Row by Row Episode 238: How To Fix Leggy Seedlings
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What is a grow light, and exactly what does it do? In order to grow strong, healthy seedlings, it’s super important to provide the proper lighting for them right from the start. Allows you to grow seedlings and transplants anywhere in your home, office, or garage. The natural light from a window is seldom enough for good, strong seedling growth. They will usually stretch and lean towards the light and will not produce sturdy plants. Most homes don’t have enough natural lighting for seedlings, and trying to grow them on a sunny windowsill will only result in disappointment and wasted time (and money!). Adequate lighting is a key part of successful seedling care, and it will give them a good start to life. When they don’t get enough, seedlings become weak and leggy, and may not survive for very long. The only way to prevent leggy seedlings is to use grow lights.
Frequently Asked Questions:
What is benefits of putting seedlings under Lights:- Stronger and healthier seedlings– The main benefit of using artificial lights is that your seedlings will be much stronger, healthier, and stay more compact than they would just sitting near a sunny window.
- Better survival rate– Once you provide enough light, you’ll find that the survival rate of your seedlings is much higher. So you won’t have to plant extras to make up for all the weak ones you would have ended up losing.
- Less waste– Since you won’t have to plant extras to make up for those losses, there will be much less waste. You won’t waste any seeds or dirt… or your time. Because of this, you’ll find the lights will pay for themselves pretty quickly.
- Much easier– Providing proper lighting for seedlings will make your life so much easier too. By using a timer, you can just set it and forget it, rather than having to constantly monitor and rotate your trays.
- Prevents leggedness– The only way to prevent seedlings from getting tall and leggy is to provide adequate lighting.
- Grow seeds anywhere in your house– Another benefit is that you can put your seedlings anywhere in the house. You don’t need to worry about keeping them in a room that gets tons of natural light.
What kind of light do seedings need? It’s very important to make sure you get the right type of lighting for seedlings, and all bulbs are NOT created equal. How much light do seedling need? Seedlings need 14-16 hours of light every single day, without fail. Don’t leave them on for 24 hours a day though. Like us, they need to rest at night. So, plan to keep your artificial lights on for 14-16 hours during the daytime, and turn them off overnight. Use an outlet timer to make sticking to this schedule a snap, and ensure your seedlings get the perfect amount of light. If you give them less than 14 hours of light per day, then make sure to monitor them closely. If they start getting tall or growing sideways, then give them another hour or two of light. When do I put my seedlings under light? The answer to this one is simple. Your grow lights should be turned on (or your seedlings should be put under lights) as soon as the first seed starts to sprout. Many types of seedlings grow very fast, and they will begin reaching for the light as soon as they emerge. So, give them plenty of it right from the start. How far should seedlings be from a grow light? The grow light should not be very far from the seedlings. It’s best to keep it 2-3″ above the top of the leaves at all times. So, at first, your fixture will hang directly above (but never touching!) the plastic lid on the tray. Once your starts get taller, and you take the lid off, then you’ll need to adjust the lights on a regular basis so they are always right over the top. The leaves should never touch the bulbs though, or they could burn. So, make sure to check on them every day, and move the light up as necessary. Using an adjustable hanger will make this job a whole lot easier! Rotate the trays daily if you notice any of the seedlings around the edges are reaching, or aren’t growing as well as the ones that are directly under the light. When to stop using lights on seedlings? The only time you should stop using lights on your seedlings is when they are outside. As long as they are inside the house, they should be under the lights. Once you’re in the process of hardening them, you can turn off the lights while your seedlings are outside during the day. But you shouldn’t stop using them completely until after you’ve moved the seedlings outside for good. Just make sure you always put them under the lights each time you bring them back indoors, or they will quickly start to get leggy.