Yes. And no. Simple huh?
Using heat to warm the soil you are using for cuttings or germinating seeds can greatly increase your success. By maintaining a constant temperature of the soil, seeds will germinate and the resulting plants will grow much faster. Cuttings will also root much faster if the soil is kept warm. Bottom heat is usually the preferred method of rooting some hard to root plants.
Bottom heat can also have it's drawbacks. If you don't pay very close attention to the soil, it will dry out in a very short time. I once lost over 100 Holly cuttings because I failed to maintain the moisture of the soil. I learned that lesson quickly though. Another drawback with bottom heat is the need to plan ahead, something most folks fail to do. If your bed is not properly constructed, you will simply be wasting energy and not using the heat effectively. Again, something I learned the hard way.
Most average homeowners will not need to use bottom heat. Heat mats can be purchased to aid in germination of seeds for the homeowner, however, individuals who plan on propagating plants for fun or profit will benefit from beds with bottom heat.
For a short explanation on properly constructing a heated bed, follow this link to the American Greenhouse blog. There, you will find easy to understand directions on constructing a heated grow bed.
Dwayne Haskell owns and operates Mistkits.com where complete misting kits, individual components, and advice can be found. After building his own misting system for his nursery, he realized he could design and build systems for small nurseries or home gardeners who are interested in starting their own plants from cuttings.
He has written an E-book titled Build an Arbor in Just One Weekend, and another on gardening, landscaping and plant propagation tips. He also enjoys teaching others how to grow their own landscape plants and owns and moderates the Mistkits blog, where you can find more articles, polls, and quizzes on landscape and gardening related topics. Be sure to grab your own copy of an E-book when you visit!