Next step for these seedlings?

[SPierce]

I figured I should just hijack my same thread for another question

So far, the cats haven't gotten to my seedlings, and they're starting to grow! They look OK to me, but I'm not sure if there's anything else I should be doing for them. Does anyone have any ideas of where I should go from here, or if I should continue on the path I'm going? I have them in a south-western window and since this morning was so beautiful (and about 75) I brought them outside for a little bit of sunshine this morning.

My entire tray (unsprouted lima beans and pepper plants not included)
[img]https://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c25/Liskarialeman/Garden-1.jpg[/img]

Tomato seedlings
[img]https://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c25/Liskarialeman/Garden-6.jpg[/img]

One of my zucchinis
[img]https://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c25/Liskarialeman/Garden-10-1.jpg[/img]

[SPierce]

Whoops! I was trying not to create another thread and spam the forum, but I suppose this works too. Thanks to whomever separated it out!

[Kisal]

I moved it because it's an entirely different question, and would have been buried in the other thread. This way, you'll be more likely to get good answers. Most of our members scan the forum and read only those threads that interest them. The other thread was directed specifically at people who own cats.

Our Webmaster wrote the following on the subject:

https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=7770

[SPierce]

I moved it because it's an entirely different topic, and would have been buried in the other thread. This way, you'll be more likely to get good answers. Most of our members scan the forum and read only those threads that interest them. The other thread was directed specifically at people who own cats.

That's very true- thank you I've been chastised on another forum for posting too many threads/asking too many questions, so tend to try to keep everything together and in one thread. I'll have to remember that, when it comes to gardening, etc. that isn't always necessarily the best idea!

I just want to make sure I'm doing what's best for them (within my means, of course) and giving them as good of a chance of surviving as I can! The Zucc's are about 3 inches tall, and the tomatoes are about half an inch to 2 inches tall, at the moment.

[Rogue11]

The tomatoes are definitely too small to be transplanted and I would wait with the other plants too. I would up-pot them and if the weather allows it keep them outside in the daytime and maybe take them in over night.
Maybe it's just me, but I rather keep my plants in pots a little longer. I let my tomatoes have 3 to 4 sets of real leaves before I plant them into the ground. There are always a few snails and /or slugs around and I had lost smaller plants in the past when I transplanted them too early.
For the same reason I don't like to direct sow. Have done that and as soon as the seeds sprouted the following night the snails killed them.

[SPierce]

The tomatoes are definitely too small to be transplanted and I would wait with the other plants too. I would up-pot them and if the weather allows it keep them outside in the daytime and maybe take them in over night.
Maybe it's just me, but I rather keep my plants in pots a little longer. I let my tomatoes have 3 to 4 sets of real leaves before I plant them into the ground. There are always a few snails and /or slugs around and I had lost smaller plants in the past when I transplanted them too early.
For the same reason I don't like to direct sow. Have done that and as soon as the seeds sprouted the following night the snails killed them.

Of course- it's still too cold out to be able to transplant into the garden. I want to let them get 2-3 sets of true leaves, at least. No transplanting here until may 20th, or so! I just want to make sure no one's noticing anything insanely wrong with them, or sees any problems that I should solve before they go too much further.

I'm sorry to hear about your loss due to snails ;(

[rainbowgardener]

Looking pretty good so far, especially that nice sturdy zucchini.

The question in growing seedlings in a window is always whether they get enough light. Tomatoes are particularly susceptible to getting "leggy" - getting spindly and stretched out as they reach for light.

Here's what you want to watch out for:

healthy tomato seedling:

https://www.veggiegardeningtips.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/05/Black-Krim-Tomato-Seedling.jpg

leggy tomato seedlings: (had trouble finding a good picture)

https://i597.photobucket.com/albums/tt58/achilles1974/100_1215.jpg

[SPierce]

Looking pretty good so far, especially that nice sturdy zucchini.

The question in growing seedlings in a window is always whether they get enough light. Tomatoes are particularly susceptible to getting "leggy" - getting spindly and stretched out as they reach for light.

Here's what you want to watch out for:

healthy tomato seedling:

https://www.veggiegardeningtips.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/05/Black-Krim-Tomato-Seedling.jpg

leggy tomato seedlings: (had trouble finding a good picture)

https://i597.photobucket.com/albums/tt58/achilles1974/100_1215.jpg

Wow! I don't think I've ever seen seedlings that tall before. Thanks for the pic- now I know what leggy means and I can keep an eye out for it!

Re: lighting, I have been shuffling the pots around so everything's been taking a turn being closest to the window (with the exception of the zuccs, since I don't want them to overshadow the tomato seedlings). Right now, I've got the tomatoes in the front and the zucchini in the back. When it's sunny, they get reflected light off the white walls in the morning, and direct light through that window in the afternoon-sunset.

[Halfway]

Looks like you still have plenty of time. Probably have to increase watering as needed for the maters.

