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weak seedlings

timhayes00149025timhayes00149025 Posts: 9
in Plants
been sewing seeds over the last couple of weeks ,the antirrhinum came up after a week but the seedlings are the very thin spindly tall type i had the same problem a couple of years back when sewing phacaelia they grow so quickly they cant even hold themselves up and never show any sign of beefing up and cant even be handled theyre so weak .
I had to throw them away ,i tried sewing them outside a bit later in the year but the snails had them as soon as they showed ,looks like happening all over again ,anyone got any ideas? Thanks Tim.

Posts

  • DaveGreigDaveGreig Posts: 189
    Natural light levels are very poor and the days are very short  at this time of year so it’s probably insufficient light giving you leggy weak seedlings.  I use grow lights at this time for early crops brought on indoors, like chillies and aubergines.
    Can I ask why your planting these so early because I’d be planting them in a propagator late March - mid April to go out in a cold frame or greenhouse with some fleece protection when ready for potting on? 

  • Blue OnionBlue Onion Posts: 2,995
    Wait two months, the start again on a very sunny south facing window.. or an east or west with a supplementary grow light.  Multiple times a day lightly brush the top of the seedlings with your hands or set up a fan to blow across them gentle.  This helps toughen them up and the appropriate light reduces legginess.  
    Utah, USA.
  • punkdocpunkdoc Posts: 15,039
    Agree, too early, not enough light, wait until later.
    How can you lie there and think of England
    When you don't even know who's in the team

    S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    I agree too. it's hard enough giving seedlings enough light on the house windowsills, and pretty much impossible at this time of year (unless you use growlights as well, and even then I.m not convinced it's really necessary to start so early). I start mine no earlier than end of February and that's only for things that are slow-growing like chillis, or things that will be hardy enough to go outside before the last frosts. Things like tomatoes and cucumbers I don't start until April.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • WaterbutWaterbut Posts: 344
    I have a heated tray lined with capillary matting and it has an electric light hood for placing seed modules on for planting seeds at this time of year indoors.
  • timhayes00149025timhayes00149025 Posts: 9
    hi waterbut thats the set up i have ; just obeying the packet im a week early have some aquilegia coming through good and strong though they look like being fine ,
    i always sew certain seeds this early esp wildflowers and certain plants that flower the same year just gives them the jump on in case its a bad spring '
    doesnt always work though lol ;
    ive kept half the packet back for just such eventualities so ill try em a bit later in the year as suggested .
    i get a bit bored this time of year with doing a dry january cant resist fiddling about in the shed thanks to all ill let you all know in a couple of months .
    cheers ,
    Tim.
  • borgadrborgadr Posts: 718
    I always sow my antirrhinum in mid January, but as soon as they germinate I take them off the windowsill and into the greenhouse for maximum light and cooler temperatures to stop them growing fast and leggy.  The greenhouse is only heated enough to keep it dropping below about 4 degrees. 

    But I'm almost as far south as you can get in England.
  • timhayes00149025timhayes00149025 Posts: 9
    yeh good call borgadr.
    Tim.
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