Seedlings not growing

cjp1953 · May 5, 2015

My tomato seedlings are 4 weeks old and only 2 inches tall,This is the first time growing my plants,can I use some Tomato Miracle grow?If so how much should I mix in a gallon of water?

Father'sDaughter · May 5, 2015

A little more info will help .

What size pots are they in?
How many true leaves do they have?
What mix are they in?
What are the temps and light conditions?

My seedling usually start to take off after I transfer them from the small starter pots to a larger pot, which is also about the time they go to a warmer spot.

cjp1953 · May 5, 2015

There in 4" cups,I called the garden center where I bought the soil mix and the person there thought the reason was because the soil was not warm enough.My basement is around 60-65 degrees and under the shop lights they are not getting enough heat.So I move the upstairs into a south window and where it's around 80 degrees.The soil mix has some fertilizer in it.Not sure if anyone has use this type.Baccto Light potting soil is the brand.

KarenO · May 5, 2015

warmth and light is what they need. fertilize when you plant them out. when is your planting date?
KarenO

cjp1953 · May 5, 2015

Around the end of the month.Hoping to get some size on them and my sweet pepper plants.

lexusnexus · May 8, 2015

Concur with the others that 60-65 is too cold. The shop lights I've owned have been relatively cool when lit. I ended up buying grow lights (T5), and they do emit enough heat so that I didn't need to have any additional heat in our basement. Is there a way for you move a shop light(s) up to that window area where the temperature is warmer? Also, don't make the mistake of assuming the light coming through the window is sufficient to grow your seedlings (I did that one year much to my chagrin). For fertilization I'd use 1/4 - 1/6 normal strength for the first few weeks. And only once per week, not every watering. Are the cups drinking cups, or pots? If drinking cups are they like the solo cups you can buy at the store? When you said 4 inch I didn't know if you meant 4 inch tall cups.

Dan

heirloomtomaguy · May 8, 2015

What varieties are we talking about here. If they are dwarfs that sounds about normal.

cjp1953 · May 10, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by lexusnexus

Concur with the others that 60-65 is too cold. The shop lights I've owned have been relatively cool when lit. I ended up buying grow lights (T5), and they do emit enough heat so that I didn't need to have any additional heat in our basement. Is there a way for you move a shop light(s) up to that window area where the temperature is warmer? Also, don't make the mistake of assuming the light coming through the window is sufficient to grow your seedlings (I did that one year much to my chagrin). For fertilization I'd use 1/4 - 1/6 normal strength for the first few weeks. And only once per week, not every watering. Are the cups drinking cups, or pots? If drinking cups are they like the solo cups you can buy at the store? When you said 4 inch I didn't know if you meant 4 inch tall cups.

Dan

I thought about moving a light up there but need some type of stand to mount the light.The types are Black Krim,Black from Tula,Amish paste and Hillbilly.I agree that the light is not enough and will have to figure out something.Thank you everyone who responded.

lexusnexus · May 11, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by cjp1953

I thought about moving a light up there but need some type of stand to mount the light.

I ended up buying 2 IV stands (the old types used in the hospital) and some chain and "S" hooks from Home Depot. That way I can use pretty much any table instead having to buy a special grow table which has mounting hardware for the light fixture. You can also put books or boxes under the ends of the lights so you wouldn't have to hang them from anything.

Dan

Father'sDaughter · May 12, 2015

A chrome wire shelf unit and shop lights that hang from chains make great growing set-ups and both are available from Home Depot. The shelves are adjustable so you really have a lot of flexibility on light height as the seedling grow..

