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Feb 27, 2012

How to Use an Electric Blanket to Start Plants

eHow.com
By Dawn Gibbs, eHow Contributor

Electric blankets should not get wet.
Starting seeds indoors allows gardeners to get a head start on the approaching growing season. By germinating and growing the seedlings inside for several weeks before the last frost, you can plant strong seedlings as soon as spring comes and enjoy a longer harvest. One of the methods of tricking seeds into thinking spring has sprung in your home is to use an electric blanket to warm them up.

Seed starting trays
Seed starting medium
Pencil
Seeds
Electric blanket
Plastic sheeting
Probe thermometer
1
Fill the cells of the seed starting tray with seed starting medium. Do not use regular potting soil because the bacteria could harm the seeds.
2
Poke a hole in the medium with a pencil. Make the hole three times as deep as the width of your seed. Drop the seeds into the holes and firm the soil over them.
3
Water the medium until it settles.
4
Lay your electric blanket over a flat surface in a warm, sunny spot. Plug the blanket in and set it to "Low."
5
Cover the blanket with a piece of plastic sheeting so it won't get wet. Set the seed trays on top of the sheet and wait 20 minutes for the blanket to warm up.
6
Insert a probe thermometer between the plastic sheet and the blanket to measure the temperature. Most plants grow best at temperatures around 70 degrees Fahrenheit, so either turn the blanket off or increase the setting accordingly. Check your seed package if you are unsure of the best temperature for your plants.
7
Turn the blanket off every six to eight hours for at least one hour to let it cool down. 

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