With your zone, you may be able to make it without a transplant??

[SPierce]

Looks like you still have plenty of time. Probably have to increase watering as needed for the maters.

With your zone, you may be able to make it without a transplant??

right now, I'm watering as they soil around them is drying out. Should I be watering them more or soaking them at all? I haven't decided yet whether or not I am going to put them in 5 gallon buckets, or try to plant a few in the ground. I got more 5 more plants than I expected

[SPierce]

never mind. I go into a panic too easily

[SPierce]

Okay, now I'm sure I'm being overly paranoid, but they seemed to shoot up overnight and not only are they now taller, they're now getting floppy and I'm afraid they're getting leggy. The tomatoes are still OK, and not having any issues.

What's the best thing to do for the Zuccs? Uppot them to a bigger pot and bury more of the stem in the soil? I admittedly did not plant them far down in the pot, so the root system for them may not be the strongest.

[Bobberman]

Vine crops I usually plant diect into the garden. If I want some early vine crops I will start them 2 weeks before they go outside. I usually put them in a container like the 6 pack trays where I can slide the cube dirt with plant out without disturbing the roots! You don't need a big container to start them for 2 weeks!

[SPierce]

Vine crops I usually plant diect into the garden. If I want some early vine crops I will start them 2 weeks before they go outside. I usually put them in a container like the 6 pack trays where I can slide the cube dirt with plant out without disturbing the roots! You don't need a big container to start them for 2 weeks!

I see- they're only just now getting their first set of leaves. Should I harden them off and plant them already? We have a big line of storms and colder weather coming in- really can't plant here before May 20th- and I'm wondering what my next steps should be for the Zuccs

Here's a photo from one of them, it all started in one night after I took them outside for the first time:
[img]https://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c25/Liskarialeman/Photo104.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c25/Liskarialeman/Photo105.jpg[/img]

[Bobberman]

Harden them off in the shade and where there is not to much wind! When you plant them try not to disturb the roots too much! Watch out for frost that will be your main problem but you can put a cover over them if that is the case!

[SPierce]

Harden them off in the shade and where there is not to much wind! When you plant them try not to disturb the roots too much! Watch out for frost that will be your main problem but you can put a cover over them if that is the case!

Hmm ok! Our nights and days here still mostly hover around 45/55, it wont' safely go up to the 65s/70s for another month yet. Is it safe to plant them out, still? The wind is also whipping around crazy hard from a group of storms. its going to be a tough year- how do I prepare them for that?

[rainbowgardener]

It is a tough year for a lot of us. I still have a bunch of plants in my basement that would have gone out a lot sooner, except for all the storms. But regardless of temps, you can't put seedlings out into whipping winds and expect them to make it. Wind like that is the toughest thing.

Patience! This has got to end sometime, doesn't it?

It is a drag. April in my area is when we would be having beautiful sunny days in the 70's. Instead we've had nothing but dark and cloudy and thunderstorms. By the time it finally lets up we will be into summer weather, having missed most of the best part of spring.

[SPierce]

It is a tough year for a lot of us. I still have a bunch of plants in my basement that would have gone out a lot sooner, except for all the storms. But regardless of temps, you can't put seedlings out into whipping winds and expect them to make it. Wind like that is the toughest thing.

Patience! This has got to end sometime, doesn't it?

It is a drag. April in my area is when we would be having beautiful sunny days in the 70's. Instead we've had nothing but dark and cloudy and thunderstorms. By the time it finally lets up we will be into summer weather, having missed most of the best part of spring.

Oh, I sure hope so! I've got the same weather here.

It's just really frustrating; I'm worried my seedlings have gone leggy or are heading that way, and then they'll end up doomed. (I've got them by the window during the day, then I put a light I had handy over them in the evenings now to give extra light) because it's been so dark and stormy. I'm thinking about uppotting the Zuccs and burying them down a bit further, so they have a bit more of a support system to work with (I had just set the seed in the soil and let it grow from there. So I stop worrying. I guess the leaf span is just about the same width as the pot, and it'd probably help to get them out of the tiny 4" pots

[Bobberman]

My lettuce is ready to eat of course I have it in my cold frame and cover it when the weather is really bad! I just put a screen on it now! I have a 100 or more nice onions up. My radish in the cold frames are about ready to eat. I put my spinich plants out two weeks ago and they are about ready to eat! Lots of storms here in Pa. with hell supose to be today and the screen protects from that!

[SPierce]

My lettuce is ready to eat of course I have it in my cold frame and cover it when the weather is really bad! I just put a screen on it now! I have a 100 or more nice onions up. My radish in the cold frames are about ready to eat. I put my spinich plants out two weeks ago and they are about ready to eat! Lots of storms here in Pa. with hell supose to be today and the screen protects from that!

I'm obviously a rookie- whats a cold frame?

I have onions and lettuces in ground right now thats starting to sprout since it finally got warmer, but not ready to eat yet.

