You might be wondering whether you really need a plant heating mat, so let's more closely examine the benefits of using one. Plant heating mats keep the soil consistently warm, which is ideal in spring when the temperature is fairly mild during the day but can drop to freezing at night in some areas. They speed up the germination process so you can grow more plants more quickly. You can also start earlier than you'd be able to without a heating mat, which extends the growing season. Seedling mats are perfect for trying new seeds to check their germination rate, since the faster germination means you won't need to wait so long to find out.