Re: Growing Seeds
- To: perennials@mallorn.com
- Subject: Re: Growing Seeds
- From: D* K*
- Date: Tue, 09 Feb 1999 14:56:15 -0800
Thank you Valerie, I'm going to keep this post as reference, because it
sounds like you have success with yours. And I'll see about getting some
fluorescent lights. The "grow lights" seem a bit expensive, and it won't be
long before I can move things outside.
Doreen
>Valerie Lowery@ZEON
>02/09/99 11:56 AM
>
>Doreen,
>
>It sounds like your seedlings aren't getting enough light. If they're
>growing tall and spindly with weak stems, it's a sign that they are
>stretching towards your light source. I give my seedlings 12 hours of
>light and adjust the light fixtures so that they are about 2 to 3 inches
>above the plants. I don't know about the layout of your house, but the
>winter sun is just too weak for me to try to grow seedlings in the
>windowsill. They will inevitably grow spindly.
>
>If you're sure of your light source and its intensity, you may be
>overfertilizing. I don't start fertilizing seedlings until they have a few
>"true leaves", not the embryonic ones they first sprout with. Then I
>dilute my fertilizer by at least half and bottom-feed it to the seedlings.
>They'll get this once a week or so. Overfertilizing causes rapid growth
>that the seedlings are far too young to handle just yet. It may also cause
>"burning" if you top-apply it without diluting it.
>
>I'm by no means a professional; just someone who has learned through trial
>and error. I now have stocky little plants to put out every spring.
>
>Val in KY
>zone 6a
>
>
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