Help With Seedlings

[Mjav8199]

So I started my seeds day before yesterday. It's 2 trays with a mix of veggies. My cucumbers germinated in under 2 days, and I have some other things popping up. I had them at 85 degrees with domes on the trays. Everything is going great, except now I don't know what to do about light. I know the ones that have germinated need light, but what about the others.

Should I set up my lights and leave the dome on as well as the heat mats?

Do I need to remove the mats or wait until the others have come up?

I would rather not have to cut the tray to take just the cucumbers out.

any help would be much appreciated.

[Peter1142]

What are you growing? Cucumbers are generally direct seeded in the garden. They grow fast and do not transplant well. Different seeds need to be started at different times. Where are you located?

The heat mat is only really needed for speeding up the germination of very specific seeds like peppers. The new sprouts need the light, forget the heat mat if necessary. The heat mat will make things grow too fast once they've sprouted, unless you are in a very cold room.

The dome should be removed as soon as the first seedlings sprout. I never use a dome myself.

[imafan26]

Take the seedlings that have sprouted out of the dome. But do give them light. Cucumbers will need to be transplanted out when they have true leaves, which only take a couple of weeks so start hardening them off to outside as soon as the true leaves start coming out. They can handle 50's outside but not freezing. I don't find them hard to transplant, they just grow so fast that you have to transplant them soon or they will stunt.

[jal_ut]

Mjav8199, if you will put your location and zone information on your profile, it will help us to help you.

About cucumbers: they are best direct seeded in the garden where they will grow after all danger of frost is past.