New to gardening and im attempting to grow herbs inside. According to what im seeing online my cilantro seedlings are leggy? I have them on a heat mat under a grow light in a temp controlled room. Did I already screw up?
by Familiar-Gear-4806
7 Comments
Old_Touch3534
Keep them under light but NOT on heat. Move lights closer to them if you can’t add or brighten what you have.
That brite one on top is rated 1000watt full spectrum LED. I try to maintain 6” between top of plants and lights.
My bottom shelf is Heat matted
Top shelf is NOT heated.
Picture is from spring
manyamile
You haven’t screwed up. Don’t beat yourself up. Look at those awesome little seedlings! 🙌🌱
Generally, you only want to use a heat mat to speed up (or insure) germination. Once seedlings emerge, remove the heat mat.
Yes, they’re a little leggy due to low light. If you have artificial light to offer, do that. If not, get them closer to a sunny window and/or in a sunny microclimate outdoors when temps allow.
Anywhere that heat collects or radiates will do – areas sheltered from the wind, near brick or stone, in a small greenhouse, etc.
polosurfer27
Light source is waaaaay too far from your seedling tops. Try repotting them deep in the pot to stabilize the seeling and also will help new roots from in the plants stem.
With my hydroponic seed starter you can adjust the hight of the light. You can actually go up to an inch from the top of the leaves without burning the plant. Honestly I forgot to raise the light and they were touching the light and nothing happened to the plant. But you definitely need to get that light source closer to the tops of your plants next time.
Revolutionary_Fix476
Yup they are leggy, I would personally start over. Just grow under stronger lights next time.
NPKzone8a
The heat mat is just to help them germinate. Once the seedlings emerge, take away or turn off the heat mat. Excess bottom heat (along with insufficient light) will make them “leggy.”
7 Comments
Keep them under light but NOT on heat. Move lights closer to them if you can’t add or brighten what you have.
https://preview.redd.it/m02f3480kl4g1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=33ba66c4f66d4942f2ca0d0abb1a52aca448920a
That brite one on top is rated 1000watt full spectrum LED. I try to maintain 6” between top of plants and lights.
My bottom shelf is Heat matted
Top shelf is NOT heated.
Picture is from spring
You haven’t screwed up. Don’t beat yourself up. Look at those awesome little seedlings! 🙌🌱
Generally, you only want to use a heat mat to speed up (or insure) germination. Once seedlings emerge, remove the heat mat.
Yes, they’re a little leggy due to low light. If you have artificial light to offer, do that. If not, get them closer to a sunny window and/or in a sunny microclimate outdoors when temps allow.
Anywhere that heat collects or radiates will do – areas sheltered from the wind, near brick or stone, in a small greenhouse, etc.
Light source is waaaaay too far from your seedling tops. Try repotting them deep in the pot to stabilize the seeling and also will help new roots from in the plants stem.
https://preview.redd.it/dh4bgjuivl4g1.jpeg?width=4000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=37558a4a072e10bea35bb8d612abf04fa78c021c
With my hydroponic seed starter you can adjust the hight of the light. You can actually go up to an inch from the top of the leaves without burning the plant. Honestly I forgot to raise the light and they were touching the light and nothing happened to the plant. But you definitely need to get that light source closer to the tops of your plants next time.
Yup they are leggy, I would personally start over. Just grow under stronger lights next time.
The heat mat is just to help them germinate. Once the seedlings emerge, take away or turn off the heat mat. Excess bottom heat (along with insufficient light) will make them “leggy.”
Oof.
More light, by multitudes!
Gardening is 99% learning.