Does a seedling require the same temperature as before it germinated?

[Samuel1988]

Evening all,

I wish to prioritise the warmest highest levels in my polytunnel and I was wondering if it would be OK to drop a few levels the seedlings which have emerged and replace them with newly sown seeds?

I say this because I am wondering if the seedlings can handle slightly cooler conditions as I can recall reading a seed packet some time ago which stated different temps (highest required until germination) on it.

Does it relate to specific plants or is there a general consensus for a higher temp required for germination?

Thanks for your help (if you can understand what I am getting at!),

Samue

[WendyC]

Yes, you are right. I remove germinated seedlings straight away from the propagator. In fact you run the risk of growing leggy seedlings if they are grown on too warm.

[Samuel1988]

That's interesting.

I only thought they would become leggy due to light and not warmth?

Samuel

[Alison]

That's interesting.

I only thought they would become leggy due to light and not warmth?

Samuel

Yes but if they are cooler they grow slower (usually) so stay smaller. For info what are you germinating in your tunnel? Too early to sow anything much in mine yet although will be planting out peas, mange tout, broad beans and early spuds this weekend.


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[Veggielot]

Yes, you are right. I remove germinated seedlings straight away from the propagator. In fact you run the risk of growing leggy seedlings if they are grown on too warm.

I have just taken some tomatoes out of my propagator which have already started to go a bit leggy, so yes definitely move them once they germinate.

[Kristen]

Tomatoes should be fine with heat, within reason, provided that they have light. If they are leggy it is lack of light. "Clear" plastic cover on a propagator may be robbing some light?

Depends what the seeds are though - some such as Onions benefit from heat to germinate but then want cooler after germinating, some want to germinate cool and then have heat to grow, some such as Brassicas don't want heat to germinate, nor heat as seedlings.