Seeds Germinated Indoors

13 years ago

For the first time this year, all the seeds I germinated indoors (between damp coffee filters) have grown well under lights with no damp off (tomatoes, peppers, and salvia). Having got another grow light I have poceeded to follow suit with cucumber, zucchini, squash, melon, and gourd (first time for any of these). They are now all at the stage of having a root, at which point I would normally pot them up. But we are now frost-free, and I wonder if it would matter if I potted them up and put them outside. I could place them against a wall, and enclose them in a semi-greenhouse set-up made with plastic on three sides. I know these are heat-loving plants but since they have not actally grown any leaves, would they suffer the same fate as plants grown under lights which were not 'hardened off'? Just wondering if anyone ever did this. It sounds crazy to me, but a bit logical at the same time. I don't want to kill them all off.

Northerner.

Comments (7)

oilpainter
13 years ago
Whoa. These are tiny little plants to set outside and they can't have much of a root on them if they've just germinated. No plant, no matter the size can be exposed to UV light if they have been inside without hardening off.

I think if you tried you'd end up with a bunch of dead plants
susan2010
13 years ago
I haven't tried it, but I wonder if it's really so different from presprouting pea, corn, or bean seeds and putting them out? Why would that work but these seeds not? Just asking those who know.
oilpainter
13 years ago
The difference susan is that presprouted seed are put in the ground. When they come up they are exposed to UV light as they come through the ground. That first little sprout poking through gets full light and it will be a couple of days before it comes through completely. That is why we have to harden them off--to expose them to UV light.

Also they are in the ground where drying out is less likely that those contained in pots.
northerner_on
Original Author
13 years ago
Thanks for your responses Oilpainter and Susan. Perhaps I did not make myself clear. These are not seelings/plants. They are merely seeds with a root. I had never heard the term 'pre-sprouting' mentioned by Susan, but I looked it up and it is recommended for peas, beans, and squash. I was thinking of putting my seeds in the ground where they are to grow. In that way as you said, the emerging shoot (green) will be exposed to the UV light as they come through the ground. Whether they are in the ground or in a pot, should make no difference once they are exposed to the UV gradually as they come up. Since I have about six seeds of each, and it shot up to 25 degrees today, I think I will try some of them. I hate hardening off and killed off many healthy seedlings by forgetting them outdoors.
sarahbarah27
13 years ago
If they just have their radical (first root) poking out, then I see no reason that you can't bury it and let it continue to grow outside. As long as you keep it watered, it should be easy for you, as you won't have to worry about hardening off. If you are frost free, then why don't you just put them right in the ground where their permanent home will be? I think all the squash, cukes, melons and gourds would prefer that to being transplanted.
susan2010
13 years ago
You mean "shot up" to 25 degrees *celsius*, right?
northerner_on
Original Author
13 years ago
Oh yes, Susan - we have been using Celcius here in Canada for many, many years.

Sarah, the temps. here are unseasonbly warm. We do not usually get these temps. until late May/early June, so I was starting them indoors to get a head start. But realizing that we are already frost-free, it occurred to me that I might be able to try this. Thank you.