High Tech Seed Germination System
 

Just thought I would share my high tech seed germination system. I was looking for a way to keep the seeds a little warmer than the room temp without using a lot of electricity, when I had an idea to place them on top of the lamp where there is a natural funnel directing the heat to the center. I just needed a way to keep it from falling over. I went looking in the garage and found some plate holders (my mom collect's collector plates), so I thought I would see if it fit. What do you know, perfect fit. The light bulb is a 13 watt cfl, so it doesn't get hot but just warms the germination container about 10 degrees above room temp to about 80 degrees or so. The blue lid on the container keeps the warmth, moisture and humidity in.

Heh...clever idea. I wasn't that creative with mine....I took the lazy way out and bought one of these: Germination Station Seed Starting Tray with Heat Mat by Hydrofarm at YardLover.com

Just a quick edit...I didn't actually buy that from YardLover.com....just happened to be the first online link I found. I actually picked mine up at the local Lowes.

Nice Germination Station. I don't start from seeds much, at least so far. I usually just buy live plants, wash the roots off and transplant into the hydro. I just hate waiting for them to get big enough. I have been wanting to make a Germinating Station like that, but haven't gotten around to it yet. The sprouts in the picture were the peas that I will be placing in my third system to replace the green beans that don't seem to like the weather right now. I just transplanted them today. I would never transplant them while they were so small, but the system is already running anyway with the other plants in it.

I use a Bio-dome from Park Seed and a heating mat.

Germination and root propagation.
 

Once I get the plants I want - either from germination or from the nursery - I go with the "cuttings" method. The advantage is that instead of just a sprout you get an entire plant in just a few days. You not only have an exact clone of the plant but you also speed up the growing process tremendously.
There are some great videos on youtube about the process.

YouTube - FYI HYDROPONICS - Chapter 3 Overview - Seed Germination, Cutting Root Propagation

Ya, as long as you have a plant to take the cuttings from, that is a great option. That is also on my list of need to build projects. But for the same reason I have not built a seed germination station, it's not on the immediate need to build list.

Just another one of my bright ideas.
I wanted to start some butter lettuce seeds and after they sprouted I wanted to get them some light. I put them outside in the sun during the day, if its not cloudy. But wanted to get them a little more light so I came up with this makeshift bright idea.

I had a unused small lamp and found the white reflective caller in the garage, it's part of a security flood light I still need to put up. I had the new cfl in the closet. I just slipped the white collar over the neck of the lamp put the shade back on the lamp. Only because the bulb would go to far down in the container if I didn't. Then simply set it upside down on top of the container. The bulb keeps it warm but not too hot at all. Not the greatest, but better than nothing.