6,340 Garden Web Discussions | Growing from Seed
They don't look too leggy to me. I would recommend using a fan to strengthen up the stems if that is a concern. Just a slight breeze should help. The deep planting will do the trick in the end though... Just curious, How do you like your pots? I have never used those before. I assume you plant the pot in the ground as well? I have been using new 12oz. stryofoam coffee cups. Poke a hole in the bottom, easy to label...Not very eco though...
Your phlox is a warm, cold, cool germinator -
Phlox paniculata , Sow at 64-71ºF for 2-4 weeks, move to 39ºF for 4-6 weeks, move to 41-53ºF for germination
If it's still cool outside there at night, move them outdoors after 2 - 4 weeks indoors and let mother nature take over, or put the pot in your refrigerator depending on your climate.
Here is a link that might be useful: Phlox paniculate seed here
Very interesting morz8, Thanks! Seems like it would just be easier to sow and mark the spots outside, then transplant later. I have some marked outside from last fall. It will be interesting to see what happens! The link you sent is pretty useful. I've also been trying lily seeds, sowing them outside in the fall for years, and nothing happens - (don't know what kind they are). There must be a trick for them also. Oh well, thanks for your help! Paul
Neat idea, although I've never tried it. This would be helpful under the propagation forum, too. I'm at the other end of the spectrum in that I start too many tomatoes by seed and end up giving most away. I look at it as community enrichment and good will towards others. Thanks for sharing the tip.
No, I have no outdoor place that's mine. I thought of taking the plants to the park with my kids for a few hours but I am worried the kids will destroy them.
At what point do I introduce the fan?
So you think it is best if I plant them right away when I get to my house and not let them harden off for at least a few days? I am going to have soaker hoses on timers so they will get watered while I am away.
Thanks!
My hardening process takes about 2 weeks but I've hurried before in 5 days, one year I really didn't even harden off. I assume that your weekend garden is in the same zone? Some suggestions would be to wean your artifical light time over the seedlings by a few hours, open your windows near the seedlings, let in some natural sunlight while you're in NYC prior to your 4-day visit, if possible. Also, run the fan when your seedlings are growing now, just for good health and prevention of fungal issues.
When you get to your house, you can plant the seedlings because we're talking about May in the northeast and not June in the southern USA. Someone posted about using a laundry basket to shield seedlings, so if you plant your seedlings, is it possible to have some weighted down cheap laundry baskets over them for a week until you return the following weekend? The sun would still get through but in a filtered way, as long as you have the water covered with soaker hoses. Another sun shield would be dead branches, evergreen branches, and tented up sticks around your seedlings. One year, I had no choice but to plant seedlings immediately without hardening them off and I used dead branches from trees to shield the sun and wind. I removed the branches in about a week and all the seedlings were fine. Good luck :)
Great idea with the hay! Saves my hubby a honey do, too! Thanks a million. I'm going to try it. As for the seedlings, so far I have Coreopsis, an early morning glory (President Tyler), Galilardia, Nigella, Viola, Red Hot Poker (but the great grand baby dumped that one so I'm not expecting much!), Penstmon, Rock Soapwort, and annual phlox (phlox is my favorite flower so I usually try to do both annuals and perennials of them!). I also have some in the fridge chilling out before I try to start them--so they'll be along later, hopefully. Still have a bunch of seeds to plant as I get time. Thanks again for the great tip. We have some bales on hand and that will make for a well-insulated cold frame! Blessings, Daryl
Hi, Sakura:
I've been thinking about your problem, and I have an idea of what may be happening. You say you have grown tomatoes before, so you know what the seeds look like. Nothing else looks like a tomato seed, (although some are fuzzy, and some commercial seed has the fuzz removed) so you can look at your seeds from this company and know if they really sent you tomato seeds. If they sent you tomato seeds, you can't blame them for the other seedlings.
Now, the hairlike things growing instead of tomatoes: because it's white, it may be fungus. But it may also be weed seeds in your starting mix. I grow in a mix of perlite and peat moss, and I sterilize it with boiling water and cover it to keep it hot for awhile. I still have little sprouts of something coming up with my tomatoes! Most seed starting mix like Miracle Grow has weed seeds, too. Maybe you have not seen this before because you get different weed seeds with each bag!
