Lesson Learned

11 years ago

First thing I am tired of my seedlings grow leggy and weak. So this year I adopted an approach, I used Jiffy paper cups not the smallest but the next size. I buried the seeds very deep may be an inch or more because I wanted the seeds to have strong base. The results were not that good it took the tomatoes 2 1/2 weeks to germinate, it took the eggplant
3 weeks to show some germination in half of the cops. As for the pepper after three weeks one showed something and I am not sure it is pepper or weed. For the second patch I buried the seeds only 1/4 of an inch and within two weeks every thing germinated. My thoughts that leggy seedlings results from the seed not buried enough is wrong. When I provided bright non-heat lights centered 8 inches on the top I have no leggy seedlings.
Abe

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Comments (11)

woohooman San Diego CA zone 10a
11 years ago
Legginess is caused by the plant reaching for light. Lights should be an inch or two from the top leaves once they break through the surface.

Also, too deep seeding isn't a good idea. The seed only has so much energy to push its way through the darkness to light where they can then use the energy from light

Kevin
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foolishpleasure
Original Author
11 years ago
Thanks kevin
I learned now that seedb depth should not be more than 1/4 inch. My best teacher is trials and errors
Abe
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rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
11 years ago
Trial and error is great, but a teensy bit of research can help, too. Most seed packs have some instructions on them somewhere about how deep a particular seed should be planted. If not, then you can look it up in a matter of a few seconds.

Here is a link that might be useful: How deep to plant pepper seeds
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digdirt2
11 years ago
Agree that experimentation can teach but it isn't necessarily the "best' teacher. For example, why waste time on experiments that have already been done and well documented.

The fact that leggy, weak seedlings result, not from planting depth, but from insufficient light and/or too warm ambient air growing temps is well established.

Same can be said for plating depth. While 1/4" may work for many things it is also too deep for some seeds and too shallow for some seeds. There is no one universal planting depth for all seeds.

Dave
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woohooman San Diego CA zone 10a
11 years ago
Yep. I learned the hard way also. Then I stopped putting so much trust in the back of the seed pack and started researching as rhizo1 said. The back of a pepper seed pack gives very little info on what actually needs to happen for successful germination to garden success. It mentions nothing about temp and lighting and soil mix and damping off and fertilizing and and and...

Not to mention things like "the baggie method" , heating mats, and a fan blowing... LOL

But, alas. The good folks at GW and elsewhere have helped me become a bit more successful gardener from season to season.

Dave: Could heat be the reason why my brassicas get leggy? I do the same thing for them as I do for all my other seedlings as far as lighting is concerned. The quandary though--- My lights(up until a couple months ago) are in the garage and I've started my brassicas when the garage was heated up(summer-fall/max. garage temp maybe 90) and then cooled down(fall-winter/max garage temp maybe 70) and I still get leggy brassicas. :/

Kevin

This post was edited by woohooman on Sun, Mar 31, 13 at 11:55
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digdirt2
11 years ago
Dave: Could heat a reason why my brassicas get leggy?

Easily. 70 degrees is fine (60-65 is considered the ideal ambient air temp for growing on) but the 90 degree days would easily be too warm.

Dave
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Raw_Nature
11 years ago
Plants grow leggy not only from insufficient light, but from lack of wind as well... Every time the wind vibrates the plants stem, it signals the plant to grow stronger. I think a lot of people overlook that aspect.. You would be surprised what a fan and a bright light would do for your seedlings!

Joe
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rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
11 years ago
Kevin, in my experience, there are very few plants that benefit from heat once germinated from seed. The overall recommendation is to pull the plug on the heat mats or cables and keep the growing area cool. Small circulating fans are helpful for a variety of reasons.
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foolishpleasure
Original Author
11 years ago
I completely agree that in addition to bright lights a soft blowing fan is very helpfull . I equate that with weight lefting for human. I go to the gem to left weight so my muscles stays strong. Don't think I love the Gem or the iron weights as a matter of fact I hate both of them but I need them. Same thing seedlings need some soft air blowing.
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Raw_Nature
11 years ago
I do much more than a Soft blowing fan.. The winds outside could be brutal, you have to get your seedlings ready for that wind. As soon as my seedling sprout they get a fan on high, and bright fluorescent fixtures just touching them.. That combination, there is no way you are having leggy seedlings!
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foolishpleasure
Original Author
11 years ago
Yes trial and errors are the best teacher . There are other easy ways to learn but to me easy come easy forgotten. I must read 2000 books from first grade to high school to college to the master program beside I learned fast reading and I love reading books but if I say I remember every thing I read I be lying. BUT I remember vividly every thing I screwed up and was corrected even from my childhood. These knowledge acquired from trial and errors is stored in the brain and never leave. I rest my peace.
Abe
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