HelpfulGardener.com

Posted: **Fri Mar 16, 2012 10:59 am**

Plants have been under the lights now for a week. Tomatoes seems to be growing very slow. How long does it typically take for them to get their first true leaves?

Cukes seem to be growing faster but tomatoes are still very thin and small....is this normal for the first week?

Lights stay on at least 16hrs a day.

Thanks

Posted: **Fri Mar 16, 2012 12:02 pm**

I would say about a week from seed leaves to the first true leaves is about right. As Mg says patience!

Posted: **Fri Mar 16, 2012 12:20 pm**

Yeah wait tell you do peppers lol.

Posted: **Fri Mar 16, 2012 2:23 pm**

Thanks. I'm trying to learn patience. The lights are 2" to 3". It's getting harder because I only have one light and the cukes are almost touching the lights. Is this ok?

Posted: **Fri Mar 16, 2012 3:05 pm**

Almost touching is okay, but you don't want them touching. So you will soon need to raise the lights. If you are having weirdly warm weather like a lot of the rest of us, perhaps soon you can start putting the cukes outside at least in the daytime? It's likely even for you, even this year still considerably too soon to plant the cukes, but they could go in and out for awhile.... Sounds like you might have planted the cukes a little early. They are the fastest growing, but among the last things to get planted as they like the soil nice and warmed up.

Posted: **Fri Mar 16, 2012 3:23 pm**

If you have a timer for the lights- watch out for peppers/toms, they tend to relax at night, and next day stand at high attention and could get burnt in the morning, as they grow @ night. I had to reset the time till after I got up, so I could adjust the light/props. When you get alot of seedlings with different var. they could be taller/shorter then others. So be prepared to have a good adjustable light(s) or things to prop up the plants. I'm always finding things to prop em up from growth/ up potting. it can be a logistics headache

My toms took about 8 days from cotyledon to 1 set of recognizable leaves

T

Posted: **Fri Mar 16, 2012 9:49 pm**

Marlingardener wrote: Peppers are the plants that teach us patience!

My goddess, is THIS ever the truth ! My peppers keep making me want to bang my head against the wall

Posted: **Fri Mar 16, 2012 10:01 pm**

For peppers, heat makes all the difference.

Posted: **Fri Mar 16, 2012 10:19 pm**

applestar wrote:For peppers, heat makes all the difference.

I agree definitely. I'm just lucky enough in that my window upstairs in my room gets direct sun for 5 hours in the mornings, then I can move them to the downstairs window. The pots are heated to the touch, and everything sprouts very easily- it just takes SO long for them to start getting their true leaves. augh!

Posted: **Fri Mar 16, 2012 11:07 pm**

SPierce wrote:
Marlingardener wrote: Peppers are the plants that teach us patience!
My goddess, is THIS ever the truth ! My peppers keep making me want to bang my head against the wall

+1 LOL, now they are ahead of planned schedule and starting to go in fruiting mode

Need to wait until this rain deludge passes (1-2 inches over the weekend- hey don't laugh- thats alot for us So Cal gardeners LOL

) Can you imagine what its like driving

T

Posted: **Sat Mar 17, 2012 8:08 am**

Tonio wrote:
SPierce wrote:
Marlingardener wrote: Peppers are the plants that teach us patience!
My goddess, is THIS ever the truth ! My peppers keep making me want to bang my head against the wall
+1 LOL, now they are ahead of planned schedule and starting to go in fruiting mode Need to wait until this rain deludge passes (1-2 inches over the weekend- hey don't laugh- thats alot for us So Cal gardeners LOL ) Can you imagine what its like driving
T

lol I lived in San Diego for 3 years before moving to MA- Ii understand

I also have a potted pepper make peppers in my kitchen at the moment, and one of my squashes are starting to bloom!

Posted: **Sat Mar 17, 2012 8:19 am**

I'm imagining this conversation at your house --

"Honey, I decided to redecorate the living room"
"Oh? What's the color scheme this time?"
"Garden Green. I changed the lighting too. Nice and cheerful. Bright."

Posted: **Sat Mar 17, 2012 10:12 am**

applestar wrote: I'm imagining this conversation at your house --

"Honey, I decided to redecorate the living room"
"Oh? What's the color scheme this time?"
"Garden Green. I changed the lighting too. Nice and cheerful. Bright."

(assuming this is directed towards me-

) lol my god you have no idea how much I wish I could- if only I didn't have to worry about the cats going after them!! I'd have plants all over.

Posted: **Sat Mar 17, 2012 2:32 pm**

for serious heat and light.. I used to use:

[img]https://www.homedepot.com/catalog/productImages/300/87/8777b898-fdfa-4043-a32a-e180281a060e_300.jpg[/img]

I have a 100 watt and a 75 watt - these are great for peppers and tomatoes... but do not let them near the light too closely (there should definately be some distance from the light when using these)... OTHERWISE YOU WILL BURN YOUR PLANTS!!!! with that said.... peppers grow really really fast, I think sometimes too fast - (worked well for me and a few people I know, a couple of them still use these - but they got bigger pockets than me lol). expect your electric bill to go up with these too!

watch this vid for much better lighting sources:
[url]ttp://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=1e1TLO7hI34[/url]