It's been 5 more days since you posted--do you have any tomato seedlings yet? How long have the seeds been planted? I have found bottom heat to make a huge difference in how fast they sprout. Last year my lights made the soil a nice temperature, but it took at least a week, even 2 weeks, before I saw tomato sprouts. This year I used my heat pad again, underneath the flats, and most seeds sprouted in 4 days. The soil was the same temperature, but the direction of the heat makes the difference.
I've had seeds damp off beneath the soil--I never got any sprouts, but when I sowed more in a different pot, those sprouted.
If you have some seeds remaining from your seed order, try sowing some of those and giving them bottom heat. Or try germinating some in a moist paper towel or coffee filter that's inside a plastic bag. If they sprout, as soon as you can, gently transfer them into seed starting mix. If they don't sprout, present this information to the company and see what they'll do about it--having carefully organized data may convince them to send more seeds, even if they don't have a guarantee.
On Mar. 17th, I planted 3 varieties of heirloom tomatoes. I ordered them from HeirloomTomatoes.com. They are doing great. Most have developed their true leaves. My only regret is that I planted 2-3 seeds in each 3" pod. This was recommended . 90% of the seeds have germinated and now I'll have to pitch off 1 or 2 healthy plants from each pod. I use florescent bulbs, water from the bottom and have a 6" fan blowing indirectly over the area.(The $6.00 fan is from Dollar General.)
I started cucumbers way too early, too. I started them a couple of weeks ago and then I found out that you are supposed to start them in JUNE on the coast! The thing with cucumbers is that they don't transplant well and they need a lot of heat. You are supposed to start growing them just three weeks before you transplant. Sorry to be such a downer, but I guess you have no choice to hang on to them. I'm sort of mentally saying goodbye to mine already but who knows, they might surprise :)
This seems to be a common experience with those peat pots. You might want to try small plastic containers next year.
It's probably algae rather than mold, but it doesn't make much difference. Whatever the stuff is, it's hindering the evaporation from the peat, exacerbating the whole situation. Green algae commonly grows on surfaces that remain moist, like your peat pots, clay pots and such.
Green algae won't harm your plants, but also won't respond to anti-fungal remedies, either. If it begins growing on the top of the medium surface, keep it broken up with a toothpick (or something) so that moisture can evaporate from the pot like it's supposed to.
I've never planted by the moon and my plants flourish. I've planted under the moon, if that one counts! Planting by the moon is still popular, as I know some people who follow this practice. There is a vendor near me who sells out of his lunar calendars every year. The calendars have the moon phases and planting guides, also the calendar pages do not start with the first day of each month. Interesting calendars, to say the least. He actually maintains a waiting list for the next year's calendars. I guess whatever sits right with you and how you view the forces of life in this world.
I plant my seeds that I start indoors when it is convenient to do so. However, I do keep an eye on the moon for the seeds that I direct sow and when I set out my seedlings. Because a full moon and a clear sky that falls within 7 days before or 2 weeks after my last frost date is a sure combo for a killing frost, regardless of what the daytime temps look like. After the full moon, we are pretty much safe.
Our last frost date is about the 26th of may. We have a full moon on the 19th this year so I'll likely plant bean and cuke seeds right into the garden on the 16th. They won't have sprouted by the 19th. Seedlings I will set out a few days after the full moon. Unless, of course, we are having unusually cool weather at the time. We'll see. Kay.
I too have a detest/hate relationship with Virginia Creeper. It was at the back of our property line when we bought the place, and I'm in my third year of trying to eradicate it. I've had better results killing off Poison Ivy than I have Virginia Creeper!
I lucked out and got some climbing hydrangea plants on clearance, 75% off, at the end of the summer last year. The Master Gardener I spoke with told me that they will be very slow growers, but we don't plan on moving anytime soon, and at 75% off, I'm willing to wait a while! ;o)
If you're looking for something "quick and easy", I was very surprised to see how well Morning Glories bloomed in almost complete shade. I had had excellent luck with them out by our pool (full sun), and when the local critters ended up sowing some of the seeds up by our deck (full shade -- I call it the Land of Impatiens and Hostas!), I just let them be, and boy was I surprised to see blooms!!! Granted, not as many as on our pool fence, but they did bloom.
