Propagation Sweat Chamber

Bobberman · Tue Mar 22, 2011 10:39 pm

Even in the heat chamber you can use plastic to cover the soil till they sprout and not have to worry about water vapor I think! Right?

DoubleDogFarm · Tue Mar 22, 2011 11:13 pm

Frank,

Yes, The plastic covers would probably work, but that's what the whole chamber is about. I'm trying to keep the atmosphere high humidity.

Slowly working things out.

Eric

Bobberman · Tue Mar 22, 2011 11:17 pm

I thought the chamber was mostly for the heat. I don't see any benifit with humidity when the plastic would solve that. The humdity may also cause too much wetness by dropping water everywhere!

DoubleDogFarm · Tue Mar 22, 2011 11:23 pm

The moist heat is to help eliminate dry spots. It's based on one of this commercial units.

https://www.usgr.com/propagation/seed-germination.php

Eric

soil · Wed Mar 23, 2011 6:04 pm

still warm and sweaty, just perfect. it might help that mine is not perfectly sealed. and neither is my greenhnouse and its been raining for the past week. well see once it gets sunny. I bet I wont even need the lights for heat.

thanks for the idea DD. if I knew about this a few months ago I could have been way ahead of my game.

do you think it would work equally as good with cuttings for propagation too.

DoubleDogFarm · Wed Mar 23, 2011 8:28 pm

I'm testing the cuttings idea already. I have 18 cuttings of Goumi in the chamber. They are starting to leaf out.

Eric

Bobberman · Wed Mar 23, 2011 8:43 pm

Being that this atmosphere that we are creating here is is very tropical should we make sure that there is some peat moss at the surface of the soil mix to eliminate damping off?

DoubleDogFarm · Wed Mar 23, 2011 10:58 pm

Frank,

I haven't had any damping off problems. My 4" pots are filled with 50/50 peat perlite or coir perlite.

Eric

soil · Wed Mar 23, 2011 11:20 pm

damping off is for weak plants and poor soil.

DoubleDogFarm · Wed Mar 23, 2011 11:32 pm

Soil,

You probably have mentioned your growing medium many times, but tell me one more time.

Eric

soil · Thu Mar 24, 2011 12:12 am

pretty much just good homemade compost, some mixes have sand or other aerating amendments depending on the seed started. most veggies just get nice fluffy compost.

the way I see it, if it damps off and dies, natural selection is at work. only let the best survive. when you baby weak plants, you will always have to baby them forever.

soil · Fri Mar 25, 2011 5:19 pm

day three I think, still moist and humid. first signs of germination on some tomato varieties. ive built another and filled it as the first only holds six 72 cell trays. keep in mind the tomatoes had some time in the soil before going into the chamber, but the temps were very cold at night.

also I have been opening mine for a minute or so whenever I am around to let it breathe some. it might be worth adding a small fan on a timer for better built models like yours.

these tube lights are working superb also. and cheap too for anyone wanting to build a quick one.

DoubleDogFarm · Sun Mar 27, 2011 10:38 pm

Soil,

One is never enough.

but it is for me this year. I started a third batch today. Nine new 1020 flats with (18 ) 4" pots. Room for a few more tomorrow.

Eric

DoubleDogFarm · Wed Mar 30, 2011 8:14 pm

Pulled the (9) flats out of the sweat chamber today and onto the watering shelf. 3 days

Red Sails Lettuce
Slobolt Lettuce
Buttercrunch Lettuce
Valmaine Lettuce
(2) Arugulas
Mizuna Mustard
Olympia Spinach
Di Cico Broccoli

Eric

soil · Tue Aug 02, 2011 10:19 pm

I'm probably crazy for thinking about this already, but I like to be a season in terms of planning ahead to make things easier on me.

are there any things you would change this year from last years Sweat chamber DD?

I'm going to re modify the one I built, or I might make a bigger one. not sure yet.

DoubleDogFarm · Tue Aug 09, 2011 1:27 pm

Please everyone call me ERIC.

Soil, Your question has been rattling around in my head for days now.

