How to stop seedlings going leggy

[Scarecrowdave]

I have started seeds in an electric propogator
However ther have sprouted i thought great but they have went very leggy and some have fallen over
How do you stop that happening if at all

[Nicos]

Lots and lots of sunlight!....not easy in February.
Depending on what you are growing, most seedlings need removing from the propagator as soon as they germinate.

[nickdub]

As had been said light is the key - you either need to add some sort of electric lighting to your system, or wait until the natural light levels are higher.

[Mitzi]

Also don't overwater - the falling over may be damping off, where the stem rots, usually at soil level.

[Bren In Pots]

I sow in individual pots and as soon as I see a bit of green showing I take mine out of the propagator and leave them on a sunny windowsill with a piece of foil behind them, doing it that way seems to prevent them getting too leggy.

[More basil]

Here's what makes me understand legginess (and what I try to remind myself every year when I am itching to sow too early).

Imagine that you are, say, a chilli seed. Finding it warm, moist and comfortable in the germinator, you assume that you are on a nice Caribbean island and germinate to what you expect is Tropical sunshine. Then, breaking through the soil and finding yourself in dismal UK winter light levels , you will naturally assume that you have had the bad luck to germinate underneath something that casts a shade. Naturally, you will use what food is available in the seed to grow past the obstacle so you can get sunlight, photosynthesize and get new energy. As the obstacle is called winter and very hard to get past, you will soon use your energy reserves becoming lanky and keel over and die. Bit like I feel in January, actually. So, as everyone else has said, get the balance of light, water and temperature right and all will be well...

[Scarecrowdave]

Thanks much appreciated

[Scarlet]

What seeds did you sow Dave?

[Snadger]

I sow in individual pots and as soon as I see a bit of green showing I take mine out of the propagator and leave them on a sunny windowsill with a piece of foil behind them, doing it that way seems to prevent them getting too leggy.

Geof Hamilton made a 'lightbox' which i will be emulating. Get a cardboard box that will fit a seed tray into. Cut the front off and taper the sides back to make a triangle. so you have a bottom, back and two triangular siides. He covered with kitchen foil but I will use one of the silver life saving blankets in a first aid pack to cover mine.
Sit on the windowsill with chrome surround to three sides should ensure enough light to the trya of plants within.

[Scarecrowdave]

What seeds did you sow Dave?

I just couldnt wait haha got an allotment starting this year so got a propogator as an xmas present so i started tomatoes and chillis by the sounds of it far too early

[Scarlet]

Haha! No you haven't. - we are all nuts
Chillies - start them off now - hots usually need a long growing season - annums can be sown a bit later - set them in your prop and as soon as you see a speck of green, whip them out quick and put them in the sunniest spot you have available.

It is early for tomatoes, so just sow a couple of seeds - basket or bush varieties only (no cordon) and do the same as the chillies....or make a little light box as Snadger has suggested.

Best time to sow toms is early March if you havent got huge amounts of window space - though if you want to try an early crop no harm in setting a few now.
A couple of threads you could follow :
http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...8-a_95160.html
http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...oms_95631.html

[monkeyboy]

Geof Hamilton made a 'lightbox' which i will be emulating. Get a cardboard box that will fit a seed tray into. Cut the front off and taper the sides back to make a triangle. so you have a bottom, back and two triangular siides. He covered with kitchen foil but I will use one of the silver life saving blankets in a first aid pack to cover mine.
Sit on the windowsill with chrome surround to three sides should ensure enough light to the trya of plants within.

I saw something similar on youtube where the guy had used either cardboard tube or plastic drinks bottle (I can't remember which), cut into semi-cylinders, covered in foil and placed opposite the window, with the concave surface surrounding each seedlings(s).

Again, the idea is to envelope the seedlings in as much light as possible.

[Wheelie]

This thread is very helpful to me. I’ve boughht the garland 51 propogator with 7 trays as I’m sharing the seeds with my Carer. She lives in the same building as me. I noted above, that you put the seedlings in a window after germinating. I was going to move my kitchen table in front of my balcony doors. It’s gets full sun from midday to dusk. Should I not put the seeds there until they germinat, or can I just put them there from the start?

[treepixie]

I use a grow light, I got mine from ikea and it's brilliant, stops seedlings going leggy and brings them on a treat.

[Mitzi]

This thread is very helpful to me. I’ve boughht the garland 51 propogator with 7 trays as I’m sharing the seeds with my Carer. She lives in the same building as me. I noted above, that you put the seedlings in a window after germinating. I was going to move my kitchen table in front of my balcony doors. It’s gets full sun from midday to dusk. Should I not put the seeds there until they germinat, or can I just put them there from the start?

How warm is it in front of the patio doors? It's best to start the seeds off somewhere warm, which is quite often somewhere dark (in the airing cupboard, in my case.) The seeds need heat more than light, but as soon as they have germinated they need light rather than heat (although both is ideal.) I'm talking about chillies mainly but I imagine tomatoes will be the same although don't need as much heat as chillies.