Suggestions for Indoor Starter Systems?

[catherine]

Zoebirds new thread gave me a great idea for my BILs birthday, and I'll probably get one for DH as well.... a starter kit to begin seedlings indoors.

We live in the NE. He has a pretty dark house, as it is shaded with trees. I was thinking of a growlight or a little indoor greenhouse?

Is either one better than the other? Would he need a heat mat?

He would start tomatoes primarily.

Suggestions? Experiences?

[herbgeek]

Those Aerogardens are usually available from 50-75$ on ebay, if you want to go the complete kit route. The downside is that you can only grow 6 or 7 plants at a time. For starting seeds (ie not growing them fully out, just starting the plants) I find that regular fluorescent shop lights work just fine, and are much MUCH cheaper than grow lights. Tomatoes and peppers definitely germinate and grow better better on a heat mat.

[Amaranth]

Grow It Eat It has been compiling some great ideas for starter set ups.

http://www.growit.umd.edu/SeedStarting/Light.cfm

[Mrs-M]

A handful of old yogurt containers, a couple of old plastic trays, and a light of some sort, any sort, is really all one needs to get started, although I recognize the fact that recycled items and things don't make for an ideal gift. The website that Amaranth posted is IMO, perfect. Having a dedicated place to start seedlings and things really is the ideal touch for any gardener, and with a system like that, it helps control the clutter and ugliness that more often than not presents itself under indoor growing/gardening conditions.

If you do choose to purchase something prepared in the way of a store-bought kit, keep it simple and go for something basic. Anything over and above basic, is nothing more than a cash grab. As far as a heating mat goes, I would forgo such a thing. It isn't at all required or necessary.