NFRC about growing plants from seeds - Eva???...

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dawnnys

Well-known member
I have a few trays of seeds that I planted inside a couple of weeks ago, and while I have a lot of tall, spindly, little, thin green seedlings started, I never in my life saw anything so delicate looking!

They are very fine, and I don't even see how I could transplant these pitiful little things without damaging them. I water them every couple of days, and have them inside (still) because the warmer temperature and winds would dry them out too quickly if I had them outside. I had hoped to get them planted before now. I also covered them with plastic wrap, so they are kept pretty humid.

Having not too much experience with starting plants from seeds, is this normal?! Thanks :eek:)

 
Sounds normal to me. But you need to start getting them outside (more)

When you grow plants inside, they get tall and spindly. I try to get my flats outside as soon as possible. I have a homemade coldframe that I use. It is a wooden box with an old storm window on the top that I can raise or lower. The box protects the plants from the wind, and the lid can be closed if it rains or at night. If it's too cold at night, I can bring the plants in. It's important to get the plants out in the sun to "harden" them. They will grow thicker and heartier if you put them outside in the sun. Maybe you could find a box to put them in that would protect them from the wind, but let them get exposed to the sun. You could put them out in the day, and bring them in at night. You might have to water them each day if they are getting dry. If they're too weak, you can repot them and cover more of the stem with soil. Same thing when you actually plant them - you can support more of the stem in the soil. I put my seedlings in little peat pots which help hold moisture. Then you can plant the peat pot directly into the soil. Hope this helps.

 
Yes. They are spindly and tall because they are seeking light.If you had a

grow light on them, you would put it down almost on top of them so they would have a better stem. If they have their first true leaves, you should pinch the tops out, except for tomatoes.

 
A pain for sure. They also need some breezes to make them sway and produce stronger stalks. I have

sometimes opened a window and let them sit inside with a breeze blowing on them. That worked.

I've decided that this is the last year I'll bother with seeds. Way too much trouble.

 
You might try transplanting them into another peat pot with very fine potting soil --

and plant them deep so a lot of the stem is in the ground. You might strengthen a bit. And this is definitely the say to plant tomato plants, even if the stems are substantial. Give a big root system.

 
It's normal smileys/smile.gif

I transferred them to bigger pots at that time too. They will need a lot of water and fertilizing from now on. Also, once or twice a day I gently stroke my hand over the plants to produce stronger stalks.

After the plants got two leafs I felt that time stood still for a little while, but all of a sudden they started growing and they have already reached a couple of foot!

Just make sure they are kept in a warm place with plenty of light. Tomatoes are very sensible and don't like it cold or dry.

I cannot wait to hear how your tomatoes turn out smileys/smile.gif))

 
PS: Sorry for responding so late

I'm busy trying to get my new house and new garden in order and it's not done overnight - more like "over the summer" smileys/wink.gif

I try to get on here 3-4 times a week (preferably every day) but lately I have hardly had time to cook and sleep so I haven't been around as much as I'd like to.

 
Keep an eye out for the plastic green houses on sale. I graduated from the 2 inverted window well

covers a few years ago to one of these guys. The covers were fine but a bit difficult to get into and not high enough.

My H found a small metal-framed pliable plastic greenhouse for $20. (and by online order that's how much a new one costs in the US). It has zipper windows on the sides, with screens, and an A-frame roof so things can grow tall inside in the spring and don't have to come out when there still may be a worry of frost. The entire top zips open to allow me full access.

I just can't imagine how that can be made for $20 but it sure is worth it for me. That's where my tomato plants are now as they are so fragile, the animals will just sit on them in the garden. (My dense baby arugula made a nice bed for a duck last week)

I keep it out all winter and plunk it down over the area where my herbs are planted and can pick all winter.

The only concern is the heat inside when it gets warm. We have a thermometer hanging in there and if I am late getting out to it, the temp is up to 95. So I now leave its windows open at night.

 
Thanks everyone. Patience for something I am not sure I am doing right...

is not one of my strong points. But I'll give it more time. Too cold, too dark, too dry... arggghhhh.

As for the tomatoes, I know you can buy seed for hard-to-find varieties easier than you can find those same plants already started at the nursery, but for me (at least for the tomatoes), next year it'll be the plants from the local garden store as I have always done in the past!!

In fact, the tomato seeds didn't even grow, so I started more yesterday. That was after I noticed the cats had been using my radish plants (which ARE growing well) as a litter box. :eek:( Seeds!

 
I would just assume that in norther NY state that starting seed now would not

yield a plant to be put outside until mid-June and many varieties take 70 days to bear fruit. Doing the math, I suppose you can do seeds but it would seem plants would be more satisfying.
And ours are in the garden and about waist high. The ones in the nurseries are about 2 feet tall, as well as in the little 6 packs that are 8 inches.
We have a plastic "sleeve" that we put around the plants. You fill it with water and it warms during the day. Then gives off the warmth at night when it is cool.
Tomatoes really won't do well in the garden until the nights are warm.

 
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