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starting seeds indoors

-- [ From: nonayobusiness * EMC.Ver #2.3 ] --

Hi Denny,  The only things that I can think of to add are the following:
When the plants  get to be about  1"  high,  I turn on an electric fan  for
a little while a  few  times a day, on a gentle speed.   This way, I am
killing any fungus culprits that may be around waiting to cause problems.
Also, it makes the plants stronger. Obviously, the fan shouldn't be right
on top of the plants, it should just  give them a little gentle breeze. 
Also, I have always used the cheap shop lights, but what I do is use one
warm white and one cool white light bulb in each  fixture.  This is
supposed to give a fuller bunch  of whatever waves of light that the plants
need. The cool white ones are 99 cents around  here, but the other ones are
EXPENSIVE!!!!! so I  usually cheat and use them for more than a few years. 
The intensity of the light give off  is supposed to lessen towards the ends
of the bulbs, so I try to put the more forgiving plants over there.  There
is also more heat given off at the ends, so  you should put the ones that
need more heat in that area.  The tubes are just above  the top leaves of
the plants. If things aren't growing at the same pace, just put something
under the short ones to boost them up to the bulbs.  (There's always
something around  in the bsmt. to use as a booster!)  
As far as feeding, I use any  15-30-15 at a diluted strength, whenever  I
remember to do it, after the  plants start looking like plants, not
infants.   

It's important to keep the place that they're growing cool, like 55F,
because otherwise, things get kind of spindly, and look like green
spaghetti, and lose  their vigor.  This is after  they have  germinate,
which usually  happens at a higher temp. look at the seed pack.  I sometime
germinate things on top of the light tubes, because  the white metal thing
with the machinery inside gets pretty warm.  The refrigerator is the best
place, though  (ON TOP) because  it is wider and  hopefully not swing
around the way the light fixtures do on those obnoxious chains. However, we
redid the kitchen, and there is this annoying cabinet on  top of the fridge
now, with only a few inches of clearance, so I can't use it anymore.  When
things get really crowded with seed starts, I also agree with whoever said
that the sun is the best thing.  I have stuck flats of seeds in my parked
car, in the sun, with a window cracked,  in the early spring,  and they
really perk up.  You just have to be really careful and not forget about
them.  They dry out faster there.  I hope that these suggestions are not
too silly, and that they are of some additional help to you.

-Lauren z. 6
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