Keeps coming back, I don't know. How warm can you get aquarium water. Could I bury an aquarium under my sweet chamber to get both heat and humidity? I'm going to google aquarium heaters I'll be right back....
https://saltaquarium.about.com/od/toppicks/tp/TPheaters.htm
Ok, looks like we can get water up into the low 90F. It may take one of the larger 500w heaters. Used aquariums are easy to come by, but I'm thinking many different containers would work. I would want to make sure no nasties are released under warm conditions.

Anyone have thoughts on this project?

Eric

DoubleDogFarm · Fri Aug 26, 2011 2:19 pm

Soil,

Any new thoughts on this topic?

Eric

soil · Fri Aug 26, 2011 3:44 pm

just have been gathering materials and making a mental game plan for next year. its a pretty simple concept id like not to fuss it up with complications.

bren.t · Fri Aug 26, 2011 3:44 pm

Thumbs up

. I commented on it in my thread, so I won't repeat myself. I didn't mention, though, that I love that pic with all the humidity on the windows. This would probably be a great cabinet for cuttings with all that moisture in the air.

Bobberman · Tue Dec 06, 2011 10:26 pm

Getting ready for the DoubleDog advised sweat chamber! Do I dare make a large one with the 4 by 6 double glass doors! I will let you know in jan! that thermastat DD list here is really nice and a must!

DoubleDogFarm · Wed Jan 11, 2012 11:21 pm

Here we are Frank, January. Are you building a 4 x 6 propagation chamber? I would fix the glass and have a wood door.

Eric

Bobberman · Wed Jan 11, 2012 11:24 pm

Ya I am working on it this week! The small personal heaters are for it. I am also starting plants in my basement also since my greenhouse is 50 miles from my place I live. I only go there on the weekends!

dsyukon · Thu Jan 12, 2012 11:53 am

That is a nice setup there. My sweat chamber is just some big ziplock bags that I use at work to put the p/c componets in when they are moved.

Short on $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

soil · Wed Jan 18, 2012 11:49 am

I gotta build me a new one of these, still have the one from last year, I want a glass one though lol. maybe while its raining this week ill make one.

Bobberman · Wed Jan 18, 2012 12:41 pm

I was thinking of using a clear hanging shower curtain that I can slide over the area so I can let the sunlight in and leave the plants stay there for week or more! The curtain will hand down and keep the area warmer and be easy to open to the boxes! The curtains are cheap and very heavy vinyl!

DoubleDogFarm · Wed Jan 18, 2012 1:38 pm

Bobberman wrote:I was thinking of using a clear hanging shower curtain that I can slide over the area so I can let the sunlight in and leave the plants stay there for week or more! The curtain will hang down and keep the area warmer and be easy to open to the boxes! The curtains are cheap and very heavy vinyl!

Interesting idea Frank. Will you need a plastic valance at the top. Will you have a gap at the ceiling.

I will be moving my propagation chamber from the South wall to the east wall. This will make room for more rebar shelving.
[img]https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h300/eric_wa/Double%20Dog%20Farm%20%20Greenhouse%20Propagation/GreenhouseMay8th2011007.jpg[/img]

Eric

Bobberman · Wed Jan 18, 2012 1:49 pm

My ceiling is 6foot 8 high with double plastic. I will run it from the ceiling down and it will over lap the table! have decided to put my small ceramic 200 watt heater inside. The back wall is 2 inch styrofoam!. The table has a inch foam on top!. The curtain faces the south clear double plastic A frame wall! It will get really warm uring the day and I may have to have the curtain slightly open. I have a real thick one shower curtail I bought 6 months ago!

DoubleDogFarm · Wed Jan 18, 2012 2:05 pm

How are you closing the ends. Will the curtain go wall to wall or wrap around the table?

I would put the heater under the table for bottom heat. You will need to remove the 1" foam board and run the curtain to the floor.

Eric

Bobberman · Wed Jan 18, 2012 4:47 pm

Table is 2 foot high and curtain is pressed against the table. The ends are closed in with insulation! Its only 5 by 30 inches about the size of a tub. I can put about 6 foam boxes with seeds to start every week!

