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Re: Short Internodes

Michael D. Cook wrote:
> 
> I must have asked a million people why I followed all the directions on
> water, lighting, growing medium, etc., and still had leggy seedlings.
> Steve is the first to give me the answer!  Now if I have it right, I
> germinate the plants at the temperature stated on the packet, then put the
> sprouts in a cooler environ- ment...55F, decreasing to as low as 39F would
> be a good range?  Thanks alot!

Mike,

We don't get temps below about 28 deg F (-2C) after the middle of
February and I put my first crop of brassicas out under cover so I've
never tried a foliar spray to protect tender seedlings.  It's no use
setting out tomatoes too early here in the Pac NW because the light
levels are low and even the warm days are pretty cool for a tomato.  My
tomatoes and peppers go out under a tunnel cloche in May.  (Note:  I'm
at about 250M elevation under the Cascade foothills.  Other Seattle area
gardeners can set their tomaoes out a little earlier.)

I use 55 deg F as a rule-of-thumb minimum for tropicals and I just let
the hardy plants (brassica, greens, parsley) survive at outdoor ambient
temperature in an unheated shed with a failsafe heat source that kicks
in at 39 deg F.  Celery is a hardy plant but you have to keep it warm
when it is young or it bolts immediately.  (Which is good if you want
celery seed, I suppose.)

Steve

> 
> PS:  Have any of you used liquid kelp as a foliar spray to get tender
> plants through an overnight frost?  I used it one year on tomatoes (20F
> overnight low); I sprayed the plants when I planted them out, and then a
> couple weeks later when I heard the frost warning.  No damage to any of the
> plants.
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