I hope you've seen some new growth after moving them to a warmer spot. Mine were up-potted about a week ago and because it's been so warm, I put them out in a little portable $20 greenhouse and they're growing like crazy.

cjp1953 · May 12, 2015

I have not seen much growth,but will move a shop light up there and use books under the ends of the lights.I don't like the idea that the bulbs will be touching the books or whatever I use to hold it up but they don't give off any heat.

cjp1953 · May 13, 2015

Shop light is over the plants upstairs where it's around 80 degrees.Hoping I can get good growth in 2 weeks.I hope to plant around the end of the month.

luigiwu · May 13, 2015

Mine grew reall slowly at the beginning too and then when I potted them up to 18oz cups (after a month), they took off. Having a fan on them (on and off) helps too imo.

cjp1953 · May 13, 2015

I hope I have the same luck as you did.I'm new at starting seeds and will try this next year in a warmer room instead of the basement.Live and learn and the help from you fine people of this forum.

crmauch · May 13, 2015

I think lower temps might have impacted my germination (I keep the house around 66 and since the forced air vents run through the basement, it runs about the same temp). However I haven't had the inhibited growth (and now the house is much warmer here). As to stand for my plants I have good sized metal shelving unit, Each shelf (in theory(except the middle shelf)) could hold 2 standard plantrays (they do hang slight off at the ends, My lights are suspended from the shelves above (I drilled holes to support s-hooks, in which to have the shop light change suspend from.

May 5, 2015	#1
cjp1953 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Cuyahoga Falls,Ohio Posts: 818	Seedlings not growing My tomato seedlings are 4 weeks old and only 2 inches tall,This is the first time growing my plants,can I use some Tomato Miracle grow?If so how much should I mix in a gallon of water?

May 8, 2015	#6
lexusnexus Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: MD Suburbs of DC, Zone 7a Posts: 500	Concur with the others that 60-65 is too cold. The shop lights I've owned have been relatively cool when lit. I ended up buying grow lights (T5), and they do emit enough heat so that I didn't need to have any additional heat in our basement. Is there a way for you move a shop light(s) up to that window area where the temperature is warmer? Also, don't make the mistake of assuming the light coming through the window is sufficient to grow your seedlings (I did that one year much to my chagrin). For fertilization I'd use 1/4 - 1/6 normal strength for the first few weeks. And only once per week, not every watering. Are the cups drinking cups, or pots? If drinking cups are they like the solo cups you can buy at the store? When you said 4 inch I didn't know if you meant 4 inch tall cups. Dan __________________ Dan Last edited by lexusnexus; May 8, 2015 at 09:44 PM.

May 8, 2015	#7
heirloomtomaguy Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2013 Location: glendora ca Posts: 2,560	What varieties are we talking about here. If they are dwarfs that sounds about normal. __________________ “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it."

May 13, 2015	#13
luigiwu Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: ny Posts: 1,219	Mine grew reall slowly at the beginning too and then when I potted them up to 18oz cups (after a month), they took off. Having a fan on them (on and off) helps too imo. __________________ Subirrigated Container gardening (RGGS) in NY, Zone 7!

May 5, 2015	#2
Father'sDaughter Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: MA/NH Border Posts: 4,919	A little more info will help . What size pots are they in? How many true leaves do they have? What mix are they in? What are the temps and light conditions? My seedling usually start to take off after I transfer them from the small starter pots to a larger pot, which is also about the time they go to a warmer spot.

May 5, 2015	#4
KarenO Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Vancouver Island Posts: 5,932	warmth and light is what they need. fertilize when you plant them out. when is your planting date? KarenO

May 12, 2015	#10
Father'sDaughter Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: MA/NH Border Posts: 4,919	A chrome wire shelf unit and shop lights that hang from chains make great growing set-ups and both are available from Home Depot. The shelves are adjustable so you really have a lot of flexibility on light height as the seedling grow.. I hope you've seen some new growth after moving them to a warmer spot. Mine were up-potted about a week ago and because it's been so warm, I put them out in a little portable $20 greenhouse and they're growing like crazy.

May 13, 2015	#15
crmauch Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2013 Location: Honey Brook, PA Zone 6b Posts: 399	I think lower temps might have impacted my germination (I keep the house around 66 and since the forced air vents run through the basement, it runs about the same temp). However I haven't had the inhibited growth (and now the house is much warmer here). As to stand for my plants I have good sized metal shelving unit, Each shelf (in theory(except the middle shelf)) could hold 2 standard plantrays (they do hang slight off at the ends, My lights are suspended from the shelves above (I drilled holes to support s-hooks, in which to have the shop light change suspend from.