Just be aware that if you start MGs, unless you get a sterile hybrid, you'll have more MG volunteers than you know what to do with next spring! ;o) (they're really easy to yank out, though, and they won't re-grow from tiny bits of root like an invasive)
I start most of my seeds in the greenhouse. As long as your low temps don't get too cold (say below 45 or 50).
Some seeds even need light to germinate, many don't require it and then the seed packet will tell you how deep to plant them. The direct sunlight in your greenhouse is perfect for seedlings, especially with the longer days this time of year. Personally, I only use lights to get an earlier start indoors and give the seedlings enough light (even a sunny window isn't enough).
Some seeds require certain temps to germinate (or to speed germination). I would think most flower and veggie seeds would do just fine in your greenhouse. Anything that says to direct sow or to start so many weeks before last frost would be fine.
If seeds need extra heat for germination or chilling, the seed packet should say so (most cases).
I'm sure you could get more specific instructions if you mentioned the specific seeds you are planting too :) But generally speaking, I'd go for it ;)
Thanks MUCH for your quick and much needed advice. I understand that proper circulation is critical. I don't have a fan, however I have the skirt of the cover raised or open to prevent overheating. I try and maintain a temp between 60 to 80f. Also is it neccessary to cover trays with the clear plastic covers or leave them uncovered. So far I have impatience, poppy, babys breath, various marigolds, moon flower,tidal wave petunia,tomatos and peppers. All advice greatly appreciated. 
It sounds like they are getting leggy from not enough light. Are they growing true leaves yet?
I am continually repotting my tomatoes into bigger and bigger pots each spring. Each time clipping the bottom sets of leaves and planting them deeper and deeper. They will keep growing roots along the stems as they get planted deeper. I've found doing so gives me really strong healthy plants (although I may not have the first tomatoes in the neighborhood).
Within the last couple days they started looking spindily.Should I transplant them in other containers with more potting soil or what.
Hi roxann - they are telling you that they need much more light. ;) Seedlings quickly grow long and "spindly" (we call it 'leggy') when they are not getting enough light and since exposure to direct sunlight is too hard on them, most of us solve the problem by providing artificial light 16-24 hours a day.
There is a great FAQ with pictures on Growing Tomatoes from Seed that I have linked for you below that should help with some details. And be sure to check out all the other FAQ's here too.
As to transplanting, yes you will have to do it sometime as they can't be grown to transplant size in the pellets. They will benefit from transplanting and do it deeply to just below the bottom of the first set of leaves so additional roots can develop along the stems. Then, if you can provide them with a lot more light they won't get spindly again.
Hope this helps. ;)
Dave
Here is a link that might be useful: How To Grow Tomatoes from Seed
After you get your zinnias (or tomatoes) started, you can use the shell of the Bio Dome to hold one of Park's Root Trainers - fabulous for larger seeds like cukes or melons which are sensitive to transplanting, also for sweet peas. The case for the Root Trainers has a tendency to come unsnapped at unfortunate times, but that Bio Dome tray holds the case together. I have the older Bio Dome, before they changed to the peaked dome.
Thompson and Morgan sells a version of the Root Trainers with a base that doesn't unsnap, plus a lid you can use for bottom-watering.
Hi carolync1
Thanks for the tip!
I wish i had known about these Root Trainers before? The Zinnia are growing like wild and it would have been great to have them in the RT. I see what you mean about using the Bio Dome tray. I also checked out the Thompson and Morgan one.
I'm pretty much done with formal indoor seed starting
IÂm thinking of starting some more Zinnia outside when the weather heats up. I doubt their roots will get very large enough in 3 weeks to use the Root Trainer. What do you think?
Take Care!
Dale
Like Thistle wrote, just transplant the tomatoes deep, (all the way up to the first set of true leaves) and they should be fine. Keep the lights just a couple of inches above the plants (higher if they seem to crisp the leaves). Isn't it awful when someone says something with complete assurance, at it messes you up big-time? Sometimes I've read something in several places, and thought it must be true (different sources, right?) and it turned out to be a BAD idea for me to try.
Ground cherries are going to need the same amount of light. Indoor fluorescent light is nothin' compared to the sun, I think even shade perennials grown indoors can have the same amount of light (not sure though), but ground cherries are sun-loving annuals, so give them as much light as the toms. Most people keep fluorescents on 16-24 hours a day.
Thanks stage rat and thistle. I've had the lights on for hours, and the tomato stems are so much thicker! They're way healthier overall :)