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Help. I live in Zone 4 with a greenhouse that uses a small furnace for heat. My seedlings are tall and spindly, and not very strong. I plant annuals, perennials and vegetables. They sprout up 2"or more out of the dirt and continue to get taller. They sometimes require transplanting to larger pots before their true leaves have formed. I use a soilless mix and keep the heat 65-70. After transplanting to larger pots, they continue to get taller, and do not flower in my greenhouse. I have a complete set of grow lights set up and keep them inches above my plants. Nothing works. I don't know what to do to get shorter, healther stems, that actually produce flowers. I tried pinching, but this only works on some flowers. My problem: Tall, leggy plants with no flowers in bloom for planting time. I would love to have pansies and petunias on my plants, and cucumber plants that are not 10" long before I set them out this June. I usually have plants that are so leggy they are laying down on the ground.
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tigergardener
Hi Tiger,
Light isn't the only aspect that will effect your seedlings. Temperature will also. From this site:
https://extension.missouri.edu/nwregion/ExtNews/March%2004/hHort0304.htm
[quote]Spindly Plants
by Tom Fowler, Horticulture Specialist
Have you ever tried growing your own plants from seed? Were they all spindly and not doing very well? That can happen when we grow plants indoors where it is too warm and there is not enough light. Several crops should be planted as plants in the garden rather than from seed. You can buy the plants or grow your own. It is a challenge to grow your own plants, but it can be a rewarding experience. And you can grow varieties that might not be available from local sources. The time to sow the seed is 4 to 6 weeks before you plan to plant them in the garden. You need a location in your home that is not too warm and has plenty of light. It is best to use artificial light. A fluorescent light fixture set just a few inches above the plants works real well. Choose a location that is 75-80 degrees F to germinate the seeds. Use a seed-starting mix (not soil) to start the seeds and keep the mix moist until germination occurs. Plastic wrap can be placed over the germination container to keep the soil moist. After they emerge remove the plastic and move them to a cooler 60-70 degree F location. Leave the lights on 24 hours a day. Only water the plants when the mix feels dry to prevent “damping offâ€
Light isn't the only aspect that will effect your seedlings. Temperature will also. From this site:
https://extension.missouri.edu/nwregion/ExtNews/March%2004/hHort0304.htm
[quote]Spindly Plants
by Tom Fowler, Horticulture Specialist
Have you ever tried growing your own plants from seed? Were they all spindly and not doing very well? That can happen when we grow plants indoors where it is too warm and there is not enough light. Several crops should be planted as plants in the garden rather than from seed. You can buy the plants or grow your own. It is a challenge to grow your own plants, but it can be a rewarding experience. And you can grow varieties that might not be available from local sources. The time to sow the seed is 4 to 6 weeks before you plan to plant them in the garden. You need a location in your home that is not too warm and has plenty of light. It is best to use artificial light. A fluorescent light fixture set just a few inches above the plants works real well. Choose a location that is 75-80 degrees F to germinate the seeds. Use a seed-starting mix (not soil) to start the seeds and keep the mix moist until germination occurs. Plastic wrap can be placed over the germination container to keep the soil moist. After they emerge remove the plastic and move them to a cooler 60-70 degree F location. Leave the lights on 24 hours a day. Only water the plants when the mix feels dry to prevent “damping offâ€
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The Helpful Gardener
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A circulation fan in the greenhouse does more than just keep fungus at bay; it can simulate wind which slows the rate of growth as well (the need for a sturdier stem shortens it)...
Scott
Scott
Last edited by The Helpful Gardener on Mon Feb 07, 2005 4:59 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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The Helpful Gardener
- Mod
- Posts: 7491
- Joined: Mon Feb 09, 2004 9:17 pm
- Location: Colchester, CT
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The Helpful Gardener
- Mod
- Posts: 7491
- Joined: Mon Feb 09, 2004 9:17 pm
- Location: Colchester, CT
