Leggy seedlings

[highonthehill]

My seedlings in seed trays, coriander, broccolli are looking leggy - one of the broccolli has flopped over - what causes this and is there anything I can do to corrcet it?

[Valleyman]

What aspect window do you have them in?

Too little light combined with warmth causes leggy seedlings. As someone who doesn't use artificial light it's a problem I get every year. But every year I start things too early, and every year I get the problem. I've found things like toms and broccoli are fine as they can be planted deeper, hiding the leggy-ness. Other things though rot away and die if you do this so it's a bit of an experiment.

If you have stuff in a propagator, keep the lids off as soon as germination occurs. This will cool them down and slow growth until they begin to naturally grow when the days get longer.

[Scarlet]

Broccoli should be sown without additional heat and once germinated possibly kept in a cold frame outside. I wouldn't ever keep brassicas indoors it's much too warm.
You can try planting it up to its seed leaves and moving them out.

[Potstubsdustbins]

Set some standbys just in case.

[highonthehill]

Thanks for these replies - I don't have a cold frame, could I just leave them out in a sheltered spot? However, we had frost last night....maybe put them out during the day and bring them in at night?

[Kristen]

maybe put them out during the day and bring them in at night?

Yup, that sounds fine to me. Only need to bring them in on a cold night - which will be fewer as the season progresses.

[Knight of Albion]

Thanks for these replies - I don't have a cold frame, could I just leave them out in a sheltered spot? However, we had frost last night....maybe put them out during the day and bring them in at night?

Yes, that's the solution. They go all straggly because they're stretching for the light. If they're out in the open, in daytime, they should now bulk out - assuming they aren't too straggly....

[Two_Sheds]

I don't have a cold frame

. A blowaway is more cold frame than it is greenhouse, and is useful for keeping wind and heavy rain off seedlings.
Daylight is the thing, not warmth, esp for hardy stuff like brassicas. Windowsills usually aren't light enough, and are cold at night.

I now delay seed sowing until late March, when the daylight is longer and stronger