![]() Plants will actually sprout roots off the part of the stem that is buried underground. Remember cotyledons are not true leaves so they don’t count. You should dig a hole deep enough so that the first real leaves are right above ground level. The leaves are not dying off.Īnother reason why it’s no big deal if your plants are leaning over is that when you transplant them you will actually bury a lot of the stem in the ground. By healthy I mean that the leaves are green and there’s no yellow or brown spots. ![]() Good for him! Some of my pepper plants are leaning over too:Īgain, the pepper plant otherwise looks very healthy so I’m not worried. This tomato plant is standing straight up: I’ll be transplanting him to the garden soon. And I even repotted it into a larger homemade container! The plant otherwise looks very healthy so I’m not too worried. This tomato plant is leaning over the side of its pot. My first question on falling seedlings is “how big are your seedlings?” If they are getting pretty big then they may be falling over because their pot is too small. But I have learned some things along the way which I am happy to share via this blog. What does this mean? They have enough water…what do I need to do to make them happy?įirst of all, I’m no garden guru! I only have two years experience under my belt. Most leggy plants become sturdier once they are growing outside.My friend Michelle asked me the following question via Facebook last week:Īmy, my garden guru…my seedlings are all falling over (still inside).If the weather turns stormy, pull those plants inside until heavy rains and high winds pass. Don’t put tender plants out into the direct sun – either place them in mostly shade (the dappled sun through trees is good) for a few days or put them outside during a stretch of cloudy weather. When it’s time to move the plants outside introduce them to the “real world” gradually.Gently passing your hand over the tops of seedlings a few times every day will also stimulate stronger growth. So putting a small fan next to your seedlings on a timer so that the plants are blown in the breeze for a couple of hours a day will help strengthen leggy plants. Environmental “stresses” such as wind stimulate hormones in plants that signal the roots and stems to grow strong.Keep synthetic fertilizer to a minimum until the plants are growing outdoors. ![]() In reality, fertilizers make plants grow larger and faster but they don’t help the plants to become sturdy. Don’t over-fertilize! Many people mistakenly believe that fertilizer will make plants stronger.Instead, use the methods below to help strengthen the plants. This works for tomato plants but most others can’t be sunk into the ground in that way. Once seedlings get too long and leggy many wonder if they can sink the stems lower in the soil once the plants are put outside.So for plants such as zinnias, for example, that germinate and grow quickly, they shouldn’t be started before the end of April. Be sure to use the end of May as the time when most summer plants can be placed outside and work backwards from there, using the germination times on the seed packets. Seedlings also grow leggy when they are started too early.Most people rig up a system where the lights can be raised as the seedlings grow. If you’re growing under artificial lights such as fluorescent or the long, tube gro-lights, position the bulbs only about 3″ from the tops of the plants. Be sure to grow your plants in as much light as possible. Seedlings grow leggy when they are reaching for the light.Here are some of the reasons that seedlings get leggy, and what you can do if this has happened to you. The problem is, of course, that once the seedlings get lean and spindly they are more likely to be damaged when planted outside. At this time of year we get frequent calls from people who have started seeds inside and find that they’ve gotten too “leggy.” This is most common for those who are growing seedlings on a windowsill where the light might be strong but not as direct or constant as you’d find in a greenhouse.
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