Concerned Seedlings

[Ricky Shaw]

Welcome to Tomatoville FoxMulder. Too late for the mat heat on these, it would probably stretch them. Give them some heat from fluorescent lighting and a warmer location.

On seedlings I want them up and out. Warm and even temps, good lighting, not jostling the pre-sprouts, all will result in exponential gains that first two weeks. By prolonging this process you're opening up the sprout to more dangers. If tomato seeds are not breaking ground in 7 days, I'm done with'em.

I don't have any tomatoes at 3 weeks, but here's some peppers planted 16 days ago.

[Worth1]

When seeds sprout in the wild naturally, they send roots into the soil that has nutrients in it.
68 degrees in my opinion should be fine.
What you need to do is fertilize them with a very dilute solution of fertilizer.
I have used full strength MG plant food at this stage just to see what happened.
You can use the same stuff at about 1/4 teaspoon per gallon.
Worth

[FoxMulder]

Originally Posted by Ricky Shaw

Welcome to Tomatoville FoxMulder. Too late for the mat heat on these, it would probably stretch them. Give them some heat from fluorescent lighting and a warmer location.

On seedlings I want them up and out. Warm and even temps, good lighting, not jostling the pre-sprouts, all will result in exponential gains that first two weeks. By prolonging this process you're opening up the sprout to more dangers. If tomato seeds are not breaking ground in 7 days, I'm done with'em.

I don't have any tomatoes at 3 weeks, but here's some peppers planted 16 days ago.

Wow. Those peppers look really nice. I don't know if I should try and keep all these seedlings or save only the best looking ones and scrap the rest and restart with a heat mat. What do you think?

Thanks

[Worth1]

You dont want to scrap them there is nothing wrong with them to scrap.
Worth

[Ricky Shaw]

I'd start more for back up, and keep whatever I had light coverage to grow. The planting in a couple of waves is always a good idea, some earlies always die, then there's hail.

I've never found anything to support the idea of fertilizing before true leaf formation, but I am fiend for it afterwards.

[Father'sDaughter]

I guess this is one of those we'll agree to disagree threads!

I'm with Worth on this one. Don't scrap them, just feed them a bit. My tomato seeds get started without a heat mat at 68 room temperature and go down to my basement under lights as soon as they emerge. The basement is about 60 degrees, but it's about 64 under the lights and they do just fine.

[Ricky Shaw]

No one is disagreeing, looking back through the thread nobody said scrap them. I would plant more, because I always plant more.

[Ricky Shaw]

Now I will tell you, a problem of bringing them along too soon, is what to do with them. These peppers are 6wks from seed and no place to put them. I'm confused on the 8 to 10 week suggestion for starting peppers. I've got more behind these so no matter, but it's given me a lesson in pepper timing. This is my first ever season on peppers, Giant Marconi 38days. 3 plants/4 inch pots

[Ricky Shaw]

And FoxMulder. you got plenty of time to do whatever you want. I'm thinking we're close in zones, and I'm not starting my main seedling plant for another 20 days. Stay in touch with the thread, it'll be fun, and glad to have you in Tomatoville.

[FoxMulder]

Will do. Thanks.

[NuttyPistons]

Originally Posted by Ricky Shaw

Now I will tell you, a problem of bringing them along too soon, is what to do with them. These peppers are 6wks from seed and no place to put them. I'm confused on the 8 to 10 week suggestion for starting peppers. I've got more behind these so no matter, but it's given me a lesson in pepper timing. This is my first ever season on peppers, Giant Marconi 38days. 3 plants/4 inch pots

I had the same issue with both my tomatoes and peppers last year. I got antsy and started early in soil blocks. After 6 weeks or so the plants desperately needed to be potted up but I had no space to support it (and I sure as hell am not gonna drop 100 bucks on a 4" soil blocker) and it was still not close to transplant time. Ultimately everything turned out fine (except for a Memorial Day weekend frost, thanks Mother Nature), but I am definitely being more patient this year.