How long should I keep my tomato seedling on the heating mat?

Rosanne
by Rosanne
  2 answers
  • Cindy Cindy on Feb 21, 2019

    Hello Rosanne. Leave the heat mat on and set to the same temperature 24 hours a day until the seeds sprout.

    • Rosanne Rosanne on Feb 21, 2019

      my Cherokee purple tomatoes have sprouted.

      Is it time to shut off the mat now?

      I will transplant from the k-cups to yogurt cups in about 2 weeks.


      Is it also time to decrease the grow light time from 18 hours to 16 yet?

  • Cindy Cindy on Feb 21, 2019

    Hi Rosanne. It's Cindy again. I have been gardening for almost 30 years and, in all that time, I have never heard of Cherokee purple tomatoes . . . . Are they actually purple ??? No, don't turn the heat pad off yet. And, no, don't decrease the light yet. You can decrease the light sometime after March 10 (which is when we change our clocks). What planting zone are you in? What part of the country?