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First time starting seeds and decided to give it a try last week. I had a empty closet in the house and I put the seeds in there last sunday.

Cukes,okra,and tomatoes have already just about all came up over night.

I was amazed...no heat mats or anything.

I kept them moist with a spray bottle and they all came up looking great.

Now just put them under a light and watch them grow?

Congrats Welcome to the wonderful satisfaction of gardening. I darn near have a celebratory party every time I see a new sprout

Isn't it wonderful!! I've been doing this for ... um a long time .. now and I still never get tired of how amazing it is seeing your own seeds sprout and turn in to little plants!

Yes definitely put them under lights, right under. The light needs to be just a couple inches above the plant, on for 16 hrs a day!

Got to go... I've got 5 flats of little plants that have been hardening off. They came back in for the night because it got into the 20's last night. About time to put them back out. And (currently) 11 flats of seeds, seedlings, plants under the lights need tending...

Did I say this stuff gets addictive!?

rainbowgardener wrote:Isn't it wonderful!! I've been doing this for ... um a long time .. now and I still never get tired of how amazing it is seeing your own seeds sprout and turn in to little plants!

Yes definitely put them under lights, right under. The light needs to be just a couple inches above the plant, on for 16 hrs a day!

Got to go... I've got 5 flats of little plants that have been hardening off. They came back in for the night because it got into the 20's last night. About time to put them back out. And (currently) 11 flats of seeds, seedlings, plants under the lights need tending...

Did I say this stuff gets addictive!?

Rainbow, where will you put all your babies? I remember admiring your garden a year or so ago--you have a unique set-up--but I can not imagine how you will fit 16 flats of seedlings into it

It will be well more than 16 before I'm done!! I sell off around a couple hundred plants as a fund raiser for my church, I give some away, and I plant tons of stuff. This year along with my garden at home, I'm doing a community garden plot, and last fall I built a new raised bed in the middle of my front yard, so I have a little more room than I used....

My little 1/3 of an acre has 15 beds + the back half as a native woodland shade wildflower garden + a zillion containers all over the place and a bunch of trellis....

thanks guys...its a very cool experience.

I have them under lights...just one question for you all.

It kinda freaks me out leaving a shop light on for 14-16 hours when I'm not always here. The fire hazard is my only worry.

Most people not have any problems?

Any tips?

I run 2 heat mats 24/7 and 16 fluorescent tubes 16 hrs a day during the peak of my seed starting season (currently running the 2 heat mats and 12 tubes). I'm gone all day. I've been doing this for many years and never had any trouble with it...

Brandon, I know exactly what you mean. I check my seedling in the morning when I get up, when I get home from work and then many, many times throughout the evening. Every time I look at them I am amazed how much they have grown since the last time I checked them - even if it has only been a couple hours!!

Thanks... That makes me feel better about it. I know I'm full of questions and I appreciate all the great advise. Now my seedlings need thinning out, some have two or three. Just clip the others and keep the most healthy looking one? I watered them from the bottom and they are under lights looking good. Any other steps I need to take to keep them growing like they are? The cukes roots are coming through some of the bottom starter treys. Is it time to put them in bigger pots? Thanks!