Seedlings and small plants can be very sensitive to environmental influences. You’ve probably wondered if a humidity dome can help! What are the benefits of humidity domes and can they help to create an ideal environment for your plants?
Humidity domes can aid in germination by protecting your seeds, maintaining moisture levels, and creating the ideal environment that your plants need to be healthy. This can boost the overall health of your seedlings and also boost their growth rate, leading to healthier and larger plants.
If you are looking for an easy way to improve the health and growth of your garden plants, then consider investing in a humidity dome.
The benefits of humidity domes
If you are planning on starting your own seeds for your garden, you might be wondering if a humidity dome is right for you. To understand the many benefits of a humidity dome, let’s first look at what a humidity dome actually is.
A humidity dome is a tool you can use while germinating seeds. It is often used in conjunction with a heat mat, protecting your seeds and maintaining moisture levels. Essentially, a humidity dome provides your plants with the ideal environment to get a jump start on growing.
Essentially, a humidity dome is just a plastic cover that fully contains all of your seeds within the seed flat. It retains moisture and warmth and is meant to be removed after the seeds have germinated. Humidity domes vary in size and design – some even have built-in LED lights to aid in the growth of your plants.
They can be roughly compared to a mini greenhouse.
Humidity dome pros and cons
Seeds can germinate without humidity domes, but humidity domes can make the process much more efficient.
If you use a humidity dome, you’ll likely notice your germination rates skyrocket. You’ll have fewer wasted seeds and fewer failed crops of seedlings. No more wasted time!
Not only that, but a humidity dome can save you time and effort in one other way. When seedlings are germinating, they require constant moisture. You’ll have to mist your trays often so that the seeds don’t dry out.
If you use a humidity dome, much of that moisture will be trapped inside, so you won’t have to mist nearly as often.
Another benefit of using a humidity dome is that it will protect your seeds during the germination process. No more insects or mice getting to your newly planted flat! The edges of the tray will be totally sealed up so you don’t have to worry about pests.
You can even use a humidity tray to serve as a “carrying case” if you need to transport your plants. For example, if you are growing microgreens, you can transport fresh microgreens directly to your kitchen. With the coverage and protection provided by a humidity dome, you don’t have to worry about them being damaged in transport.
Of course, humidity domes can be converted into blackout domes with a bit of spray paint. Blackout domes can help germinate some types of seeds that need total darkness in order to grow.
There are very few disadvantages of using humidity domes. The only one that’s worth mentioning is that these structures can sometimes lead to mold growth.
You usually won’t see mold if you only leave the tray on during the germination process – if you do, it will usually be in small amounts and will disappear once the tray is exposed to light and proper airflow. Timing is everything!
Where to place the humidity dome
A humidity dome should be placed directly over your seed tray. Purchase one that matches the length and width of your tray so that you don’t have any gaps or overlapping edges.
When you position your humidity dome over the seed tray, you will want to make sure the entire flat is placed near a heat source. Most seeds need heat to germinate, so placing the humidity dome and seed starting tray over a heat mat or near a water heater can help speed up the process of germination for you.
Some humidity domes come with vents. When you place the humidity dome on your seed trays, try to position it so that the vents are evenly distributed over the entire tray for the best distribution of airflow.
You will want to vent the tray if it takes more than a week or so for your seeds to germinate. At this time, mold and fungi can start to make an appearance, so venting the dome will release some heat and humidity to prevent their growth.
When it comes to the right location just stay with what your seedling normally would need.
When to remove the humidity dome
So how long are you supposed to keep your seedlings under a humidity dome? The exact timeline varies depending on the specific types of seeds you are growing and their expected germination rate.
Keep a close eye on the progress of your seedlings. You should remove the humidity dome as soon as you see little sprouts. Put your seeds under a light, in a spot with good air circulation.
It’s important that you don’t leave the humidity dome on after the seedlings have emerged. Not only can this block some light from reaching your plants, despite being clear, humidity domes do prevent some light from getting to your plants, but they can also trap moisture.
Although this isn’t a bad thing early on, once your seedlings appear, this same humidity can lead to mold and root rot, which can kill your plants.
So once your plants sprout, get them uncovered.
Final thoughts
If you’re thinking about adding a humidity dome to your arsenal of gardening tools, you’ve made a smart choice. Although you will have to spend a bit of money to invest in a quality humidity dome, trust me it’s worth it.
The humidity dome is an important tool to have in your garden, especially if you are trying to grow tropical plants. By following these tips, you can get the most out of your humidity dome and ensure that your plants thrive.
