6,340 Garden Web Discussions | Growing from Seed
I have a spot gro light, not sure of the watts though - but I do recall directions stating not to put closer than one foot to seedlings - I've got melted plastic seed trays as evidence. At a foot away,they work great and your setup sounds like it will work fine.
It would be better to only plant the bigger ones. Do not overcrowd the garden! Use the spacing recommendations that came with he seeds.
Watermelon, squash, and cucumber sprawl out and take up a lot of space. You could trellis the cucumbers on the north side of the garden to free up some space.
Tomatoes should be supported in cages, stakes or a trellis. Supporting tomatoes will cause them to grow up rather than sprawl out.
Give those extra seedlings to someone else who needs a garden (and who doesn't?).
Jon
Two years ago I set up a table out in front of my house with my extra seedlings on it and just gave them away. And we're not on a major road or anything, and I didn't advertise. Despite not asking for it, some people knocked on the door and insisted on paying us. All of them - hundreds of plants - were gone by the end of the day. Even more obscure plants like amaranth.
It's nice to know that they went to good homes.
Dave, I apologize. I am fairly new to the GW and do not know all the ways to post or where. I was hoping the OT would signal to everyone the intent of the post and seeing it multiple times, one would just ignore it. Some people go to only a few favorite forums so I thought this would be a way to inform most. I must apologize a second time, as I think I may have replied to you in an email. Sorry for the intrusion.Truly. Elizabeth
No need to apologize Elizabeth and I do recognize that your intentions were good ones, just over enthusiastically applied. ;)
But forum SPAM, in any form, is a real problem so please do review Forum Instructions and the forum use guidelines (link below) that we all agree to when we sign-up.
Dave
I had this problem with my cosmos last year - my first time growing from seed. What helped a lot was to move the seedlings into a different container and gently, very gently, curling most of the leggy stem downwards near the roots and burying the whole thing in soil so that only the topmost 1-2 inches of the plant are bove the soil level. Just have to be super careful to not snap the stem in the process. Of course provide extra light from this point on to prevent reoccurence of legginess. When I went to plant these seedlings out, the stems buried under the soil had actually grown nice big roots and the cosmos went on to grow to their 4-5 foot height on strong stems and bloomed profusely
Much less expensive Gerbera seeds at sunrise seeds
Here is a link that might be useful: Gerberas at Sunrise seeds
I would agree with the others on most accounts. Keep in mind some seeds actually prefer to not have bottom heat. I believe cool season crops like broccoli can actually be hindered by it. That said, bottom heat does speed germination for a lot of seeds ;)
Also make sure to get the lights on right away after germination to prevent the seedlings from getting "leggy" (or stretching to find light).
This is my first year using heat mat and lights. Sowed in 72 pack cell tray. Separated cells into 9 cell packs so I could move off heat when different varieties germinated.
The Salvia coccinea 'Lady in Red' and 'Coral Nymph' germinated in TWO DAYS!
About 60% 'Lady in Red' are showing full tiny cotyledons at soil level and 30-40% 'Coral Nymph are just breaking surface with tiny green things.
Best to move them off heat mat and under very close lights (no dome anymore) IMMEDIATELY or wait til morning so they're good and clear of soil?
Not going to move to larger container for a while since they're so tiny.
I had light on over domed cell pack even though not needed for germination. Chalk it up to newbie nerves.
Didn't think I'd have to make this move so soon since germination instructions said they take 4 weeks or longer @68F and if no germination try 4 weeks @39F.
Thanks for help is anyone sees this tonight!
when I placed some under my aquarium for funky lighting, the water became too warm. how much heat, i don't know. you may have to do some trial and error. what are you trying to warm up?
Does anybody know if Icicle lights will produce heat?
Incandescent? Most definitely. In fact, there's someone up here in Iowa who used to have a mature palm tree in the ground -- in Iowa! -- thanks to Christmas lights. Each winter, he trimmed off the side branches, wrapped the whole tree like a column in house insulation, and used christmas lights on the particularly cold times for supplemental heat.