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A question on starting seeds for flower beds,

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Autumn Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Feb-17-09 10:54 AM
Original message
A question on starting seeds for flower beds,
I bought the little pellet greenhouse to start some flower seeds. The stems are about three to four inches tall with two little leaves on top. Should the stems be that tall? Did I not plant the seeds deep enough?
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WolverineDG Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Feb-17-09 12:07 PM
Response to Original message
1. I don't know but what I do know
is when you transplant them, you can cover up more of the stem (at least that's what I've been told).

dg
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Autumn Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Feb-17-09 08:07 PM
Response to Reply #1
2. Thank you
I have never tried growing from seed. So I guess I had better buy some of the peat pots big enough to get the stem down.
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FloriTexan Donating Member (481 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Feb-17-09 10:58 PM
Response to Original message
3. They're probably okay...
What kind of seeds are they? How long since they sprouted. You could add some soil on top to help support them til you can transplant them, If they stay leggy after you plant them you may have to stake them.
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Autumn Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Feb-17-09 11:05 PM
Response to Reply #3
4. They are English lavender,
and they sprouted out two days ago and they are almost four inches tall with two little leaves on top.I was really surprised to see how long the stem was.I wasn't sure i had got them down into the peat pellet enough. I was afraid if I put them in a pot and covered the stem with soil the stem might rot.
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sazemisery Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Feb-18-09 05:01 AM
Response to Original message
5. Do they look like this?


If so they are OK. Let them grow.
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Autumn Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Feb-18-09 09:38 AM
Response to Reply #5
6. No they are taller
the stems are now over four inches tall with just two leaves on top.
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Tsiyu Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Feb-18-09 12:14 PM
Response to Reply #6
7. Sounds like they may need more sunlight


or a grow light.

What a lovely plant to grow...also run a light fan on them to simulate breeze and it will make the stems stronger.

that's all I know! Good luck.
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Autumn Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Feb-18-09 12:55 PM
Response to Reply #7
9. I will move them into a bigger peat pot
and put them in the kitchen window. Thank you.
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HamdenRice Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Feb-18-09 12:37 PM
Response to Original message
8. I had the same experience with coriander. It was not enough light.
Sounds like your seedlings are not getting enough light. That condition of being really too tall and skinny is sometimes called "leggy." The danger is that they grow too tall, fall over and die.

If you can get them into a sunnier window that might help.

But one thing I learned this year, "jumping the gun" by planting some coriander for cilantro, is that no matter how sunny your window, in the winter there just isn't enough hours of sunlight in the day and the low winter angle light is too weak even when it's direct.

If you started just about now, however, you might get better results because the days are rapidly getting longer and the sun brighter.
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Autumn Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Feb-18-09 12:57 PM
Response to Reply #8
10. I think i will pick up more peat pellets
and try planting more in a sunnier window. first time I ever tried from seed. I am waiting a little longer to try some organic tomato seeds I bought.
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FloriTexan Donating Member (481 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Feb-19-09 08:58 PM
Response to Reply #10
11. May be too early to move to another pot...
I'd just add soil loosely around the base of the stem. If they stay leggy, once they develop some more leaves, you could pinch the top most set (newest), that should cause them to bush out; but I'd make sure they had 3-4 good sets of leaves.
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Autumn Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Feb-19-09 09:39 PM
Response to Reply #11
12. I will try that
I put them in the kitchen window and the stems seem to be getting sturdy and today they have 2 more leaves. Thank you.
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