Starting plants indoors

[recruiterg]

I work in an office building that has a south exposure and gets good sunlight. Instead of growing under grow lights, I have been thinking of just putting my seedlings in an unused office next to one of the south facing windows. The windows have some coating (window tint). Would that have any effect on the plants? Does anyone start seedlings in a sunlit window, or is using grow lights the way to go?

[huntoften]

You'll likely get very leggy seedlings if you do it this way. If you re-plant them every couple of weeks in bigger pots and as deep up the stem as you can, you can avoid this problem until transplanting to the garden.

[recruiterg]

So are you saying you won't have this problem under grow lights? You won't have to replant more than once?

[huntoften]

Not if you keep the grow lights CLOSE to the plants. Not too close that the bulbs touch, but within an inch or so. Then either lower the plants or raise the lights as they grow. Makes for thick, sturdy seedlings.

[huntoften]

PS...my grow lights are regular fluorescent tubes. One cool, one warm to get the full spectrum. Much cheaper than the expensive "grow" bulbs and work well until it's time to harden them off before planting.

[recruiterg]

what kind of fish is that in the pic?

[Tomaat]

I have been raising seedlings indoor from mid february onwards (mostly for : pepper, chili, aubergines).
I use the south facing windowsill with out any help of grow light and so far it work fine with my seedlings.

Hope this help.

[nctomatoman]

I've been starting my seedlings (thousands of them each year) in a south facing window for 16 years. I use heat mats....the main thing is getting them under grow lights in a cool area soon after they germinate. And then getting them some real sunshine soon after that. I explain my method very clearly in the Dense Planing Method thread.

[huntoften]

It's a blue catfish...50 lbs.


Nctomato's dense planting method is awesome! I found out about it halfway through my seed starting last year and was amazed at how much room, time, and soil it saved me. I've been waiting to use this method for all of my 22 varieties this season...I may start this weekend! Whoohoo!

I wish it was easy for me to move plants in and out of the house, but the only south facing window I have would involve me hauling plants through the dining room, kitchen, and then down a flight of stairs to get them outside. I keep them under lights until they are ready and the temps are high enough to get them into my greenhouse. I only had to heat it two nights last year...saved some $$$