How are my seedlings?

[GardenFresh]

All-

Just wanted to get some opinions on how you think my seedlings are doing so far? They are about a week and a half old and currently in my basement under a T5 grow light setup. I actually expected them to take off a little better than what they are doing but I don't know for sure.

I was worried about how cool it gets in the basement (my temp gauge has a low and high and usually the low is around 54 with the lights off and the high is about 70-72 under the lights). I have the lights and fan on a timer and they are on about 16 hours a day.

It appears as though the seedlings dry out pretty quick and can almost be watered about everyday but I have been watering every other day.

Let me know your thoughts or if you have any other questions.....

(From Left to Right)

Cauliflower / Broccoli in farthest tray on the left
Bell / Hot Peppers in next tray over
Loose Leaf / Romaine in next tray over
Tomatoes / Squash / Cukes in farthest tray on the right



Another view:

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[hendi_alex]

Move the seedlings up to within a couple of inches from the lights and then drop them back down as the plants grow.

You may want to consider placing the plants in a shallow pan and bottom water. If bottom watering, just don't leave too much excess water in the pan. Sometimes with top watering, the water runs right through without being fully absorbed. With bottom watering the soil and plants draw the water up to get fully hydrated, but not overly so, unless left standing in water for a prolonged period. If after a few hours, more than a very thin sheet of water remains, it gets poured off.

[rainbowgardener]

Alex - Ordinarily I would agree with you, but those peat pots don't do bottom watering too well. Soak up too much water and hold it too long and get all moldy. I start everything in plastic pots and do bottom water.

GardenF - you said a week and a half old. Is that since the seeds were planted or since they sprouted?

I do water my seedlings every day, unless they haven't soaked up all of yesterday's water. But especially for the things on the heat mat, they really need to be watered every day.

Your temps are fine for the cool weather stuff -- cauliflower, broccoli, lettuces. You are actually a bit late starting the broccoli and cauliflower, which take a little while to get going and don't do real well once it gets hot. You can give them a try, but for next year, they would benefit from being started a little earlier. I planted mine mid January and they are going in the ground this weekend. They are cold hardy and frost tolerant, so it is fine that we will get some more freezes yet.

The warm weather stuff -- tomatoes, peppers, squash -- will survive it, but would benefit from a heat mat, especially at the beginning.

[GardenFresh]

Alex-

Thanks for the suggestion about bottom watering. I will definitely do that next time but will need to have plastic containers instead of these peat pots.

Rainbowgardner-

A week and a half old from starting the seeds. They all basically sprouted within about 3-5 days.

I am a little disappointed about not starting soon enough...I thought I was doing ok? Kinda sucks....

Anyway, I was thinking with as bright and powerful as my lights are I would make up for the my shorten time period. What is the usual time frame for the cold weather stuff to be ready to plant in the ground...basically after starting from seed, how many weeks?

Do you think my tomatoes will get their "True" leaves soon so I can up-pot them in bigger containers (thinking about going with foam cups?)

Thanks.....

[applestar]

T-5 bulbs are hotter than T-8 or T-12 so either test by putting back of your hand close or by putting a thermometer at the same level.
They all grow at their own pace so brightness or duration of light doesn't compensate entirely.

If tomatoes are progressing nicely, they will grow their true leaves next week. Did you use a seed starting mix like Jiffy with no nutrients? I prefer to use a mix that contains compost which gently feeds the seedlings and get them started on a soil microbe symbiosis so I'm not sure how they grow in sterile mix.

If the fan is on the whole time the lights are on, that is contributing to drying out the peat pot and the soil. I have mine on a separate schedule to run for about 4 hours in the afternoon so there is good air circulation before nightfall. Ideally, I would run the fan twice a day for 2-3 hrs each, but I can't find my other timer.

[GardenFresh]

Applestar-

Thanks for the detailed info...really appreciate it!

I have put my hand under the lights and its not burning hot or anything but the lights do throw off some heat and light. I do have a temp gauge that usually sits on the wood plank (the same ones the seeds are on in the pic) and it usually is about 70-72 with the lights on.

I used Burpee Organic Seed Starting mix that I believe does not contain anything. I always heard that was best because you want a "sterile" soil for seed starting. Then you can add your good fertilizer mixture once you plan to up-pot or whatever.

Yeah I keep the fan on the entire time the light is on....maybe I will pick up another timer and set it for a few hours like you said?

Thanks.....

[rainbowgardener]

I don't use the sterile seed starting mix, because I don't think the seedlings can wait to be up potted to have nutrients. Once they have true leaves, they will start suffering if you aren't adding some kind of nutrient.

Re the weeks. I started cabbage and broccoli mid-Jan. If the weather had cooperated they probably could have gone in the ground a couple weeks ago. Say minimum 6 weeks from seed planted to transplant. Say mid-April ish for you. The question is how much time do you have after that before it gets hot. Once the soil (not air) temperature is over 70-75, the broccoli tends to bolt (opening up the buds in to flowers instead of making bigger heads). Depends a little bit on what varieties you are growing. There are some varieties that have been bred for more heat resistance.

If it is warming up, it helps to mulch well to keep the soil cooler, water often, and think about shade cloth.