An easier way to create bottom heat in your propagating frame would be to purchase an electric soil warming cable kit or a heating mat that goes under your flats.
Best heating mat temp for rootiny.
They are useful for rooting cuttings.
Heating the rooting medium above 75 degrees isn t.
Most mats are designed to heat roughly 10 20 degrees above the current room temperature.
The idea of turning it off at night usually springs from the observation that the earth cools at night and warms up again in the day thanks to the sun.
However you can also find plant heating mats with their own thermostat.
What does a heat mat do.
Look for a mat with a waterproof outer layer in case of any spills.
Heat mats are marketed as a propagation mat or seedling heat mats as well but the function is the same.
Leave the heat mat on and set to the same temperature 24 hours a day until the seeds sprout.
Most seeds germinate best in temperatures between 70 90 f.
Almost all quality plant heating mats come with a built in safety shut off that will trigger when the heat mat reaches a temperature of 10 degrees above the room temperature.
This heat warms the sand in the propagating frame.
The heat from the bottom heating method causes the water to evaporate and dries the soil before the cuttings root.
Cuttings of most plants root best when the rooting medium is at about 70 degrees though temperatures as low as 55 degrees are acceptable.
Seeds do not need that cyclical cooling to sprout however and in fact they will germinate more.
In that case you can set and regulate the temperature yourself.
Met certified seedling heat mat seedfactor waterproof durable germination station heat mat warm hydroponic heating pad for indoor home gardening seed starter 10 x 20 4 5 out of 5 stars 1 726 11 99 33 99.
Now i doubt that you will ever achieve a soil temperature of 69 degrees f but at 45 degrees f.