Monday, March 27, 2006
Sad Seedlings - Advice Please!
Here's the fruits of my seed starting labors. Sad, I know, but I don't know why. They are under good light (full spectrum flourescent and 60 watt for heat). They receive warm water in the tray and room temperature mist on top. What am I doing wrong? Are they supposed to look so gangly/leggy (lettuce, cabbage, herbs, broccoli, brussels sprouts, etc)? Help!
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3 comments:
For sure you need more light. If you have any possibility to put the pots in daylight, plase do. As long as ýou keep them away from frost they stand cold conditions better than dark conditions.
I can't see how close your lights are to the trays, but I keep my lights real close. Just barely above the tops of the seedlings. Move the lights up as the seedlings grow, keeping them just above the seedlings. That way the seedlings will grow "out", instead of "up" towards the light.
Also I add Neptune's Harvest Organic Fish Fertilizer when I water. I think I bought it at Fleet Farm.
As everybody already said, the lights need to be much closer to the plants--just a few inches above them. And I bet they could definitely use some type of light fertilizer, like fish (as suggested by scf), or liquid kelp, compost tea, or manure tea. (Must be aged manure unless it's from llamas or sheep. "Hot" chicken manure will burn up your plants.)
If you don't mind a couple links here:
There are lots of seed starting tips here.
And I recently started a new gardening blog you might find helpful, InMyKitchenGarden.com
Good luck! : )
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