CactiGuide.com

I was just doing some browsing online and fell upon germination stations and Mini greenhouse type contraptions. One that really caught my eye was the hydrofarm line of hot houses. What are your opinions with them? Anyone out there use one or has used one in the past? How do you think they'd work for growing cacti? I think they'd be perfect for it but I'm a noob in the cacti growing world. They seem like pretty handy germination stations.

I'm not sure what you mean, could you post some links?

http://www.amazon.com/Hydrofarm-CK64060 ... =hot+house

Things like that. I mean you'd just take out the bottom tray so you can lay out a layer of soil, put the seeds down and let them grow. That could work, eh?

Aaah, those. They're fine to start off with, but they're prone to overheating. If you're going to use one, don't put it anywhere where it's going to get direct sunlight, otherwise you'll cook your seedlings in no time. Other than that they're probably okay. I used to use one of those and I preferred to sow the seeds in pots and place the pots in there. A matter of taste, I suppose.

Looks pretty cool. At lesst worth a try.

I use them to start some of my vegetable seeds. I do use them for cactus seeds too. The only problem, cannot control the heat. You must use a timer and temp controller for better propagation

So if you left the heat mat on 24/7 it would get too hot for the little cacti?

Yeah you will want to have it on a thermostat through the day to stop it scorching them and switched off over night. The temperature difference is required for health growth.

I bought one of those little heat mats from them - I already had trays, inserts, and domed covers (lower ones). Best deal on a heat mat I could find. They say it will raise the temperature 10-20 f, so I don't think overheating is going to be that much of a problem. The thermostat for it costs as much as a whole germination station, and I found no less expensive ones anywhere, so I'm doing without - I bought a small window thermometer with suction cups, going to stick it to the inside of the cover so I can monitor the temperature.

The mat says right on it that it must be placed under the tray, not inside it.