New set-up for baby seeds

[arisachu]

You may find out that this time of the year your window will not work either. Give it a try. Also bring the soil all the way up to the top of the pot. Being down in a hole maybe shading them also. and no fertilizer! I use a simple mix of peat moss and perlite nothing else.


Eric

I'll add some extra soil to the top of the pot, and when I went ahead and re-potted them most of them got soil farther up. I just went to see my friend's basil plants at her apartment and her's look pretty similar to mine, only further along, and she said she was just doing what the greenhouse kit said to do. She puts her right up at the window, too. I'm getting this feeling that no matter what I do I won't be able to get it to work out. :/
I used your pencil trick and it seemed to work well. I hope I didn't mess them up and hurt the roots or anything.

I'm thinking about going into the plant science building on campus with my tray of seedlings and just wander around teary-eyed until someone helps me.
I'll try putting the seedling tray on a box and get them close to the light and see if that works.

[rainbowgardener]

They were looking really stretched, but they are also tiny babies, that haven't even opened their seed leaves yet, much less true leaves. So they can certainly be saved if conditions are corrected. If you do some browsing around this section, you will find lots of pictures of people's seed starting set ups.

Even though they sell window sill seed starting kits, for most people and most plants window light just isn't enough, especially this early in the season, when there are still not lots of hours of daylight. If you happen to have a south facing window that is not shaded by any other buildings or trees AND you live in a sunny climate, you probably can start seeds by a window.

[arisachu]

The one good thing I've got going is that I do have a south-southeast facing apartment. Today is looking dreary out with no sun so I'm going to make good use of those schoolbooks and prop thee seedlings closer to the light. They are looking even more leggy today I don't know how to contain the crazy night growth, as that seems to be when they do most of their growing. Cross your fingers for me that I can find a way to not kill them.

[DoubleDogFarm]

I don't know how to contain the crazy night growth, as that seems to be when they do most of their growing

It's like when someone is watching over your shoulder while you work, it makes you uncomfortable. Stop fussing and staring at them during the day.


Eric

[arisachu]

But I thought all the eager carbon dioxide that I emit from my giant pie-hole was good for 'em!

I moved 'em up this morning using my ever-so-useful textbooks and they seemed to be enjoying the light, but those darn seedlings on the outer edges were practically clawing for the light when I got home just now! I wish I could rig a way to hang the light overhead instead of mounted on the wall. Instead my solution is to just keep turning the container every hour or so in order to try and prevent them bending. xD My methods are so MacGyver-ey. (<3 Richard Dean Anderson)

But the light at the end of the dark, dreary weather tunnel is that it will be super nice out this weekend! I'll be able to stare at them ALL WEEK LONG next week on spring break.

[arisachu]

One cilantro and the thyme seeds sprouted last night. I'm afraid that I'm killing them, too, even though they just germinated. xD Today I have some homework to do, though, so they're going to be a bit farther away from the light.

I built another book mountain for the second tray since so many are popping up now. They should be close enough to the light, I'd say about 6" give or take. I'm running out of textbooks, though.
This is the cilantro. It seemed to grow this big practically overnight. Does it look like it's doing okay?
[img]https://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y15/UntilStrawberrySherbet/0310011112.jpg[/img]

Sorry for all the picture spams, I'm not great at describing things. More of a visual learner.

[rainbowgardener]

Still looking kind of thin and stretched. But that sometimes happens when seeds pop up in the night. Give it a couple more days and see what happens. But 6" is still a lot. I have fluorescent tubes about 2" over my seedlings.

[arisachu]

Alrighty. I'll find some more books to prop them up on.
I'm probably going to go out and get another light to put on the back wall. Should I get another grow light, or a regular fluorescent?

[DoubleDogFarm]

I'll quote Rainbow,

I have fluorescent tubes about 2" over my seedlings.

I keep hearing they are about $15. fixtures.

Eric

[arisachu]

Oh derp putting 2 and 2 together is obviously not my strong point today. I'm going to wal-mart tomorrow so I'll grab a light there. Thanks guys

[DoubleDogFarm]

Sorry for all the picture spams, I'm not great at describing things. More of a visual learner.

I like pictures. Have you seen some of my post? A dozen photos or more. I know some are still using dial up, I can't help that.

Post more pictures, I'm visual also!
Eric

[arisachu]

Okay. Good to know others around here are also visual people.

Two of my B. sprouts died yesterday. I know I shouldn't be too surprised, but it's still a little sad. I'm getting one of those mini greenhouse kits because my friend's plants are looking way better than mine so maybe that will work better for me. Can I leave the plants outside in those things?