Sheri,

Do they have true leaves or is it just the 2 little cotyledons (seed leaves) that open first, prior to the true leaves? I guess it probably doesn't matter because the answer is probably the same either way.

I assume you have already ruled out damping off since you don't mention that the stems have that pinched, thinned look before the stem weakens and falls over?

That leads me to think that they have gotten too tall too fast as they "stretch" and reach for light. The stalks are staying too thin and not getting thicker because they don't have enough light to give them enough energy to do so. It is a problem and illustrates how difficult it is to start seeds inside without a fluorescent light or lights.

Can you put them in the ground when they are tiny new seedlings? You can, but at this stage/size they are going to be very vulnerable to insects and diseases. If your soil is well-drained and is not staying excessively wet, they ought to survive, though. (Check your weather forecast, though, before you put them into the ground, because weather in the mid-30s to upper-30s and patchy frost are in the overnight forecast for Sunday night going into Monday morning in parts of northern Oklahoma.)

Dawn

Ok, Thanks Dawn. I guess I'll focus on getting the lights this winter.

Sheri,

My first light shelf was cheap white plastic shelves from Wal-Mart that might have cost $10 or $12, and three fluorescent "shop light" fixtures that were not that expensive either....maybe $5 ot $10 each. My DH attached screws to the underside of the shelves and hung the lights on little chains from those screws. It was quick, simple, useful and fairly economical (esp. if you price the light shelves in gardening and greenhouse catalogs).

It's not hard to make one yourself and they are really useful for seed-starting.

Dawn

Dawn,

How many sets of shelves do you have? I wonder if the warmer weather that should be coming will be more sufficient for the seedlings? If not, how long do you have to leave the the seedlings under the lights, until time to move them outside?

I have got my Prudence Purple, and Baker's Family Heirloom seeds from George. My sister went to Home Depot this morning and picked up some Brandy Boy, Super Beefsteak, (wondering if this is as good as beefsteak)seeds for me today. So I am going to start them this week, and will use those for fall tomatoes. Sheri

My first set had 4 shelves, but since we hung the lights from the bottom of each shelf, the top shelf had no light above it, and I didn't put plants on it, so I guess, technically, I had three shelves. Each shelf held one flat and one half-flat. (You can get half-flats from Wal-Mart during seed starting time, or you can use the 8" x 8" disposable aluminum baking pans.) My big shelving unit that I use now has 5 shelves, and each holds 3 to 4 flats depending on how I arrange them, so I can raise up to 20 flats of plants on it. (For the top shelf, we hung plant hooks in the ceiling and suspended the lights from them.)

How long you keep the plants inside under the lights is up to you. Since I start my seeds on Super Bowl weekend, they stay inside 4 to 6 weeks before I move them to the screened-in porch to harden off. (And, of course, sometimes it dips below freezing and I have to carry everything back inside, which is NOT fun at all.) You can move them outside whenever you want....I always have to wait until the days are warm enough. I wouldn't move them outside until they have 4 true leaves probably. And, remember, you have to expose them to gradually increasing amounts of light.....one hour the first day, two the second, etc.

For fall tomatoes, you don't have to start your seeds inside, you know, I start mine outside, but the issue is whether you can keep them watered during the summer. If you're at work all day, that might be impossible, in which case you'd be better off starting them inside. And, hardening off summer seedlings is easier, because you can move them outside where they are in the shade of the house or a tree or whatever.

Dawn

Dawn,

I am home during the summer so, I will just start them outside. So for summer, before they "sprout", can I leave them in the shade outside or is it better to keep them indoors? Then after they sprout just move them into full sunlight? Also, do you at any point use any seaweed spray on the seedlings? Thanks Sheri