I started my peppers two weeks ago and they are just starting to sprout now. I read somewhere that they take a long time to germinate.

Cucumbers grow much faster than tomatos and tomatos grow faster than peppers.

The usual advice for peppers is start them from seed 8-10 weeks before you would put them outside.

For tomatos it is 6-8 weeks.

For cukes it is either direct plant or start 3-4 weeks early.

In all cases the window light is not likely to be adequate at this time of year. You really need to get a florescent shop light or two and hang it just a couple inches above the top of the plants. Leave this light on for 18 hours per day or so. Not doing this produces the weak, spindly growth. Weak, spindly plants have a more difficult time adapting to the outdoor conditions when the time comes.

Thanks justaguy.......I think I had a perfect light and we took it too storage about 3 months ago. I'll have to go dig it out.

Cucumbers are best direct sowed in the garden

You'll probably find that it's just best to start over with your cucs. It'll be a hassle growing it inside for another 6 weeks or more. And a large cuc wouldn;t like to be transplanted. I used to start my melons and cucs inside the first week of April (I'm in SC), then after 2 weeks of growth, harden them off in a mostly shaded area for a week, and then into the garden. I find it much easier to just direct seed. They seem to be happier anyway. They're not ready to go in the ground until late April here in this part of SC. Melons and cucs really need warm soil. I imagine your soil wouldn;t be warm enough in IL until mid-May or later?

I started winter squash indoors two months ago - they can't go out for another couple weeks, and they've all flowered and are sprawling inside - so I feel your cuke pain!

I have some tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers in seedling stage in small mouth flats

I keep them under a fluorescent light that says it has full sunlight spectrum.

The peppers, tomatoes and cukes have grown pretty well. I noticed that the bottom leaves on the tomatoes have lightened in color. I'm wondering if this is normal? I still have a couple of weeks before I put them outside. I could put them in a bigger container but I'm not sure when to do that.

I have to agree with what you've heard already.

Tomatoes, peppers, eggplant and a few other things should be started indoors. Most other things should be direct sowed. I tried to start everything indoors last year and figured out that cucumbers, watermellons, cantelope, winter squash, etc. didn't do to well being transplanted. Luckily, I put some seeds in at the same time and they did great.
Rick

Cucumber roots hate being disturbed, another reasont to directly sow outside. Or start 2-3 weeks before transplanting out...at least the roots are young and will have to time re-develope.

Thanks everyone. I'll probably replant the cucumbers when it gets warm enough here. No harm done.

I'm still not sure about the tomatoes. I'm going to put them in larger containers today.

Just want to thank all of you for your great advise and knowledge, I'm new to the site and have gained so much from all of you thanks again and have a wonderful year in the garden. Michael

Hi Everyone,

My cucumbers took off like a shot in the container. They have small fruits. I was happy. Now suddenly, the small fruits are turning yellow and dieing. Does anyone know why this is happening?

My tomatoes are starting to have small green fruit but the bottom leaves are turning yellow and dieing. Is this OK?

My peppers seem to be doing OK. They are slow except for one plant that grew a pepper early straight out of the main stem. Weird.

I've already harvested one bunch of radishes. Some were small but many were just like super market. Working on batch 2 now. My carrots are still in the ground. My leaf lettuce is a major success. I have not had to buy lettuce for weeks now. My zucchini plants are large. Some flowers are starting so I think the fruit can't be far behind.

If anyone has any suggestions for my poor cucumbers and tomatoes or for anything else that sounds strange, I'd sure appreciate it. - Thanks!

I'm no expert, so I'll tell you what my thoughts are, but I could be wrong and if I am hopefully someone will come along and correct me!

(1)It sounds to me like your cucumbers weren't fully fertilized. Did you have any male blossoms (flowers that were NOT attached to a little cucumber)? And are they outside where the bees can get to them, or do you still have them inside? (2)Yellowing bottom leaves on tomatoes is fairly common but could be due to several different reasons. I take a pair of scissors and cut them off and spray my plants with Daconil to keep the diseases to a minimum. I still get it, but I can hold it off until I get a decent harvest. (3)Peppers like heat so they should start to take off soon.
Hope this helps,
Edie

Hi Edie........I've never fertilized the cucumbers. Maybe that's the problem. What kind of fertilizer to they need?They are outside for the bees to come around. I think I do have flowers without little cucumbers attached. I have 5 plants in a large pot. One plant was started inside and did OK for the transplant. The others were put in later. It's the transplanted one that's having the problem. It is the biggest of course.

I've been removing the sickly looking leaves from the tomatoes. I'm not getting many flowers. I have Roma and Cherry. I think it's the Roma that have a few small fruits now. They are also in a container. I'm concerned that I've put too many plants in the container. I think there are 3 roma and 3 cherry in there. The container is 1.5 to 2 feet diameter and about as tall.

I'm also concerned I have been watering the cucumbers too much. I thought they needed lots of water. The tomatoes get less water. Every day or two I water the cukes if there has been no rain. Not as much for the tomatoes.

Thanks for your response Edie. Every little bit of help is good for me. I haven't had a yard for years so this is the first year I've tried to plant. My seedlings got pretty leggy due to lack of light I think. I got a light for them after they were well underway. I'll know better next year and start everything with a light from the beginning.

I've never fertilized the cucumbers. Maybe that's the problem. What kind of fertilizer to they need?

Poster was talking about fertilization of the flowers, not the soil. The male flowers, (ones without baby fruit), will pollinate the female flowers, (with the fruit). If there are no bees, you can do this yourself with a paintbrush.

I'm concerned that I've put too many plants in the container. I think there are 3 roma and 3 cherry in there. The container is 1.5 to 2 feet diameter and about as tall.

Way too many. That pot should only house one (1) tomato plant.

Every day or two I water the cukes if there has been no rain. Not as much for the tomatoes.

Don't go by how many days have past. Just stick your finger in the soil. If it's dry about an inch down, give them a watering.

Thanks Nabcity.......I'll give it a try. I'll washout some old makeup brushes for the fertilization.

I do check the soil by feeling it as well. I'll give your method a try.