Reaching for the stars

[sewer rat]

Hi y'all
I sowed some Cauliflower (miniature variety Idol) and cabbage (Minicole) seeds on 4th Feb in cells and put them on my kitchen windowsill. They germinated within the week (100% germination ! ) BUT they are now very long - about two to three inches - don't know if this is normal but suspect not - can anyone advise ?
Rat

[Pip]

I imagine you have the same problem as me. insuficient light so the seedling just keep going up looking for more. Also is the kitchen very warm? I have been finding it difficult to find somewhere the right temperature and the right light to start off seedlings, Unfortunately I do not have any power outside so a heated propagator is not very convenient and besides I am too tight to buy one.

I have resorted to taking over the airing cupboard and setting up artificial lights from an old fish tank. The tube has a full uv spectrum as I used to have live plants in the tank. Seems to be working well. If you want to do something similar you can get the lights from any aquarium or reptile shop.

My wife thinks I'm mad.

Pip

[Cab]

Move 'em to somewhere with more light if you possibly can; somewhere cooler might also help. If they're still young (and they are) then being a little leggy isn't the end of the world, they'll recover, but if they keep getting worse then they might struggle.

[nick the grief]

Ye olde Geoff Hamilton Trick.

Take one carboard box & cut through on the angle so you have two triangular sided boxes (like a coldframe)

Cover with tin foil (shiny side out) and put your plants in this and put in window .

It reflects the light around the plants & is cheaper than using grolux lights !

ntg

[Jaxom]

NTG. What a good tip. Off to raid the kitchen cupboard now.
Jax

[nick the grief]

04:25am !!!!

Can't you sleep in Cardiff. I can't take the credit for this one Jax, It was one Of the late great Geoff Hamliton's, a man who inspired me to gardening with his enthusiasm & love of the hobby (see photos in off the plot)

ntg

[Pip]

Windowsil seedlings

Still having trouble with windowsill seedlings. Tried the tin foil trick but my baby cauliflowers and basil seedlings are struggling. Leggy and a bit yellow. Having read all sorts on having the correct glass for greenhouses so it does not filter UV no-one seems to mention it for windows. How much UV actually gets through double glazing?

Anyway my toms growing under UV tubes are doing great, going a little quick actually. Will it harm to move them somewhere cooler now they are established and slow their grow rate? I understand that they stop growing <10 degrees. Would they start again?

[andrewo]

What compost mix are you growing them in? This sounds like a nutrient deficiency. If the cells are small, you will have to feed them as the compost sounds spent.

[andrewo]

Anyway my toms growing under UV tubes are doing great, going a little quick actually. Will it harm to move them somewhere cooler now they are established and slow their grow rate? I understand that they stop growing <10 degrees. Would they start again?

I would move them somewhere cooler and harden off slowly, at night to be on the safe side I would cover in fleece. Are they indoor toms or outdoor toms (I suspect indoor if started now), so if they are going in an unheated greenhouse, best to get them hardened off.

[nick the grief]

Either try what Andrew says or pot them up into 3" pots, that will give you a bit of breathing space.