Seedling rotation?

[Davdandy]

My tom seeds and a few others i sowed last week are beginning to shoot,albeit only small but the shoots are leaning towards the sunlight.I know this may sound silly so please forgive me here but do i need to rotate the trays every few days or so to give them the best start or leave as nature intended?

[teakdesk]

...do i need to rotate the trays every few days or so to give them the best start or leave as nature intended?

Nature intended the plant to stay static and the sun to rotate around giving the plant light from every side.

So yes, I'd rotate them.... or better still, get them outside during the day in a sheltered spot.

[ardroil]

mine were on a window sill and i rotated them every day as they really do lean towards the light, i thought it was making the stems stronger aswell.

[Sheepish]

I normally rotate the seed pots. Saw an interesting idea on Gardeners World recently - they cut a cardboard box in half diagonally and lined it with tinfoil. Then they put the pots in it so the reflected sunlight lit the rear without needing to rotate.

[Alice]

yes, rotate the pots Davdandy or better still put them outside in decent weather during the day.

[Flummery]

Depends on the weather, amount of sun and the way your windowsill faces, but I've sometimes rotated them several times a day! As a retired fogey I have the luxury of being able to do this. Yes, turn the plants. They'll be sturdier for it, and not stretched towards the light source.

[Davdandy]

Ok,thanks guys.

Gonna rotate them right away.

[snohare]

And when you go on holiday, put a white gloss painted board behind them, 'cos you know the house/plant sitter will not bother themselves every day.... Never tried the tinfoil, but the board worked for me.

[Davdandy]

Will do Snohare.
Although a holiday just now is very much a dream rather than reality.

[snohare]

I know the feeling Davdandy, folk keep telling me that because I don't work I'm always on holiday, but it doesn't feel like it !

[Davdandy]

I getcha Snohare,a holiday is away from home either on a beach or in the country or up a mountain,anywhere but not at home.

[Mchanen]

And when you go on holiday, put a white gloss painted board behind them, 'cos you know the house/plant sitter will not bother themselves every day.... Never tried the tinfoil, but the board worked for me.

Oooh this is a good tip for me, cheers

I'm going on holiday in a few weeks and was concerned about this, i'm gonna try this out the week before i go away and set how it works out.

[snohare]

You may well find that this does not work on all plants. Depending on species, some may not have the receptors on leaves that enable them to "see" the light reflecting off a white surface, as it will be of a different frequency to that which comes in the window.
Yes, Davdandy, when they said " A change is as good as a rest" truer words were never spoke. I'm not sure it counts when you are moving house though !

[Davdandy]

A rest,hmmmmm.Yesterday i spent all day putting in a new boiler in the garage as the old one was about done for.
No rest for the wicked they say.

[snohare]

i spent all day putting in a new boiler

Were you fuming ?