When should you remove the bottom heat when starting seeds indoors?
Question:
I am doing some seed starting indoors with some seed starting mix, a heat mat, and a humidity dome. If a seed has started germination by breaking out of the seed with its root but hasn’t sprouted up out of the soil, is it ok to remove the bottom heat or will this hinder further germination?
Answer:
Donna R. Coffin, Extension Professor
Removing the bottom heat depends on the number of seeds that have started to germinate. From our Starting Seeds Publication #2751 “As soon as about 50% of the seeds you planted begin to sprout, remove the tray from the source of bottom heat, take off the plastic covering, and move the seedlings to your supplemental light stand. This frees up your heat mat to sprout several more trays of seedlings within a few weeks’ time.”