Leggy Seedlings

[Egluntine]

Am new to this veg lark.

My dwarf beans have over 2 days become 10" tall! Some dwarves!

Any advice on how to rescue "leggy seedlings"......or should I scrap them and start again??

Heeeeeeelp!!

[Two_Sheds]

Its too cold for French beans yet, wait another 3 or 4 weeks and start again. Or are they Broad?

[Egluntine]

Thanks Two Sheds. They are Dwarf French. I'll leave them in the pot and see what happens, but I will start again in a month. I got carried away with beginners enthusiasm!

[rustylady]

They are too warm and not light enough. If you are going to keep them reduce the heat and increase the light - they may get through if you can keep them frost free but cool.

[Egluntine]

Thanks Rustylady...will put them in what we laughingly call the "sun porch"!!

Garlic coming on a treat in there!

[rustylady]

Thanks Rustylady...will put them in what we laughingly call the "sun porch"!!

Garlic coming on a treat in there!

I've got one of those Egluntine - I call it the conservatory to impress people. It's really the gap between the back door and the garage door which was enclosed and roofed with plastic stuff by the landlord. Just about room for one folding chair and some trays of seeds, but I do like sitting out there with my morning cuppa!

[Egluntine]

Our porch is a "proper" porch with glass windows and door, and a tiled roof and floor. I'm sure it could be quite useful if I got my act together!.
The snag is that it is cold in there as it is north facing, and only gets the sun in the late afternoon for maybe a couple of hours depending on the time of year. Advice on how to maximise its usefulness would be very gratefully received.

[Paulottie]

The north facing bit is the crux of your problem. you could try a fish tank style UV lamp (and perhaps a small heater for the nights).... or try moving them to a sunnier window once they have germinated.

[Egluntine]

Thanks Paul. Might get a heater as you suggest.

[Alice]

Hello Egluntine, garlic is perfectly hardy and could be outside, saving the space for something else. I plant mine outside in November.
A small heater could make your porch more useful. I have a floor level tube heater for the utility room which only burns about 1/2 KW but it does make a difference, or a little thermostatically controlled one.

[Egluntine]

Thanks Alice....where did you get it from?

[Paulottie]

Hi Egluntine, You are still going to have to increase lightlevels for your seedlings, or they will still go leggy whatever the warmth.

An early crop of beans is possible by puttin 3/4 seeds in 2/3 ltr pots with a cane in the middle for support. I used to grow hundreds of these pots for a lady who breeds red spider mite predators. They will not be as productive as in the open ground.

Alice is right. Garlic, if planted in November, is ready in June freeing the ground for another crop. I'm blessed with Sussex weather though ...Alice,do you cloche them during the worst of the winter?

[stigoftheplot]

I thought garlic needs the cold spell to split the bulbs. surely if cloched you'd get a crop of single 'bulbs' instead of cloves.

[Egluntine]

Thanks Paul.

[TPeers]

Hi Paul,

Being southern border of Surrey, I've had no probs with the garlic this winter - but it is in a raised bed so that might help.

Terry