Temperature for seedlings? cold treatment?

crazyoldgooseman · February 21, 2014

I'm wondering what temperature people are comfortable with for seedlings. I also may be interested in cold treatment of seedlings and wanted to know what folks do for that. I have a cooler room (far from the pellet stove) around 60 most of the time and want to know if that may work after germination.

Thanks Brian

Worth1 · February 21, 2014

Quote:

Originally Posted by crazyoldgooseman

I'm wondering what temperature people are comfortable with for seedlings. I also may be interested in cold treatment of seedlings and wanted to know what folks do for that. I have a cooler room (far from the pellet stove) around 60 most of the time and want to know if that may work after germination.

Thanks Brian

60 would be fine I have grown at this temp many times.

With enough light you will get nice stocky plants.

Worth

Patihum · February 21, 2014

My seedlings are in a cool greenhouse right now that is right around 60. Grew them that way last year and they were some of best plants I've ever had.

Hermitian · February 22, 2014

I like to keep my soil temperature for tomato and pepper seeds in the 70's. Worth1 makes a very good point: once the seeds sprout it is beneficial to have a very good light source. 8+ hours of daylight, unrefracted by windows is ideal. In absence of that, I recommend 50+ Watts per square foot of projected area at 6400 to 6500 Kelvin color temperature; e.g., commodity "daylight" T5HO bulbs you can buy at a big box store -- or a fixture like I've presented here: http://www.tomatoville.com/showthrea...363#post391363

Ken4230 · February 22, 2014

I germinate seeds in a large cooler with a few Christmas lights inside. I grow the seedlings in an upstairs unheated room on the north side of the house.
I keep them under lights 16-18 hours per day. I keep the room at 60-62 deg. max. by opening/closing a window.

I get short, fat, darkgreen slow growing plants this way, so i see no need to do anything different. I have used a 25% DE mix for several years and love it.
The tomatoes at 8 wks are usually 8-10 in. tall with 1/4 in. stems. I'm thinking about trying a few in straight DE this year just to see what happens.
No hardening off, they go straight to the garden the last week of April.

I think you will like the cold treatment.
Ken

chalstonsc · February 22, 2014

Cold treatment is definitely worth the effort....there is a thread here, "giving seedlings the cold treatment", that gives the specifics of the method I have used for years after I first tried it

February 21, 2014	#1
crazyoldgooseman Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Southern Maryland 7a Posts: 200	Temperature for seedlings? cold treatment? I'm wondering what temperature people are comfortable with for seedlings. I also may be interested in cold treatment of seedlings and wanted to know what folks do for that. I have a cooler room (far from the pellet stove) around 60 most of the time and want to know if that may work after germination. Thanks Brian __________________ Anybody see where I sat my beer? -crazyoldgooseman

February 22, 2014	#4
Hermitian BANNED Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Vista, CA Posts: 1,112	I like to keep my soil temperature for tomato and pepper seeds in the 70's. Worth1 makes a very good point: once the seeds sprout it is beneficial to have a very good light source. 8+ hours of daylight, unrefracted by windows is ideal. In absence of that, I recommend 50+ Watts per square foot of projected area at 6400 to 6500 Kelvin color temperature; e.g., commodity "daylight" T5HO bulbs you can buy at a big box store -- or a fixture like I've presented here: http://www.tomatoville.com/showthrea...363#post391363 __________________ Richard _<\|\|>_

February 22, 2014	#5
Ken4230 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Western Ky Posts: 282	My tomato seedlings get the cold treatment and do really well I germinate seeds in a large cooler with a few Christmas lights inside. I grow the seedlings in an upstairs unheated room on the north side of the house. I keep them under lights 16-18 hours per day. I keep the room at 60-62 deg. max. by opening/closing a window. I get short, fat, darkgreen slow growing plants this way, so i see no need to do anything different. I have used a 25% DE mix for several years and love it. The tomatoes at 8 wks are usually 8-10 in. tall with 1/4 in. stems. I'm thinking about trying a few in straight DE this year just to see what happens. No hardening off, they go straight to the garden the last week of April. I think you will like the cold treatment. Ken

February 21, 2014	#3
Patihum Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Southeast Kansas Posts: 878	My seedlings are in a cool greenhouse right now that is right around 60. Grew them that way last year and they were some of best plants I've ever had.

February 22, 2014	#6
chalstonsc Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: sc Posts: 339	Cold treatment is definitely worth the effort....there is a thread here, "giving seedlings the cold treatment", that gives the specifics of the method I have used for years after I first tried it