[jonny_tinslecat]

hi guys,

i've bought a shed load of chilli varieties in seed, and have noticed that they need a steady 20-25 c to germinate. i had a high failure rate last year on some of the more rare varieties of chilli, and hence ive been considering a heated propagator.
trouble being, ive got an un-heated one, and am loathe to spend the money on another.

I had a little browse on ebay and picked up a vivarium heatmat for 99p, plus £2 postage.

i havent recieved it yet, but what do you guys think? i am undecided wether to put the mat under the propagator, or to bury it under the soil?

i am also unsure how hot these things run at - a bit of a t test and learning on the job may be needed.

do you think its worth risking the seeds?

[GillyHen]

It's certainly do-able, but heat mats get very hot. I would certainly do a test run or two, testing the temp of the compost and making adjustments accordingly...