I have a couple of questions about starting seeds. I have carefully sprouted some seeds and have them potted in seed starting mix in small pots with gravel at the bottom and topped with thin sprinkling of light sand on top and put in an aluminum roasting pan with some water to keep the little pots moist. Most are fine.......3 tiny seedlings from my first pot planted July 20 have wilted and the green has fallen off. The other 3 in that pot are ok. I have 2 others in one pot that look a little droopy but seem ok. The rest of the 14 pots are ok. The pots are still damp but I was afraid they were too wet and have let the roasting pot with water get dry. Is it just normal to lose some seedlings after they are potted or am I doing something wrong?

Another question - these are in a bright window, getting plenty of light. I have a shelf I have raised seedlings on outdoors previously that gets morning sun and they have done well. Once the seedlings get a 2nd leaf, is it time to put them outside [still in the roasting pan]? I am not sure when they would be OK to put outside, its been years since I have raised seeds and forgot when I put them out.

One more question.......is it best to plant seedlings once they start showing a good bit of root and green leaf or when the white radicle shows? I have quite a few sandwiched in damp cotton rounds in plastic baggies with radicle showing, waiting for them to show green to pot up. But wonder if I should be planting them sooner to let them develop the longer root while they are growing in soil?

Thanks for any comments!

Judith