Newbie Seedling Question

[JimWWhite]

We planted a bunch of romaine, kale, and other leafy plant seeds over the past month and have them in two grow carts we got from Lowes last year. Each level of the grow carts has a grow light hanging down over the trays with two trays per level. The plants came up quickly and were very healthy but for some reason they just aren't thriving. They are spindley little things that aren't putting on real growth. No second leaves. This happened last year too. We keep the lights on about 16 hours a day and the carts are in our sunroom where it's warm enough. They get plenty of water and light. They're planted in small peat cups with the best of starting soil.

What are we doing wrong here?

 

[lesa]

I can't imagine that you can't get those outside now, in NC. What are your temps? Sounds like they just aren't getting enough light, if they are leggy....I'm getting ready to put lettuce in a cold frame here in zone 4.

 

[lesa]

And, Welcome!!! Just noticed your a first time poster!

 

[JimWWhite]

And, Welcome!!! Just noticed your a first time poster!

Thanks for the Welcome! I believe they've been getting plenty of light being in the sunroom plus the grow lights. Our outdoor temps until this past week have been dismal all winter long here. We've had a miserably wet, cold winter here in central NC with temps about 10F below normal every day and night. The TV guy said it's the worst winter since 1956 and the 9th worst since they started keeping records in 1873.

For the past week we've been having 60's and 70's in the day with lows in the high 30's to low 40's at night. Better but there's still a frost on my car when I go out in the mornings to go to work. We're going to put the plants in our raised beds today and cover them with plastic at night. Our last frost date here is mid-late April.

Is there a method I'm missing with starting plants indoors. I mean, all we did was to plant them in cups with good starter soil, kept them misted, and under the grow lights. The cover was on until they were up out of the soil and we generally left the cover open since then because of too much condensation. But the plants are spindly and tall. No second leaves.

 

[journey11]

Hi JimWWhite, and

I have the same set up as you with the sunroom and all. Is it a heated sunroom or does it have a southern exposure? I keep a remote thermometer in my sunroom to monitor the temps on my weather station. Sometimes they'll stall out if they're not warm enough.

Also, your standard seed starting mix is sterile and soiless and hasn't any nutrients in it. Try watering once a week with a soluable fertilizer like Miracle-Gro and see if that doesn't give them something to go on. Also, maybe just me, but I prefer to water the trays from the bottom and let it soak up. Seems to cause less problems (like dampening off) and maybe if you're watering from the top (spray bottle?) it might not be saturating the starter mix all the way through.

 

[JimWWhite]

And, Welcome!!! Just noticed your a first time poster!

Thanks for the Welcome! I believe they've been getting plenty of light being in the sunroom plus the grow lights. Our outdoor temps until this past week have been dismal all winter long here. We've had a miserably wet, cold winter here in central NC with temps about 10F below normal every day and night. The TV guy said it's the worst winter since 1956 and the 9th worst since they started keeping records in 1873.

For the past week we've been having 60's and 70's in the day with lows in the high 30's to low 40's at night. Better but there's still a frost on my car when I go out in the mornings to go to work. We're going to put the plants in our raised beds today and cover them with plastic at night. Our last frost date here is mid-late April.

Is there a method I'm missing with starting plants indoors. I mean, all we did was to plant them in cups with good starter soil, kept them misted, and under the grow lights. The cover was on until they were up out of the soil and we generally left the cover open since then because of too much condensation. But the plants are spindly and tall. No second leaves.

 

[journey11]

They do look a bit leggy and pale. I don't know how, but I'd say they need a bit more light. Looks like you have your bulb hanging just over them which is good (I do 2" above). Is it a single bulb down the middle? I use a shop light with two bulbs and the casing on it works to reflect the light back down on the seedlings. I do notice on mine the plants at the outer most sides of my trays pull in toward the light some, but they didn't get leggy. Do you know your temps in your sunroom? Maybe too warm for lettuce??

But yeah, I'm with Lesa, at this point you might be better off to go ahead and set them outside. You can use a row cover if you get any late cold and frosty nights. I kept lettuce alive in my garden all winter with a row cover, then when the temps warmed up, it just took off growing again.

 

[patandchickens]

They don't look *badly* leggy, but more light would probably help.

As journey11 says, you may have a nutrient deficiency IF they have looked exactly like that for more than a week. (If not, then you are probably just lookin' at the natural timing of things). Next time you water, try using a very VERY VERY dilute solution of miracle grow or whatever all-purpose water-soluble fertilizer you have around. Very, very dilute.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[wifezilla]

Those grow lights sold and labeled as specific grow lights have a pathetically low level of lumens. I stopped using them last year. I have much better results with CFLs in a clamp light fixture.