Newbie starting seeds indoors

[flyboy718]

Not a first time gardener but first time trying to succesfully start seeds indoors. Wondering if this is what they are supposed to look like after one week after sowing? Beginning furthest away: Marglobe Tomato, Beefsteak Tomato, Brocolii, Cauliflower, Bell Pepper and Lettuce. Are they supposed to be that long and spindly looking? I went ahead and have removed the cover since everything is up with the exception of my Marglobe and Bell Pepper. What next?

 

[Ridgerunner]

Congratulations on your good start. It often takes me more than a week to get seeds to sprout. You're at least doing something right.

One thing to watch for is damping off. That's where the soil is too wet and the stem dies at the soil surface. Once they sprout, you want the soil to be damp but not wet. I don't know how to describe how to tell the difference, but damping off gets a lot of us. Let them dry out a bit without drying out. And maybe try watering from the bottom and make sure they can drain. Slightly damp is what you are looking for, not wet.

Next for me is to provide lots of light. The recommendation I've seen is to have the light 2" from the plants so you need a way to adjust it as they grow. It also helps to have light hitting the plants from the side, either with extra lights or using reflectors. If you don't get enough light, they will grow spindly. Yours aren't too bad yet, but they appear headed that way. If they have to reach for light, they can get pretty bad.

 

[catjac1975]

They are a little spindly but should recover. Thin out extra seedlings to one ASAP. Don't try to replant them. Cut extras if they are too close to pull.
What are they planted in? Watch out for white fly and fungus gnats.

As for damping off. Next time cover the seedlings with vermiculite, or coir, right on top of you potting mix.
Tomatoes and peppers do well with bottom heat. Lettuce and broccoli need bright sun but not bottom heat.

It early for tomatoes for me. But if they get too tall you can just plant them deep when it's time to go outdoors. I always plant tomatoes as deep as possible anyway.

 

[flyboy718]

Thanks for the replys folks...I don't appear to have any problems with dampening off at this point, just marglobe and pepper taking a little longer to germinate for whatever reason. They are planted in jiffy peat pots that you add water to and they absorb the water. So, should I keep the cover off even though the tomatoes and pepper aren't up yet? I guess I will be getting a light to put on them tomorrow.

 

[flyboy718]

Last night I decided to probe a little into the marglobe tomato and bell pepper...either I planted the seed too deep or the seed sank into the peat. Either way they were too deep and I brought them up a bit, maybe they will germinate now.

 

[wsmoak]

The tomato and pepper will probably appreciate the heat from the grow light. (You don't need anything special, just a plain old 'shop light' from the hardware store and some daylight bulbs.) Mine pop right up in a few days. (Conversely, the spinach would rather not have the heat.) -Wendy

 

[lesa]

Peppers take forever to germinate. Without a heat mat, I don't even try.... When you rig up the light, get it about an inch from the plants. Everything looks good so far! Happy Gardening!

 

[catjac1975]

Last night I decided to probe a little into the marglobe tomato and bell pepper...either I planted the seed too deep or the seed sank into the peat. Either way they were too deep and I brought them up a bit, maybe they will germinate now.

They do take longer. You can just put a bit of clear plastic wrap over the ones that did not come up. Don't cover the ones that are already up. That's why the stems are weak. Bottom heat is the best especially for peppers, artichoke, squash-heat loving plants in general.

 

[flyboy718]

Last night I decided to probe a little into the marglobe tomato and bell pepper...either I planted the seed too deep or the seed sank into the peat. Either way they were too deep and I brought them up a bit, maybe they will germinate now.

They do take longer. You can just put a bit of clear plastic wrap over the ones that did not come up. Don't cover the ones that are already up. That's why the stems are weak. Bottom heat is the best especially for peppers, artichoke, squash-heat loving plants in general.

Why are the stems weak? I left them covered too long?

 

[Ridgerunner]

I'd think maybe the light was not strong enough. From your photo and what you said, I don't think you have a good light on them after they sprouted. You did say you were going to get a light on them.

They don't need light to sprout. They'll sprout if they are totally covered in dirt and in the dark from the dirt, but once they start to grow, they need bright light. Otherwise they stretch to get to what light they can find.