[Bobberman]

A cold frame is a raised type bed that is covered with a window or plastic during feb where you can start some cold weather early crops! You can do all kinds of things with it since the temp is about 10 or more degrees higher even at night! Usually you make it lower to the ground to get some of the under ground heat. You can as I do add some compost material a foot under the surface for extra heat.
+++Some people actually put a heat wire under the surface to maintain a better temp all winter! a few brick on the inside absorbe some day heat and warm it slightly at night!Lettuce and cole will thrive in this enviroment if done right! Putting some fall crops in a cold frame will all growth all winter! I convert a few of mine to raised beds in the spring just by addind more soil mix! and raising it 6 or more inches! I even leave a few crops in the cold rame to grow all summer! Nothing beter than a cold frame except a greenhouse!

[SPierce]

A cold frame is a raised type bed that is covered with a window or plastic during feb where you can start some cold weather early crops! You can do all kinds of things with it since the temp is about 10 or more degrees higher even at night! Usually you make it lower to the ground to get some of the under ground heat. You can as I do add some compost material a foot under the surface for extra heat.
+++Some people actually put a heat wire under the surface to maintain a better temp all winter! a few brick on the inside absorbe some day heat and warm it slightly at night!Lettuce and cole will thrive in this enviroment if done right! Putting some fall crops in a cold frame will all growth all winter! I convert a few of mine to raised beds in the spring just by addind more soil mix! and raising it 6 or more inches! I even leave a few crops in the cold rame to grow all summer! Nothing beter than a cold frame except a greenhouse!

I see- I'm already gardening in 4 4x4 bottomless raised beds- I also have plastic covering (for like a painter when he's painting the floor). if I take the plastic and wrap it around the fence thats around my garden, would that count as a make shift cold frame and wind shield?

[Bobberman]

Anything that protects the crops without too much heat will work! The more soil in your raised bed the better especially if it has a bottom.! Most cold frames are connect diectly to the ground like your raised bed which can also be cold frame! The main difference with a raised bed is its usually more above the ground level and has better drainage unless there is too much clay in the soil!

[SPierce]

Anything that protects the crops without too much heat will work! The more soil in your raised bed the better especially if it has a bottom.! Most cold frames are connect diectly to the ground like your raised bed which can also be cold frame! The main difference with a raised bed is its usually more above the ground level and has better drainage unless there is too much clay in the soil!

Thank you, you've been extremely helpful

I was thinking about wrapping chicken wire around my current fence, then some extra plastic around that to help keep the animals out (lots of rabbits and squirells, chipmunks, etc. squeezing through the holes in the fence). Perhaps I'll try and use it as a wind shield, too!

As it is, my zucchinis are no where near ready to go out yet, so I'm going to up pot them and hope for the best thus far! Since some of my onions and lettuces are coming up now, I have to wait for them to show themselves so I know where I have room to plant my tomatoes, peppers, zucchinis and lima beans

[BP]

Looking pretty good so far, especially that nice sturdy zucchini.

The question in growing seedlings in a window is always whether they get enough light. Tomatoes are particularly susceptible to getting "leggy" - getting spindly and stretched out as they reach for light.

Here's what you want to watch out for:

healthy tomato seedling:

https://www.veggiegardeningtips.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/05/Black-Krim-Tomato-Seedling.jpg

leggy tomato seedlings: (had trouble finding a good picture)

https://i597.photobucket.com/albums/tt58/achilles1974/100_1215.jpg

I have a few tomato seedlings that are leggy. When I put them in the ground I plan on burrying them deep, will I still get a good crop or are they doomed?

[SPierce]

Looking pretty good so far, especially that nice sturdy zucchini.

The question in growing seedlings in a window is always whether they get enough light. Tomatoes are particularly susceptible to getting "leggy" - getting spindly and stretched out as they reach for light.

Here's what you want to watch out for:

healthy tomato seedling:

https://www.veggiegardeningtips.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/05/Black-Krim-Tomato-Seedling.jpg

leggy tomato seedlings: (had trouble finding a good picture)

https://i597.photobucket.com/albums/tt58/achilles1974/100_1215.jpg

I have a few tomato seedlings that are leggy. When I put them in the ground I plan on burrying them deep, will I still get a good crop or are they doomed?

I think it depends on how leggy they are. Do you have a photo of them?

[rainbowgardener]

But no, definitely not doomed. Plenty of leggy tomato seedlings, once planted outside, buried deeply do fine. It's just getting them there that can be iffy. When I have had leggy tomato seedlings, I tend to lose more of them in the hardening off process. I'm usually dealing with a bunch of them. They tend to grab on to each other (all the little hairs on the stems and branches cling together), fall over with the slightest breeze, etc. Those long stems are fragile and can easily snap off when going through the being moved in and out to harden off. That's why I try to avoid legginess.

But once you get them well planted, they will be fine, assuming they are basically healthy plants with good root systems.