Germinating & hardening seedlings.

I've been trying different methods of germinating tomato seeds. I finally built a light box out of paneling pieces with duct tape used as corner hinges, and everything covered with aluminum foil. I started with a fluorescent light but I didn't get the color I wanted in my new leaves plus they grew pretty leggy, quickly. I normally prefer leggy seedlings at planting time, but when they are still very new, it seems to promote damping off. I changed the light to a 100 watt halogen light and the leaf color is now vivid green.

Since we are now in the early part of a high temp. summer, I was also concerned about hardening my seedlings to accept the high temps (97 degrees F yesterday) and the intensity of the sunlight. By using the halogen light, I have been able to germinate the seed at about eighty five degrees and grow them at 95 degrees. I put one little "runt of the pack" seedling outside in the garden yesterday in full sun and full heat. It was only about two inches tall. I expected it to shrivel and die. It didn't die, but seems to be thriving. I don't know if I am fooling myself, but the high growing temps, intense growing light; and a strong drying breeze from an overhead ceiling fan seem to be hardening the seedlings as they grow.

Anyone have experiences to share with a similar method?

Ted

I must make a correction. The "runt of the Pack" seedling I planted yesterday simply couldn't take the heat and strong sunlight any longer and keeled over and died this afternoon. Its passing occurred about one hour before a very nice thunderstorm arrived to drop the temperature from 97 degrees to 70 degrees F.

May it rest in peace.

Ted

[rsg2001]

I sort of break the rules in that I don't really have a chance to harden off my seedlings before planting out. However, the last couple of years I've gotten more patient and I just wait a little longer. Thus far all my own seedlings that have gone out to the garden have been doing fine in spite of not having a chance to get used to the outdoors gradually. Though I'm a little worried about the two Burning Spears that I planted today, and the Green Doctor's Frosted. They weren't my strongest seedlings.

[kz2zx]

I've had three seedlings out in their big containers - they were germinated and hardened in 2-pint peat pots, and bottom-watered in soil mix. 1 each of Druzba, TGS' Italian-Hungarian, and Bellstar.

After 1 week in May outdoors, I cut the bottom out of the peat pots, and planted in 5-gal containers (topsoil, steer manure, and vermiculite), up to the bottom of the coty leaves.

Two weeks outdoors, and the temp is 105' today. I do water them daily. I have them placed where they get 4-1/2 hrs of sun.

They're growing taller, and seem very sturdy. I'd take a pic, but it's now dark here.

I'd say that you could set yours out before potting up sooner, your climate in May is a lot like mine in May (you're up in the Amarillo area? I'm in Phoenix). Maybe it's the length of time in the sun?

Originally Posted by kz2zx

I've had three seedlings out in their big containers - they were germinated and hardened in 2-pint peat pots, and bottom-watered in soil mix. 1 each of Druzba, TGS' Italian-Hungarian, and Bellstar.

After 1 week in May outdoors, I cut the bottom out of the peat pots, and planted in 5-gal containers (topsoil, steer manure, and vermiculite), up to the bottom of the coty leaves.

Two weeks outdoors, and the temp is 105' today. I do water them daily. I have them placed where they get 4-1/2 hrs of sun.

They're growing taller, and seem very sturdy. I'd take a pic, but it's now dark here.

I'd say that you could set yours out before potting up sooner, your climate in May is a lot like mine in May (you're up in the Amarillo area? I'm in Phoenix). Maybe it's the length of time in the sun?

Nope, no Amarillo here. I'm 60 miles north of Dallas. It hit 102 degrees today. Sitting here at 11:00 p.m. and it is 80 degrees. High temps should be down in the mid 90's by the end of the week. We normally don't hit 100 until early July.

I'm keeping my seedling cool at 95 degrees under the lights. They should be able to take the outside temps when they are larger.

Ted