Question about starting seeds

[NEUT6899]

I decided to start my own plants from seed this year for the first time ever and I have a couple questions. We purchased a small 4 shelf greenhouse from Fleet and have about 3 of the shelves full of seedlings. The girlfriend has flowers and I have the veggies. Tomato's,Kohlrabi,Cauliflower and going to be starting some Brussel sprouts and beans soon. Do these seedlings need to have full sun during the day or should some of them be kept in a darker space. For some reason I thought I remember hearing that some seedlings need to be kept out of direct sun light... Thought I would toss this out to some of you that have more experience than me.. Thanks for your reply's!!

[yoppdk]

I believe the seedlings would benefit from a full day's sunlight, as long as they don't get overly hot. You could kill them, particularly when they are young and somewhat fragile, if they get too hot too soon. My approach would be to move them into the sun gradually, say 4-5 hours, for a week or so, then up it by an hour or two until you are sure they are getting stronger. Most of all, I would watch them closely and you will see how they respond. Eventually as they grow they will need more and more heat and sunlight. But as seedlings too much too soon can hurt them.

[Bobby Bass]

You already have seedlings or are you planning on starting plants from seeds? Starting plants from seeds requires moisture and heat. A small greenhouse works well for seed starting but as the seeds sprout then you will have to monitor moisture control and over heating your plants. Tons of places to search on the net for information for growing. Check you plant seed packs for length of germination. Some may be as short as a week or as long as four weeks. Got a picture of your setup?

[NEUT6899]

Bobby Bass,

I will post a pic in a few minutes. I have already started plants from seeds. I started some about 3 weeks ago and then more last week.

[NEUT6899]

[NEUT6899]

Cant figure out how to turn the pic... Sorry...

[Juneau4]

I think your going to find out that you may have planted some varieties early. They're apt to get tall and strangely. I'm not going to start any tomatoes, cabbage family plants, or peppers until april 1 and I live 50 miles south of ST. Cloud.

Beans are hard to transplant- better off direct seeding into garden. Brussel sprouts will do fine by direct seeding also and developed the heads in fall when they do best.

[NEUT6899]

Juneau4,

I was wondering about that but everything i started said to start the seeds 6-8 weeks before frost out... Was hoping that by the first or second week of May we will be frost free and ready to plant but i am sure it's wishful thinking..

[Bobby Bass]

Looks like you got the seed starting part down. Using bigger pots is a plus for you. I would rotate the newly planted seed pots to the top of the green house where it is warmer and then make sure you rotate your seedlings so they grow straight as they will grow to the sun. Not to early to start seeds if you are going to use them for container gardening. But I agree with the comments about sowing direct to ground on some plants. I have cherry tomatoes growing here that will find there way to deck pots and a second batch will be started here in a few weeks to plant in the ground. Looks good to me

[Juneau4]

For the past 15 years I've used Walls of Water and have planted tomato plants in the garden every year on April 15 ( tax day- I survive they will too ) and I usually have ripe ones by June 27. The Walls will protect the tomato down to about 18 degrees. Thats the lowest I've ever had it go and the outside wall froze but the inner part still was water and the plants were fine.

You learn by trial, error and trying to remember what you should have done from year to year and every year is different---GOOD LUCK--and have fun doing it.

[delcecchi]

I don't think beans were necessary to start inside. They come up pretty fast on their own.

Tomatoes like warm soil and take warm nights to set fruit, so setting them out too early may not help at least without some sort of help like the water walls or row covers or those cap things.