Tips for leggy seedlings?

schoolsoutbride

My lettuce all kind of fell over.  The broccoli is threatening to do the same.  Cukes and tomatoes looking ok.

I've had a fan blowing gently on them to build some strength from "wind"

I thought about transferring and planting them deeper, but they were only planted 2 weeks ago and don't have 2 true leaves yet.

Jeff & Em

Are you using a natural or artificial light source?  If it's artificial, try moving them a lot closer to the light. 

Mine were about two feet away until my Dad told me that was wrong.  : )  I let them grow until they're almost touching the lights (he assured me that the light setup I have wouldn't burn my plants), and then move them so that they're about an inch from the light.  They're growing much more reasonably, now. 

schoolsoutbride

I think you're right.  I had it about 4 inches away, which is what I had read somewhere, but when I was googling cures for leggy seedlings, I ran across this.  I moved them to within an inch of the tallest ones.  I also repotted my tomatoes and buried the stems so that just the leaves were poking out of the ground (not the "true" leaves--whatever the preleaves are called."

kastle

Also, how long are your lights on?  I once left my grow lights on for 24 hrs (thinking more is better), and it resulted in leggy seedlings.

schoolsoutbride

kastle:

Also, how long are your lights on?  I once left my grow lights on for 24 hrs (thinking more is better), and it resulted in leggy seedlings.

I've been turning them off at night, but I think I forgot the first couple nights.

treesapplaud

Put the lights on a timer. They're cheap enough and worth it.

~NB~

They need LIGHT!