Indoor seed starting advice please.

[Smiles Jr.]

One would think that, living on a tiny farm now and growing up on a big farm, I would have answers to my questions. But there are many things that I have been ignorant about, I guess.

I'm anxious to make use of my new little greenhouse out at the old tool shed. I have an old kitchen table set up in our utility room where I put an electric heat radiator under and some of those very thin plastic seed starter trays on top. This method has worked great for me for many years. But since I have started my tomato seeds so early they are already so tall that they are crashing into the clear plastic cover. I want to take the seedlings out into the greenhouse every day to get natural sunlight and not get leggy. The clear cover along with the greenhouse enclosure allows sunlight to do it's thing and to protect the tender seedlings from temperature shock. Yesterday it was 29F outside and the soil temperature in the seed starter tray was 81F. Works great.

My question is . . . how would you raise the clear top cover to allow the seedlings to stretch their legs without bumping their heads on the plastic? I tried to build a 4" tall "bottomless box" around the edges of the tray and set the clear cover on top but my new sides block the sunlight enough to lower the interior temperature to dangerous levels. I thought about buying 1/8" thick clear plastic sheets at the hardware store but I don't want to spend the time and money for my silly little project.

While I was typing the above paragraph an idea popped into my thoughts. I could build a few wooden boxes to set my seed trays in. Then I could build tiny hoop houses over the wooden box. Coat hanger wire hoops and clear plastic sheet might work well. Hmmmmm - I'll be back.

 

[curly_kate]

I like the mini hoophouse idea! Keep us posted on how that works out. I feel like I'm behind because I haven't started tomatoes yet! I've got bedding plants started for the farmers market, so I've been distracted.

 

[digitS']

Temperature & Light: they go together, Smiles .

Yes, it helps to actually see the words that are a part of our thought processes. As we organize our words . . . things come together.

I've got this by-gosh-&-by-golly shed that is coming together. I had to take my 25 mile drive after the weather deteriorated yesterday so as to talk to DW about what I'm doing and organize my thoughts on how to put a tight roof on the walls. I kind of "box myself into corners" by doing things a step at a time but I seem to be getting away with it . . . again.

Anyway. You can "push" weak plant growth with warmth in inadequate light. If light is less than the best, lower the temperature.

This is a reoccurring problem with trying to start plants in our homes where comfortable temperature for us is often a little warm for plants that cannot get enough light - through our windows or from bulbs & tubes. Also, if we have a bright sunny window, or bright electric light fixture, we may push the heat up to 90F, or something. This excessive warmth is one reason that small fans help, I think. It isn't just to move the plants about but cool their immediate environments.

Many greenhouses are run at daytime temperatures in the mid to high 60's. They often have full daytime sun . . . whatever that might be during the weeks of late winter. On a particularly bright winter day, and about 75, very carefully, vents will be opened . See - cooler. Seed germination may be best at a warmer temperature but then, the thermostat is set lower.

It becomes really tough sometimes for some poor sap like me trying to control the growth of flat after flat of leggy plants! I can behave like a total idiot in my backyard thru the weeks that will be soon, at hand :/ . . . In and out, back and forth - every cloud is looked on as evil! I cringe with every gust of wind ! Flats of plants are constantly in my hands as I'm hurrying them around from one location to another!

Let us know about good ways you find to deal with Temperature & Light.

Steve

 

[Ridgerunner]

The hoop house idea sounds great. That sounds like a really good way to go.

I had a problem last year in that some tomatoes got too big before it was warm enough to set them outside. I had a few weeks left before they could go outside. I cut them off above two true leaves.

Being a coward I didn't do this to each and every one at first, just the ones that were too big. Each and every one sent up two suckers, one at each true leaf. If I need to do it this year, I'm going down to one true leaf.

How much you cut them back, if you do at all, will depend on how much longer you think you have before they go outside. I can't remember exactly how long it took for them to grow back to where I could take them outside to start hardening off but I don't think it was all that long. Probably less than two weeks.

These were indeterminate. I'm not sure how this would work with determinate tomatoes.

 

[MontyJ]

Why don't you just pot them up and bury them clear to the true leaves? They probably don't need the plastic cover anyway if the greenhouse is warm enough. And if they do, just put the deeper pots in a box and cover with plastic.

As a side note for those that didn't know, tomatoes will root along the entire vine. The deeper they are planted, the larger the root system.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Why don't you just pot them up and bury them clear to the true leaves? They probably don't need the plastic cover anyway if the greenhouse is warm enough. And if they do, just put the deeper pots in a box and cover with plastic.

As a side note for those that didn't know, tomatoes will root along the entire vine. The deeper they are planted, the larger the root system.

If you have room, repotting is definitely the way to go. I did not have room in the light stand to re-pot them in bigger pots. By the time I got them in the ground, they were buried way deep.

Another option instead of burying them straight down is to sort of lay them down and bury them shallow. Supposedly you get better rooting that way but I just bury as deep as I can go, usually past several true leaves. I'm more confident it will stay moist down deep right after they are transplanted and are establishing roots. And I have been known to damage them when they are laid down real shallow. I don't always get good mulch on them right after they are transplanted, although I try. Life has a way of getting in the way of plans. And caging usually goes on a couple of weeks later. If there is a way I can possibly damge something, I probably will.

 

[Smiles Jr.]

. . . if the greenhouse is warm enough.

That's part of the problem. The February daytime sun is plenty warm enough (when it shines) but our nights can dip to 20F or even less on some nights. With no sunlight the greenhouse, which is not heated, can go all the way down to near outdoor temps. So. like Steve, I'm dashing around with flats in my hands trying to get them either indoors or outdoors at the right times in the AM and in the PM after listening to the weather forecast. I have plans for a passive solar heating system for the greenhouse but I have been lazy and have not found any of those round-to-its lately.

This morning I built a flat holder box and a removable frame to hold the hoop wires but all I had in the shop was some 1/2" OSB (particle board) and I just hate to make anything out of that stuff unless it's roof sheeting or wall panels. Oh well, I use what's available. I'll go out to the shop later today to try to make the little wire hoops and scrounge up some clear plastic sheet. I'll try to remember to take my camera, too.

 

[MontyJ]

Well, you're taking them out to the greenhouse anyway right? You're covering them with the plastic cover to protect them. If you pot them up, put them in a deeper box and cover that with plastic, it does the same thing.

 

[Smiles Jr.]

Well, I'm afraid that if I put them in a deeper box they won't get enough sun. But that sure would simplify things.

 

[MontyJ]

OK, pot them up and bury them deep. Find a box or build a box so the tops of the pots are at the top of the box. Don't make me drive over to Indiana and do it! I was born in Anderson. I know my way around the Hoosier state!