A Gardeners Forum Forums General Discussion Landscape trials and triumphs What is more important, heat or light in starting seeds?

I have a 72 cell jiffy peat pot set and tons of seeds and haven't started a one.

I don't have a very good location to put them inside. Not enough light coming in my windows. I do have one window in my back hall way, but it isn't going to be very warm there. I thought about buying a heat mat.. but don't really have the extra money to spend right now.

Suggestions? Thanks.

Thanks again Joclyn! Um, what seeds.. gosh, I have alot of different things. And they aren't right here with me. Bleh.. why does it have to be so complicated?

I remember thinking the same thing not to many years ago. But, you do have to do it one plant species at a time when it comes to finding the right home for each plant. From seed to maturity. It does get easier with time. Or should I say you get used to researching lol.

I have over 200 different seeds that I want to plant when I get to my new place so I've been researching plant requirements and know exactly what you are going through.

you need good air circulation too.

I'm new to gardening myself, but a woman who created beautiful gardens at the local library last year gave me some of the seeds & instructions on what to do. I used her seeds & bought a ton more. She told me to plant them in the peat pots using seed starter mixed w/ some miracle grow. She said to cover them with plastic that would not touch the plants. She said it should be in a place that was not too warm about 65 degrees or they would get big too quickly and no light needed. When the danger of frost was passed to take them out for part of each day so they could get used to the temperature. After doing that for a few days they could be planted in the ground.

Some of the seeds, like irises, have not produced anything yet, but she said some of them take time. Most of the others have produced plants. Some kind of tall & some are small. That's as far as I've gotten in my endeavor. I'm having my house sided so I can't get to my gardens for another week or so. I'm in NH, so it'll be ok. Hope this helps.

Hmm.. I thought I could just pop my seeds in the jiffy pellets, water and put in the sun and away we would go. =/