middle Kingdom, but to place an order in the near future.

I want to tell you about several useful devices that help you grow excellent seedlings.

Seed sprouter

Preparation of seed material - important stage, on which the success of the business as a whole depends. Some seeds need to be germinated before planting. This way, even before sowing, you can select the strongest plants, increase germination to almost 100%, and eventually get sprouts that appear together.

Modern sprouters have replaced saucers with wet gauze. They come in regular and aeroponic varieties. Simple models Sprouters are a small container that is filled with water to the required level. A mesh tray with seeds is inserted on top. The peculiarity of this germination method is that the seeds are only partially immersed in water.

The container is closed with a lid, which provides a favorable microclimate, creating a greenhouse effect. The mesh tray can have several compartments. This allows you to prepare several crops for planting at once. The cost of this simple but very convenient device starts from 400 rubles.

Aeroponic germinators are more complex in design, but the processes in them are faster. You can get results within 8-12 hours. The thing is that in addition to a container for water, a lid and a basket for seeds, aeroponic germinators are equipped with an air sprayer and an electric compressor. With their help, the required level of humidity in the container is maintained, which is why germination occurs. In this case, the seeds are above the surface of the water without touching it. The cost of an aeroponic germinator starts from 1000 rubles.

In this way, you can prepare not only planting material, but also seeds intended for eating in sprouted form. In addition, in your free time from gardening, sprouters can be used to produce fresh greens and grass for animals.

Propagator

Essentially, a propagator is an indoor greenhouse that eliminates the need to constantly wrap seedlings in film and cover them with glass. The simplest propagator is a non-collapsible container with a transparent lid that has adjustable ventilation holes. The lid is usually high so that the plants can remain in favorable conditions for as long as possible. Thus, seedlings from the propagator can be planted directly onto the beds. More complex models have heating, lighting and humidification. To maintain a microclimate favorable for plants, they can be equipped with automation. This greatly simplifies the care of seedlings, allowing you to leave them unattended for several days.

Using a propagator, you can quickly obtain equally healthy seedlings. You can also germinate seeds in it. The cost of such equipment starts from 1000 rubles, and the more functions it has, the higher the price.

An analogue of propagators are grow tents. They are larger in size and, as a rule, more powerful equipment. For such equipment you will have to pay more than 10,000 rubles.

Mat for heating seedlings

For better germination and early seedlings, you can use special infrared heating mats. They are placed under containers with crops and simply plugged into the network. They don't dry out the air. Their peculiarity is that infrared heat warms the soil to the desired temperature, while losing a minimum of energy to warm the air. After all, for growth it is more important that the earth is warm, not the air. This feature allows you to obtain the required result with minimal financial costs for electricity.

The effectiveness of mats is to increase seed germination by almost half. Depending on the size and manufacturer, such a rug can cost from 1000 rubles.

Peat tablets

What do you need to plant seeds for seedlings?

Cups, soil, scoop?

Modern solution - peat tablets. These are small cylinders that increase in height by almost 7 times as they are moistened. The necessary fertilizers are added to the substrate to promote proper growth and development of the plant. They will be enough for the time until the plant is transplanted into the ground. The cost of such a tablet is about 20 rubles. There are cheaper analogues, but they most likely will not have a reinforcing shell, and as the plant grows, the peat cylinders will begin to fall apart, exposing the root system.

Another modern way of growing seedlings is the use of organic plugs. They are made from recycled tree bark and composted products. The seeds are placed in special holes. One organic cork will cost 50 rubles.

These types of tablets and plugs are especially convenient because they can be used as a substrate for hydroponic growing of seedlings.

Hydroponics

A method of growing seedlings called hydroponics is becoming increasingly popular.

A plant grown using this technology constantly receives the necessary complex of nutrients required for proper growth and development. In addition, adherents of hydroponics talk about further increased plant viability and, as a result, greater yield.

The principle of the hydroponic method is that the plant takes root not in the soil, but in a neutral substrate, partially immersed in a nutrient solution. Today you can find a lot of hydroponic systems various types and sizes. Essentially, they all consist of a container for the nutrient solution and a submersible basket for the substrate.

The quality of the substrate plays an important role in the efficiency of the technology as a whole. It must hold liquid and air in sufficient volumes. The most popular types include coconut fiber, expanded clay, perlite, fine gravel, moss, mineral wool, peat, blast furnace slag, hydrogel, or a combination of several substrates.

The variety of hydroponic devices includes both the simplest (a container with a basket) and more functional settings. They can circulate a nutrient solution, which provides better nutrition to the root system, and be fully automated. The cost starts from 1000 rubles. But we must not forget about the need to use properly selected nutritional compositions. They cost from about 500 rubles. for 250 mp.

It is also possible to grow seedlings using aeroponics. In this case, the plant receives nutrients with the help of small drops of the nutrient composition, raised by the aerator to the root system. It doesn't even require a substrate.

The simplest aeroponic installation on a windowsill can be purchased for 1000 rubles. It will also require nutritional compounds.

Phytolamp

Many people are faced with the fact that seedlings grown on a windowsill stretch out. Instead of a strong plant, you have to plant something fragile and obviously not entirely healthy in the beds. As a result, some break, and some die after landing. It's all about the lack of light. Short daylight hours and cloudy weather cannot but affect the plants, especially during the period when they have not yet become strong and are only gaining strength. You can solve the problem with the help of phytolamps.