image from centralvalley.com
Second posting about seed starting. I could have shared with you the whole article but this is the most important part of starting seeds. First don’t start too soon. For most of our vegetables, January here in Iowa is too soon. Now this article like many of them talk about warmth and light. At least, they write to have some time of darkness. BUT what I have found out to be a good practice, you also need sometime for the seedlings to be in cool. After they have their first leaves, I would have the seedlings in darkness and also have them in cooler environment. I am meaning around 40 degrees at night. That way and I don’t know why the stock will grow thicker and not get thin and lanky. I don’t know of any place that tells you that. We run a cooler greenhouse at night and that is how we get that thicker stock on our vegetables. Give it a try.
Provide Warmth & Lots of Light
Most seeds germinate best when the soil temperature is 65° to 75°F. In a cool home or greenhouse, put your seed-starting flats on seed heat mats. Once the seedlings are up and growing, they prefer cooler 60° to 65°F temperatures and good air circulation. A small fan on the lowest setting nearby will help keep them cool and discourage disease.
Starting seeds on a sunny windowsill just doesn't work--there is simply not enough light and seedlings will be weak, tall and spindly. You need grow lights, which you can find at your local hardware store. Hang the lights on chains so you can move them up as your seedlings grow, keeping them just an inch or two above the seedlings at all times for maximum light and warmth.
Put the lights on a timer so you don't forget to turn the lights on for 16 hours and off for eight for most seedlings. Warmth-lovers, like Eggplants, Peppers and Tomatoes, like 24-7 light until they become 'toddlers' able to handle cooler temperatures, so consider putting them on a different shelf without a timer so that the lights are on continuously. ( if you read this carefully you can see words like cooler temperatures when they are toddlers.)
Hope this helps.
Taken from kitchengardenseeds@kitchengardenseeds.com
Till next time this is Becky Litterer, Becky’s Greenhouse Dougherty Iowa beckmall@netins.net 641-794-3337 cell 641-903-9365
Provide Warmth & Lots of Light
Most seeds germinate best when the soil temperature is 65° to 75°F. In a cool home or greenhouse, put your seed-starting flats on seed heat mats. Once the seedlings are up and growing, they prefer cooler 60° to 65°F temperatures and good air circulation. A small fan on the lowest setting nearby will help keep them cool and discourage disease.
Starting seeds on a sunny windowsill just doesn't work--there is simply not enough light and seedlings will be weak, tall and spindly. You need grow lights, which you can find at your local hardware store. Hang the lights on chains so you can move them up as your seedlings grow, keeping them just an inch or two above the seedlings at all times for maximum light and warmth.
Put the lights on a timer so you don't forget to turn the lights on for 16 hours and off for eight for most seedlings. Warmth-lovers, like Eggplants, Peppers and Tomatoes, like 24-7 light until they become 'toddlers' able to handle cooler temperatures, so consider putting them on a different shelf without a timer so that the lights are on continuously. ( if you read this carefully you can see words like cooler temperatures when they are toddlers.)
Hope this helps.
Taken from kitchengardenseeds@kitchengardenseeds.com
Till next time this is Becky Litterer, Becky’s Greenhouse Dougherty Iowa beckmall@netins.net 641-794-3337 cell 641-903-9365
