Revisiting the plant light idea (not enough time to write the other day):
Although it's nice to have fluorescent tubes that are actually labeled
"plant lights", "grow lights", or whatever, they're expensive, and based on
my experience, they're unnecessary and expensive.* I use 3 ordinary "shop
light" fixtures, one right next to the other. Each fixture has a cool white
tube and a "full spectrum" tube, both of which are cheap. These fixtures
come with 12" chains, which, depending on where your mounting point is, may
not be enough to allow you to adjust the fixtures' height. So, back to the
hardware store for more chain. I adjust mine so the bulbs are about 1" above
the soil line. When things begin sprouting, I adjust to 2" above the leaves.
Depending on the plants, you may have to adjust twice a day. Although I own
a hand held light meter, I've never used it to measure light intensity
because...what would be the point? I can't get the tubes much closer than 2"
without worrying about the heat bothering the plants.

*Grow lights: I suspect that REAL plant lights would be better for plants
which are going to live under those lights for long periods of time, but I
don't have such plants. The seedlings that are headed outside are only under
lights for 4-8 weeks, and 20 years' worth of experience says that for such a
short life under bulbs, the type of bulb doesn't matter.

Heated plant trays: I use them for very fine seeds which seem more prone to
rotting before they sprout, like wax begonias and impatiens. If I have extra
space in the heated trays, I give it to plants for which the outdoor window
of opportunity is very short, like lettuces which are happiest in the cooler
days of early spring. If I have an indoor germination failure with those, I
have to wait until August to plant a fall crop. But for stuff like tomatoes
and marigolds, a little bit of a delay doesn't matter much.


"lotte potter" wrote in message
om...
Dear Doug and Kagera

Have to agree with Doug, perhaps this is where I go wrong, each year.
Not enough light.

Interesting thought about the gas mini leaks, perhaps the kitchen
window is not the best place.

Has anyone had any success with heated germination trays?

"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
...
-Low air temp and not enough air movement will lead to what's called
"damping off" - fungus kills the seedlings.
-Indoors, only two ways to give them enough light. First, plant lights.
Lots
of them. Second, put them in just the right window and rotate them a
couple
of times a day. Forget that nonsense. Get lights. Think of how each type
of
seedling grows in its natural environment, and do your best to duplicate
that.
- Remote possibility: If you're growing seedlings in the basement, they
can
be adversely affected by natural gas leaks so miniscule that you may not
be
able to detect them. Or, not leaks, but the little bit that some furnaces
waste in the second it takes for the burners to ignite.


"Kagera" wrote in message
oups.com...
I have been having little success from starting with seeds. most of my
seeds do germinate and get their first 2 leaves. then within a week the
seedlings turn yellow and die. what am i doing wrong?

seeds that i have the most problems with a
Alpine Strawberry (Mignonette)
Strawberry Sticks (Chenopodium)
Tomato Jelly Bean Hybrid
Lettuce Grand Rapids Leaf