RobG7aChattTN

Basically the cheapest styrofoam incubator should make a good getminator. The difference between a really good, expensive incubator and a cheap piece of junk is really just the difference of a degree or so and perhaps a bit more fluctuation. With eggs the difference can be a big deal but plants are a lot more forgiving. This is a good time to find one (fall) used on Craigslist. Brand new you can get them at Tractor Supply for about $42 without an egg turner or a fan (which you don't need). A used "Little Giant" or "Farm Innovations" should cost about $20. Double check the temperature because even brand new the thermometers might be way off, but the thermostat should be fine. Use a good thermometer and then adjust the thermostat accordingly. If you manage to find a really old one with a wafer thermostat but perhaps the wafer has gone bad as long as you can get it for $10 or so you can either order a new wafer on-line or pick one up at a co-op or maybe even a hardware store for $10 and it just screws right on. Once you get it up and running if you want to include a cooling period you can just put the whole thing on a timer so it shuts off for 4-6 hours or whatever you choose. It will cool down to room temperature and then when the power kicks back on then it will heat right back up. I haven't actually used an incubator to germinate seeds but I've certainly thought about it for needle palm and pindo palm seeds since they both need a lot of heat and needles like a cooling period. I actually have a spare to experiment with now that I have upgraded my incubators but I stay pretty busy hatching chickens. Maybe this winter I'll germinate some seeds.