scrawny, skinny seedlings - why?

[freshfood]

It happens every year - we start our indoor plants, they sprout in record time, look great, and grow like crazy. But they shoot straight up and never get thick stems. For instance, my tomato seedlings are five to six inches tall and they don't even have their true leaves yet, only the ones they sprouted with, and the stems are barely as thick as pencil lead. They'll stay like that except they will put out real leaves. It's the same for the leeks, broccoli, cauliflower, peppers. When we put them in the garden, they sit for a week and then take off and grow normally.

We plant in soilless potting mix made for vegetables, we put them under grow lights and in a south window.

Why are they so leggy and scrawny? Anyone?

 

[momofdrew]

How low is your grow light??? It should be just inches from the plant...How warm is the enviorment?

 

[daisydukers]

lack of light is most likely your problem...

If I am growing with floro's rather than my 400W HID's I have the floro's practically touching the plants...

 

[lesa]

I had the same problem. My tomatoes all germinated and then only a few got true leaves. I had them set up in a spare room, that was on the cold side. I am thinking it needed to be warmer. Also, I read a bunch of articles saying you could use regular bulbs- but I think I will spring for the "grow lights" next year... It was such a disappointment- I had 250 planted. Oh well, there is always next year!

 

[Catalina]

If you put your grow lights right above your seedlings (almost touching) this should cause them to get thicker, stronger stems.

 

[insiderart]

What you are seeing is etiolation from lack of light. As many have mentioned the grow lights must be very close to the seedlings if they aren't in a full sun greenhouse.

The plants are "stretching" to try to catch more light.

 

[Tomatoes&Things]

They need light. I put mine under florescent lights just a few inches away. Make sure the light bulbs our fairly new. Put the light on chains and move the chain up as the seedlings get bigger. Good luck!

 

[wifezilla]

Why are they so leggy and scrawny? Anyone?

Someone gave a great explanation of this problem in another thread...
It has to do with LUMENS.

Many grow lights and grow bulbs do NOT put out enough. Fortunately 175w CFL's DO! I could only find 100's so just doubled up the lights. This is the first time in years my indoor starters didn't look like hell.

 

[freshfood]

Yep, I saw that other thread - after I'd posted my question! I was curious whether anyone would come up with any other solutions, but it seems y'all are in agreement! So I will lower my lights and see what happens. It's easy, because I have adjustable light holders, sized for seed trays. I'll do it right now!

I will also try the curly bulbs, I think I have some around, or else I'll steal them out of the lamps that do have them!

Thanks, all!

 

[farmerlor]

Another thing to remember is that you must turn the light OFF at night. They need that rest time to thicken up a little. I used to get some leggy babies but as soon as I put the lights on timers that stopped.