DIY Germination Chamber: Fast and Consistent Seed Starting

It's time to start plant propagation for the season, and I usually begin with my seed varieties (perennials mainly) in mid January. This year we put together a DIY version of a seed germination chamber to help sprout our seeds quickly and consistently. The overall setup is really simple: temperatures around 25C/77F and consistent high humidity. So far, the results have been great: some varieties of seed have been coming up within 5 days or so. I'll talk about the temperature/humidity controller I used for the project and also some alternate methods.

DIGITEN links for the thermostat and humidity controller:

Amazon US:
Amazon CA:

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[orrinrobbins]

I could have written this comment many times before, but I wanted to let you know that I really enjoy your channel. I especially like your approach & methodology to various gardening issues. I am not much of a rose gardener (couple of White Dawns & a JFK) nor a small nursery owner, but I am a serious gardener. I find that your tips & insight to be very useful to me. Their application is quite broad. Thank you. Wishing you a successful & happy new year.

[westnewwest]

I built my own germination chamber based on this. Ended up using an ultrasonic mister in a separate water tub with a fan and a duct to push humidity into the chamber...it was the only way to get close to 100% humidity, as the regular humidifiers did not get close for me (60% to 70%). The water tank also needed to be insulated and heated with an aquarium heater. This was I get consistently 95% to 100% humidity. I also use a separate independent Govee temperature and humidity monitor from my phone, to check on how things are during long germinations. Second year with great results. This year we start Lisianthus which can have a germination time of up to 3 you for this!

[bryonyhellis]

It’s interesting to see other people’s set ups, especially at a commercial level, beats having all of my gazillion heat mats with all the wires everywhere!

[danipelland]

Nice set up. My husband built me a much smaller germination chamber. I take care of heat and humidity with a crock pot filled with water and no lid. Works great!

[breakingburque]

I love the dual purpose of the cooler/germination chamber.

[Arty-Zen]

SO happy to have found your channel! Always clear information that the layman gardener can understand and implement! Thank you!

[careyjohnston]

This is going to help me so much. I am usually a month behind every year. Always have been. And I laugh at myself. I don't know why. No New Year's resolutions but maybe this should be my one and only. Lol

[connieirwin]

Jason I love your solution for doing this! You have a great idea. Got my David Austin Rose Book Today!!! Yeah!!

[bloomsbyamelie]

So smart! I would even use the box in winter to store my dahlias! Thanks for sharing.

[ziadshamz]

Thank you very much for your informative and well presented video. Your expertise and your honest comments are greatly appreciated.

[careyjohnston]

Once again so much help and some reminders for me. I had totally forgotten about this method. I have used it in forcing caladium. Thank you. Much appreciation.

[dragonguise]

I was planning on making a heated table, but this is a much better idea!

[cindycollins]

Love your videos, nice to see a grower from BC

[janettucker]

Got the SeedSprouter and love it. It has a growlight included. I use it with a heating mat. Great success in my garage starting seeds.

[gwbuilder]

Very helpful tips as usual Jason.👌
Here are a couple of small home gardener suggestions.
If you only have a handful of seed varieties for sprouting try using a styrofoam cooler or camping cooler for climate control. Same idea, but on the corner of a room type of scale.
Another way to heat the box is to use rounded river stones. Place them on or in a source of heat like the oven, wood stove, under a heat lamp until they are at the appropriate temperature and then place them in the cooler for transferring their heat (use a board, box to keep them together so the heat will stay concentrated and last longer). You can also use a box or bag of sand (kidney/navy/pinto beans) and heat it up in the appropriate source of heat. I prefer wetted burlap fabric for the humidity as well as containing the river stones. You can also use a deep aluminum cookie sheet with wetted sand as a heat/moisture control as well.
I am actually in negotiations to purchase a 2 acre/.8 hectare property, hopefully closing by April, so I may be doing a spring move. I think the elevation is 4, 700ft/1, 432m. On Saturday at 2 pm the temperature was 62F/18C. I know that it gets down to 38F/2C in the predawn morning right now, so hopefully by April it will be more like 45F/8C. I guess we'll see what happens. It's definitely going to be a process, but I will be taking pictures and will try to send you some as things progress.
Very useful video.👌🤙

[rgitzelify]

Thanks for the reminder about your germination chart, it was super helpful last year. It was my first time getting my own seedlings into the ground! 🙂

AND for the reminder to get going NOW, I was a little _late_ getting those seedlings into the ground.

[glendashields]

Thank you for sharing your expertise this has been very useful, 🥰

[nonyadamnbusiness]

I've had so much issue with consistent germination I've settled on a germination chamber. It's the most energy and space efficient solution.

[koigifts]

Iv got a walk in fridge made from that material, Iv got an air conditioner for cooling and heaters for heating. It's set on a bed of gravel and rain water flows under. Iv got a humidifier also. I use T5 and T8 lights for overwintering mother stock for early propagation of basket plants. Iv also got root trainer trays and can do upto 7300 hard wood cuttings over winter of weigela, sambuca, and roses. I use either course sand or seedling compost with perlite. My fridge room is about 8ft tall, 12ft wide and 20ft long. So I can squeeze lots of plants in there.

[jeffmartin]

Very Very Good Vid !!! you could make a heck of a egg incubator out of that also....