Advice on good places to start seeds?

[texmati]

I know I've been asking a lot of questions on this forum, so thanks for hearing me out.

I'm trying to start seeds for my square foot garden this year. It's getting warmer outside, (but we had snow last night). By warmer, I mean it should be up in the 60's tomorrow.

I planted some seeds in a those peat cups two saturdays ago. Out of 12 pots, only 2 seeds have sprouted. (I put like 6 seeds in each cup.)

I think that my seeds just arent warm enough. It can't be alight issue, since there are no leaves or anything, right?

My plan is to put them outside during the day tomorrow. Another idea was to put them in the back of my car and crack the windows open so I can keep checking on them during the day.

What do ya'll think of these ideas, and any ideas on any good places to start seeds? I keep reading to put them on top of the fridge, but it would be so hard to get up there to water.

[Guinevere]

Do you happen to own an electric heating pad? It makes a cheap, effective substitute for those heating mats many people use to start seeds.

Another thing I do when I've started seeds in the past is to pre-sprout them in damp paper towels put into ziploc bags on top of my fridge. Then, when they've germinated, I put them into a soil mix in a pot. That seems to get them over that needing-more-heat-to-sprout hurdle.

Good luck! What'cha growing? I'm doing SFG this year, too!

Guin

[texmati]

Seeds are not doing well. I put half outside yesterday, and got a few more to sprout. Tiny weak looking sprouts.... I know DH really wants me to do this on the cheap for the first year, but I'm thinking about buying some grow lights.

Plus, I already used up all my roma and cherry tomato seeds. So I can't try the paper towel trick Our growing season is so long here that I think that I got started too late on seeds. Our problem is not the cold in the winter, but that it also gets too hot in the summer. (or so I have read).

[texmati]

Ok... so feeling hopeful again! I don't have a heating mat, but what about the slow cooker?

I know, hear me out. I could put a towel down to insulate, and then put the slow cooker on "keep warm." I'm going to try it out with half my seeds (unless someone from here stops me). I can monitor them for this evening, and see how hot the soil gets. It can't possible get as hot as it does around here in the summer. hopefully it works!

[heatherh]

If you can reach the top of the fridge, you can just set them in a tray - that way it's easy to pull them down to check for sprouts and water, then put them back on top of the fridge.

You can also put them on top of your water heater.

[binkin]

If you look on my blog I have a picture of the setup I use, which I learned about from another person here on MDC, Niamh. It's made of PVC pipe and fluorescent shop fixtures and my seeds seem to be sprouting well. The total cost including bulbs for the lights and everything was around $45, maybe closer to $40, and it should last for several years before I have to replace the bulbs ($14 worth of that).

If you get one warm and one cool fluorescent in each fixture you're fine; no need to get a special grow light. It's so close to sunlight my cat basks in it all day long. :