Seedlings under grow lights

Lewisium · March 2021

I'm trying to grow my Annuals Zinnias, Marigolds and Petunia (in the picture) and I'm doing them under my growlight I use for microgreens, the issue is that the lights, although not that hot, dry up the soil quite quick and I'm having to bottom water those in my small propagator trays maybe twice a day.

The seedlings themselves look to be doing OK, I'm just weary about if they dry out too much.

Do I need to wait until my other seedlings have their 1st set of true leaves before I prick those out into 9cm pots? The Petunias I put in are very small.

SophieK · March 2021

I'm new at seed sowing and I also use grow light as my seedlings are on a north facing window sill (the only alternative is a south facing window that fried seedlings to a crips). I have been misting/spraying the seedlings two or three times a day - basically when I walk past, I give them a quick squirt and that seems to work.

Re. pricking out. I find that if you wait until they have at least a good set of true leaves if not two and are a bit bigger, the better

Kili · March 2021

Use an old spray bottle to spray/mist the leaves as Sophiek says to give them moisture as there root systems aren't developed enough yet.

The best grow lights to use are what's called T5 lights as you can touch the light bulbs and not burn yourself as they give off very little heat (so don't dry the compost quickly) and you can position them quite close above the plants. Just held one of my T5 light bulbs next to me and I could do that all day and not be burned.

Petunias are very slow growing from seed so I would leave them until you have at least 4 or five leaves before potting on.

Seedlings under grow lights

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