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Starting seedlings at home requires TLCCEA- Hort. Texas Cooperative Extension Wichita County I have had several questions lately regarding starting vegetable seedlings at home. Someone was having problems with their seedlings being spindly or leggy. Here are several causes for this and ways to correct it. Shade causes excessive elongation --Give them full sunlight whenever possible Prolonged cloudy weather during the growing season --Maintain lower temperatures during cloudy weather Excessive watering --Water when necessary to maintain a moist but never wet soil condition Temperatures too high --Skillfull management of temperatures Excessive fertilizer --Apply fertilizer less frequently and/or reduce the concentration Poor plant spacing --At all times provide young plants with adequate space for stockydevelopment Another problem with seedlings is that there might be decaying or rotting of their stems near the soil surface. If this is the case then you might have a disease called Damping-off. This is a disease that attacks germinating seeds and young plants, especially in prolonged cloudy weather. To fix this problem you will need to use sterilized soil mix along with proper watering, ventilation and regulation of temperatures. Some seedlings also get a green algae or moss that grows on the soil surface. This can be a problem when the soil's moisture content is too high. This can be because of cloudy weather, poor soil structure, or poor aeration. You will need to increase the air movement around your plants and water in the morning. If your soil is not draining properly you can add coarse material to it to encourage drainage. I hope this information helps for those of you who are trying to start your own seedlings at home. Your garden and landscape questions are always welcome. You may either contact me at our County Extension office, 716-8610, or by e-mail, tcmcknight@ag.tamu.edu. You are always encouraged to visit the Wichita County Master Gardner website at www.overthegardengate.org. Another great website to visit for very useful garden hints and answers is http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/. This article, along with every article, will also be featured on www.joetomwhite.com 24 hours a day under county agents. Date: 3/23/06
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