Sprouting Yeah baby!

[Christian1971]

After 4 days some tomato seedlings are sprouting.

[digitS']

When they are ready for pictures ..

. how about posting them on lakngulf's 2015 tomato starts thread?



Steve

[Christian1971]

Pepper sprouts are coming up now.
Need to order my grow lights.
Other seedlings are about an inch.
I presume these are not the true leaves yet?
How do true leaves come out?

[NJ Bob]

Anything after the first pair of leaves are true leaves.

[rainbowgardener]

Bob is right. The first pair of leaves that appear are the cotyledons or seed leaves, which are shaped differently than any other leaves the plant will ever produce. After that the next pair to appear, and all future ones, will be true leaves with the characteristic leaf shape of the plant.

[digitS']

Pepper sprouts are coming up now.
Need to order my grow lights.
Other seedlings are about an inch.
I presume these are not the true leaves yet?
How do true leaves come out?

Do these seedlings have good light now ..

. the lights on order are just for the time when they will need more room?

Steve

[Christian1971]

They have good light from the four south facing windows.
If lights are needed, can I wait until the true leaves and seedling are taller?

[applestar]

It's usually better to put them under lights as soon as they push up from the soil. "Taller" baSically equals "weaker" unless grown with sufficient light. If only using windows but expecting lights very very soon, make sure the windows are super clean and not obstructed by insect screen or window treatments, put the plants on white or shiny surface (my favorite is inside of chip bags, aluminum foil,... aluminum lasagna pans are great because the sides will also reflect light. Surround the seedling trays/containers on the three non-window sides with white or shiny wall (mirror or cardboard lined with nside chip bags, aluminum foil, mylar emergency blanket), a leaning half roof is an option but will also add to the reflected light. MAXIMUM LIGHT COVERAGE so angle the side walls outward.

...or just keep turning them 1/4 turn each day -- you will see them leaning towards the window, and ultimately, they will be more stretched out than when grown under lights at proper distance.

You can still bury *tomato* seedlings (peppers are not as forgiving) as deep as necessary and many people manage to grow them this way. It helps if you can take them outside on warm days and bring them back inside if too cold. It should be manageable with smaller number of seedlings. BUT be sure to harden them off first.

[Christian1971]

Is it too late if my lights arrive next week?

[applestar]

It will depend on the weather. Try to supplement with reflectors for one thing -- I wouldn't call it "too late" since there are so many different things you can do in the mean while -- do you have any desk lamps or hanging lights at all?

Have you seen my various posts? One of my "hobbies" you might say, is trying to rig up different ways to provide supplemental light to my plants -- bedside lamp converted into plant light by replacing the harp lampshade with aluminum foil pan (hole in bottom to secure the pan with the harp lamp shade brace ... Torchere floor lamp conversion by making a hole in one side of a full size aluminum lasagna pan to fit the light socket base... Etc. etc. I've shared/posted photos of them all, I think. (Not sure if they are all in the same place)

SusanW and rainbowgardener posted about using one of those multi-flex head ("Medusa" style) floor lamp.

...there is a sticky thread at the top of Seed Starting for lights... Maybe in there?

[Christian1971]

I decided to reseed those which I have plenty of.
Those where there are no extra seeds, I transplanted deeper.
My peppers are just starting. Hope to have lights by Wed or Thur of next week.

[Christian1971]

I transplanted my tomato seedlings deeper, which were getting leggy. Not yet spindly.
I did the same with my pepper seedlings. Took out the heating pad. Seem to be growing fine.
I was quite distraught that my seedlings were growing a bit fast. I felt that I would be a failure. Put them in taller cups. Cant afford fancy grow light system, but started using clamp lights and grow bulbs. About 4" from plants. Better then nothing I guess.
I'm nervous and hope I can endure my fears and tendency to quit. Even if they are just plants.

[digitS']

Just plants?!

The other day I read that the most "successful" of Earth's species are humans and our food plants. We are in it together .

There is a learning curve. In the veggie garden, I probably have had more trouble with peppers than anything other than melons. This is not central Mexico!

I remember 20+ years ago when nice weather would finally arrive and I'd set out my pepper plants. They were such tiny things. I still had enough spiciness to injure myself in the winter kitchen! These days, my peppers have trouble with being root-bound in 4-packs. I think, maybe I can do better.

One better way just occurred to me this week! I may be moving them out of their community containers a little early. I'm not sure but I'm always impressed by their root systems and they start off nice seed leaves. Maybe I'm too impressed. Maybe root-bound is okay. Risk-averse, I won't make any big changes but will try to observe better, remember better, and bounce ideas off other gardeners so as to help me with that ...

And, hey! I first grew peppers in the 1970's. Children. We are all children out there.

Steve

[Christian1971]

My tomato seedlings are starting to show their true leaves. I will have to plant some deeper again.
I did get a couple grow bulbs which will hopefully help prevent the leggyness.
Peppers are growing slow and steady.