Growing Healthy Plants Made Easy

 I love to grow my own plants. I get such pleasure seeing those tiny seeds poke their heads out of the soil.  A popular way to start seeds is to grow them in a window sill.  It is an easy way to get them to germinate but window light tends to stretch the little plants.  You get leggy, spindly tall plants that do not transplant well and are much more subject to disease.

The key to making sure your plants sprout quickly and grow strong and stout is to have a propagation center that controls the heat and the light.  I built mine in my garage soon after moving to Lexington. It is constructed in a corner which allows me room to park one car during the winter.  I had a much larger center built on the same principles on my little farm near Seattle.  That center was almost 25 years old when we moved and still in terrific condition.  This propagation center will cost you about $300.00 but will last a life time.  The cost per plant is miniscual.  The healthy plants rewarded to you with this system will be the foundation for a bountiful harvest the rest of your life.     

There are four essentials for the construction of your propagation center.

1. The heat pad is the foundation for your center.  You can purchase the heat pad on line or you can buy the parts and create your own.  I went to Fayette Seed here in Lexington and bought the parts.  I like to support my local economy when possible.  Make sure to follow the directions for installing the mat.  You want to make sure to cover it with fine screen wire mesh and then a layer of construction plastic.  This will  protect the heat coils and the plastic will allow you to just sweep off any spilled soil with the palm of your hand.  IMPORTANT:  Make sure your heat mat has a temperature probe attached that allows you to control the heat of the soil
2. Buy two four foot fluorescent light fixtures.  Each fixture will  hold four small lights.  Buy the lights by the dozen and you will save a huge amount.  I use something near 6500 lumen and 32 watts.  Twelve lights are around 50 dollars but they will last at least ten years.  If you search on line for these bulbs they will usually cost at least twice as much.  With these two fixtures hung adjacent to one another you will have enough light to grow very sturdy plants.  Resist the urge to buy the very cheap shop lights that hold only two bulbs.  The fixtures will not endure and you will have half the light.
3. When you buy the matte be sure to also purchase a thermostat.  Your pad plugs into this thermostat and allows you to control the heat of the soil when the probe from the matte is embedded in the soil.  Controlling the soil temperature will allow you to grow a variety of plants including perennials.  Many perennial seeds are available but the generally need much lower temperatures to germinate than the annuals you plant in your garden.  
4. The last critical item is to get a timer to control the lights.  You want to usually provide 13 hours of light a day while germinating seeds.  These can be purchased at any hardware store.

A few other small essential are some four sections of light weight chain each about 3 feet long, four S shaped hooks. You may also want to construct a table that is four feet long by two feet wide using construction grade lumber.  You could also just buy a small utility table.  A table may not provide the adequate support needed.

Spend the money to provide controlled heat for the soil and controlled intense light overhead and you will grow healthy happy plants the remainder of your growing seasons.