Three Minute Garden Tips: What is Seedling 'Legginess' and How to Prevent It: The Rusted Garden 2013

Tips, Tricks

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When garden vegetable seedlings get 'leggy'. That 'legginess' is due to only one thing and that is lack of light intensity. Seedlings will grow extra long stems to reach the right light intensity before stopping to form main leaves. That stretching creates plant 'legginess' This video will show you what plant 'legginess' looks like and describe the right indoor lighting methods to prevent it. Join My Google+ Gardening Community called Our Tomato & Vegetable Gardens - we are approaching 1000 world-wide gardeners: https://plus.google.com/communities/114956817444053979636 or Link from My YouTube Page.

Comments

Thank you, I attempted to grow Windowsill herbs, and because it's the middle of winter, they all got leggy-except for a few, like basil, and some others. I will try again once I have my lights set up for my peppers.

Hi , Id like to ask for advice or tip cuz im a newbie at gardening. Im planning to put outside my newly germinated seeds bout 3 days ago so it wont be leggy. but sunshine hear is too hot by 10am. Can i just cover them with something like thin greenhouse net so they can have atleast 12hrs of sunlight everyday?? cant afford to pay extra electricty bill. thanks

Can the leggy seedlings still be used or they are a waste? I grew seedlings for greens (kale, sipnach, chard, mustard) and all of them are leggy because my window does not get direct sunlight :( Should I start over with grow lights?

If when you transplant the beets outside, would covering up the leggy stalks with soil, leaving just the leaves , help?

Thank you for the reply. The cauliflower is 2inch stalk , the sweet turnip , chard, kohl rabi , and beet roots are 1inch stalk, they are standing up straight. I have taken the cover off and left them on the same window sill . ... I have 3days ago planted various bean, n peas , should I put the cover on them or leave it open? What you suggest.?????

What do you do when the seedlings are already leggy . I put mine on the window sill where it gets light all day from the east sun to south sun . Should I start all again ? I don't have those special lights what's the alternative

Thanks for answering my question about my kale. I noticed today some of them are getting their true leaves. I plan on transplanting them into Styrofoam cups this weekend, and slowly introduce them to the outside world. Thanks again for your help!

my tomatoes became leggy it's been about two weeks and they are on my patio greenhouse?

Hi Gary,
I have about 4-5 two inches seedling in one Styrofoam cup and its really crowdy there. How can I transfer them out in a bigger containers? I don't want to break the roots.

Hi again. I love your videos. They have been helpful! Could you please tell me how long on average it takes kale seedling to grow their first true leaves? Mine are almost 2 weeks old and don't have them yet. They are somewhat leggy, fore sure, but so far very upright still. I am going to move them closer to the light source right now. Hope it is not too late, I really consume a lot of kale and would be so happy if these work out. One more question, is it always important to wait until the seedlings have their first true leaves before separating and transplanting to bigger pots? ps. was just curious to know how Maryland ( that's where you are? ) weather compared to our Montreal weather and noticed all these flood warnings. Hope you are not affected.

My zucchini seedlings started out leggy. I replanted them in deeper small pots & buried more of the stem. Now they each have 6-8 true leaves. A few days ago I noticed they were getting ready to bloom. This morning I definitely see pretty yellow blooms. I know this can't possibly be normal. My plants are still very small. They are at the size of what they would look like if I went & bought them from a store. What is going on with them? Should I pick the blooms off? It is still a bit early to transplant them into the ground.

My broccoli seeds just did this. Do I have to pitch them now?

Id regrow the dill. The others should do fine.

I dont use the LEDs and buy the highest lumen bulbs at places like Home Depot. I cant recall the brightness. It really boils down to germination being at about 2 inches from the bulbs and the bulbs staying close until the first set of true leaves form. Oregano, Thyme, chives will all be fine. What herbs did you plant?

THANKS FOR TAKING THE TIME TO REPLY! I TRY TO LOOK UP MOST STUFF FOR MYSELF BUT SOMETIMES THERE'S JUST NO SUBSTITUTE FOR LEARNING FROM OTHERS DIRECT EXPERIENCE.. MUCH APPRECIATED! SUBBED :)

The beets that I had that were leggy seem to be doing fine with stems I buried deeper than normal. I wouldn't make a habit of it but it my case I didnt want to toss them. It worked fine.

DO BEETS TAKE WELL TO BURIED STEMS WHEN TRANSPLANTING?

sow more. But with lettuces you can try planting it and let it establish a few days and then cut leaves down. If it is a leaf variety, it should send back great new leaves.

Gary, I sowed some romaine a few weeks ago, it germinated fine and everything then it didn't get enough light because I had some taller plants cramed into my small setup. They got very leggy, the leaves looked nice but the stems were pathetic. Since I'm a total newbie I decided to see if I could repot them into bigger containers but once I saw how tiny their roots were I kinda just cut my losses and ate the leaves. I did as an experiement transplant the best two. Is it worth it or just sow more

Thats great your daughters are involved. Kids need to know vegetables come from the earth and not the grocery store. Good luck.