6,340 Garden Web Discussions | Growing from Seed

In reality it doesn't cover that much space. The primary coverage from a 1000 watt bulb is about 15 sq ft, maybe less. The plants on the perimeter don't receive enough light. We ended up putting reflective paper (actually it's more like mylar) on the walls to increase the amount of light.
Karyn

I find that fluorescents provide a gentler light that works better for most seedlings, but HID lights are great for growing on to larger transplants, especially for tomatoes and peppers. For a 1000-watt metal halide light, I had a room divider (the futon-store kind) made up lined with foylon, a reflective fabric like mylar, to make a growing niche against corner walls painted white. It works very well for a roughly 5' Ã 5' growing area.

Thanks for the help. I've got it figured out.

Give it a day for my new post to show up and search for BearState to view some photos of my backyard nursery.

;)

boy vela, your just full of help, LOL :'> i had to share my photo album since ya showed me how. i added a few new one's. your so sweet!! P.S. Yep, that person was me. LOL

I had to pinch a few bad leaves myself, they were just not looking good,on about 5 plants out of 100 (I start them for myself, firends,family and neighbors)!!So.....I pinched them a few weeks ago and the plants are doing fine still, they did not show excess growth due to the pinching, nor get stunted. They are keeping up with all the rest just missing a few leaves!So......I am assuming when a leaf looks bad, no matter where on the plant, pinch it!

AND yes...save those seeds for next year! Seeds can last MANY years! Hence the heirlooms!

Happy to report..after pinching, tomatoes are still looking great. Like rdubow, mine don't show any excess growth or stunting. Very healthy, and anxious to go in the ground. I'll be planting soon...

My newbie mistakes last year were big ones! I felt like an idiot! I did the sowing flats for some seeds, none survived that, still dont know why. But I used a 4" deep round plastic tray w/ potting soil to plant moonflowers. No drainage holes, and only 2" of soil!!!! They actually popped up great, grew to about 3 in tall, then died!! Gee...could it be because of the lack of room for their roots?? LOL!! I had 7 butterfly weed and 5 magnus purple coneflowers survive. Planted them in styrofone cups, once again no drainage, must've been lucky. I also didn't harden them off. So I was REALLY lucky.

One thing I have learned (not a newbie but always learning better ways to be successful)I always wet my soil completely before I set the seed. I do this because it seems the soil has a tendency to soak up the water in certain areas and not the entire surface. If you start iwth wet, not dripping soil I think you have a better chance of keeping it moist. I use the started trays with the little net wrapped plugs, I soak them good, place the seed, cover it with the lid and when they start to sprout I remove the lid and let them go. This year I did sweet peas, climbing blackeyed susan, impatence, asters, bach buttons, marigolds, cosmos, they all did fine, they are in the ground already. Drainage is key! Set them in the shade for a few hours a few days or week before planting them out. They burn easily and dry out fast when placed outside so keep an eye on them.

Morning glory leaves turn white, and the plants stall, if they're planted out too early and get subjected to cold temperatures. But as you have them indoors, that can't be the reason...

They are under a "natural Light" fluorescent bulb, 48" long, with my other seedlings. My husband said that he thought that I had the light too close. It was less than four inches from the morning glories. The other seedlings are all so much shorter that I was hesitant to move the light up much higher.
I have now. I just hope that they are able to repair themselves, if that is what the problem was. The new leaves are continuing to grow well.

Also, I had the light on for 14-16 hours a day. Is that too much time for the flower's needs. The veggies are all very happy.

Thanks!

I am zone 4 and my soil temp was 69 this morning! I have my sun flowers in already, some direct sown some prestarted in the house! Sunflowers are an annual but often reseed themself so I KNOW that a chilly soil does not harm the seed, it will just not grow until the soil warms up! I say plant them...when the soil is right temp they will show you!!!

You can absolutely start sunflowers now. We grow a couple acres of multiple varieties of sunflowers. We direct sow the first seeds in mid April (not this year because of the unusually cold temps) and continue every two weeks through the beginning of Sept. Our fields have rows covered in landscape plastic so it gives us a couple extra weeks on either end of the growing season.
Karyn

okay now with cannas and moonflowers do they normally take longer? And can I do the paper towel method with any seed or just certain ones?

Lately I've been having my moonflowers sprout the next day (I nick, soak in a cup of water for a few hrs, then do paper towel/baggie method)... but I have the paper towel/baggies all sitting on a seedling heating mat. Personally, I have found the paper towel/baggie method to work with everything except tiny seeds - I don't use it for papyrus, vaccinium, or basil - too difficult to remove the tiny little rooted seeds from the paper towel! For those I just scatter them on top of damp peat and put that container (usu. a small yogurt container with slits cut in the bottom w/scissors), and put that into a baggie for humidity.

Common problem. It won't hurt the plant but if it really bothers you you can mist it lightly to soften the hull and then let the leaves push it off.

The seed coat will normally fall off as the leaves grow but occasionally it gets "stuck". Softening it with water can sometimes do the trick but I've resorted to a straight pin and a pair of pointy tweezers to help it along.
Karyn