They look great! :-) I have a few questions - my seedlings always turn out tall and skinny - how much light do you give yours? Do you supply artificial light or just from a window? Or do you have a greenhouse?
Tall skinny seedlings means not enough light. I just use your basic cheapo shop lights with cool flourescents. The "grow" lights that are more expensive, also get a lot hotter and can burn the tops of your seedlings. The light needs to be within an inch or two of the tops of the seedlings. I leave the lights on 14-16 hours a day. I also use bottom heat under the soil to encourage germination. My lettuce and spinach germinated within 36 hours. My tomatoes started germinating in three days. Peppers and eggplants especially appreciate the bottom heat!
Ooh, you must visit my blog and BuzzardBilly (http://buzzardbilly.blogspot.com), and Phoebe Fay (http://phoebefay.blogspot.com), and W.Va. Fur and Root (http://wvfurandroot.wordpress.com). We have all sorts of garden porn going on!
I hadn't thought of putting heat under my sprouter thingies. Good idea!
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You temptress, you!
Soon, very soon.
And the madness begins! Operation Green Thumb prepare for take off!
They are looking good but this durn snow is killing me!!!
They look great! :-)
I have a few questions - my seedlings always turn out tall and skinny - how much light do you give yours? Do you supply artificial light or just from a window? Or do you have a greenhouse?
Lena,
I only WISH I had a greenhouse!
Tall skinny seedlings means not enough light. I just use your basic cheapo shop lights with cool flourescents. The "grow" lights that are more expensive, also get a lot hotter and can burn the tops of your seedlings. The light needs to be within an inch or two of the tops of the seedlings. I leave the lights on 14-16 hours a day. I also use bottom heat under the soil to encourage germination. My lettuce and spinach germinated within 36 hours. My tomatoes started germinating in three days. Peppers and eggplants especially appreciate the bottom heat!
I have the same problem as Lena, always tall and skinny. I think next year I'll by a heat pad for bottom heat. Thanks!
"Honey - I have a project for you this weekend!!!!!"
Thanks for the tips. I was hoping it was the light which would be easy to remedy. :-)
I wish I had a greenhouse too. I keep looking at the ones people have on craigslist...sigh.
Ooh, you must visit my blog and BuzzardBilly (http://buzzardbilly.blogspot.com), and Phoebe Fay (http://phoebefay.blogspot.com), and W.Va. Fur and Root (http://wvfurandroot.wordpress.com). We have all sorts of garden porn going on!
I hadn't thought of putting heat under my sprouter thingies. Good idea!
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