What You're Doing Wrong With Seedlings: Mistakes That Will Ruin Your Harvest
Seedlings stretching towards the light, leaves turning pale, stems thinning? Perhaps you are repeating the mistakes that 9 out of 10 beginners make.
For example, you put boxes with sprouts on the windowsill, thinking that this is enough. But the glass blocks part of the spectrum necessary for photosynthesis.
Add a warm white LED bulb (2700-3000K) and turn it on for 4-5 hours in the morning and evening.
And don’t forget to turn the seedlings every 2 days so that the stems don’t become crooked.
Watering is a science. Many people overwater their seedlings, thinking that "the more, the better."
But excess water displaces oxygen from the soil, and the roots suffocate.
Water only when the top layer of soil is dry, and use room temperature water. Cold water is a shock to the delicate roots, which slows growth.
And if there is liquid left in the tray after watering, drain it immediately - this is a preventative measure against black leg.
Picking is another stumbling block. You shouldn't wait until the seedlings outgrow.
As soon as 2-3 true leaves appear, carefully transplant the seedlings into separate cups.
Take them by the leaves, not by the stems - this way you will not damage the fragile sprouts. After picking, shade the plants for a day so that they can recover.
And do not plant the stems deeper than they grew before - this can lead to rotting.
Start fertilizing 10 days after picking. Use a weak solution of complex fertilizer (2 times less than indicated on the package).
Overfed seedlings “get fat”: the leaves become dark green, but the roots remain weak.
And if the sprouts have become too elongated, spray them with a solution of calcium nitrate (1 g per liter of water) - this will strengthen the stems.
And the main thing is hardening. 2 weeks before planting in the ground, start taking the seedlings out onto the balcony or outside.
First, for 15 minutes in the shade, gradually increasing the time to the whole day.
This way the plants will get used to temperature changes and wind, and after transplantation they will quickly start growing.