DoubleDogFarm · Fri Jan 20, 2012 3:00 pm

Sounds good. I still don't like your styrofoam boxes.

Eric

floridahillnursery · Sat Jan 21, 2012 11:21 am

Hello Eric, thats a sweet greenhouse setup. I bet your getting itchy for spring...

DoubleDogFarm · Sat Jan 21, 2012 12:40 pm

FHN,

Very itchy

at least the snow is gone!

Did you look through this thread? Any ideas / suggestions?

Eric

floridahillnursery · Sat Jan 21, 2012 2:20 pm

Man Eric, it looks like you have it going on. I wouldnt change a thing.

DoubleDogFarm · Sat Jan 21, 2012 2:41 pm

FHN,

Even though I'm not good at describing detail on projects and my grammar is poor, I like reading detail on others projects. So floridahillnursery stay technical, I learn more.

Try not to be comfortably numb, Eric

floridahillnursery · Sat Jan 21, 2012 3:40 pm

Thanks, When it comes to gardening I know no other way.

soil · Sun Jan 29, 2012 10:28 pm

Built mine today, went with making it longer than tall, the stacking of too many trays last year made for poor airflow. I can fit 8 trays at a time single layer, if I want I can double it to 16 and still have room for proper airflow. And this way they get more light along with the warmth. Should be fine with eight 200 cell trays. 1600 plants at a go every few weeks.

I made this years version for under 20$ went with a piece of plastic if it sucks next year is glass for sure. What cost most was the outdoor rube light that cost 12$. For those starting a good number of plants, starting plants for sale, or those just wanting a head start in the cold late winter days. This is the way to do germination.

Bobberman · Mon Jan 30, 2012 9:17 pm

Made my sweat chamber this past weekend! After many ideas I finally went with two clear shower curtains in the front. They wotked better than I thought and were so clear I could look through and see the boxes! So here is what I did!
++++
In my 12 by 16 solar A frame greenhouse I put the chamber on the north insulated wall! On the angled north wall I have a 2 nch styrofoam insulation! I made a 4 tier shelf with 2 by 3 old storm alum. windows. I had two 50 gallon drums between the 8 foot wide shelf! I used the windows so the light would pass through and hit all the boxes incase I left them in awhile after they emerged!. I did 11 - 15 by 20 styrofoam boxes of new seeds.'
+++
At the bottom shelf I set a 200watt ceramic heater on a timer That would come on for evey other our for a 1/2 hour startinging at 10 pm till 5 am. I have the heater blowing against two small metal pots of water. The water gives some moisture and holds the heat when the heater is not on! As long as I am 45 degrees or higher at night I am happy! Day temp are always 50 to 90!. I am montoring it all the time! I have one flat of tomatoes up n there now! The curtains are on a rod and esy to open! I bought the curtain at Dollar general for $6 each and they are really nice thick clear heavy plastic!

soil · Sat Feb 04, 2012 10:21 am

just so everyone knows how well this works.

last nights nighttime temp - 29f

sweat chamber temp at nights low - 67f

and I spent less than 20$ on it!

DoubleDogFarm · Tue Feb 07, 2012 6:18 pm

Only made one change to the germination chamber setup. I installed a small fan at the top left corner. I'm hoping this will even out the heat from top to bottom. The fan and heater are connected to the same thermostat.
[img]https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h300/eric_wa/Double%20Dog%20Farm%20%20Greenhouse%20Propagation/GreenhouseFeb72012001.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h300/eric_wa/Double%20Dog%20Farm%20%20Greenhouse%20Propagation/GreenhouseFeb72012002.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h300/eric_wa/Double%20Dog%20Farm%20%20Greenhouse%20Propagation/GreenhouseFeb72012004.jpg[/img]

Eric

Bobberman · Tue Feb 07, 2012 11:46 pm

Good job very nice. What temp do you keep it! Also with the fan you may need to cover the boxes so they don't dry out with the breeze or is it just a small fan! My swea chamber came out nice with the clear shower curtains for the door! I have about 15 foam flats! I will add more this weekend mostly tomatoes and peppers this week!