Starting seeds under Lights

If you are new to starting seeds indoors under lights I have a few tips. You can use regular flourescent lights don't let anyone tell you , you can't . I have been doing it for 25 years. When you start seeds they won't stay under the lights that long and I have found regular lights work very well.

One item you will need to do a really good job is a heat mat of some sort. Bottom heat is a must for starting seeds.Purchase a nice heat mat that holds 2 flats. 2 flats will fit under one 4 foot light fixture very nice. Start your seeds in plastic flats or containers of some sort.Make sure they are sterilized if they are used.Use the best potting soil you can find. DO NOT USE GARDEN SOIL FROM OUTSIDE.You are asking for trouble with disease .Damping off is a disease that will wipe out your seedlings and usually comes from dirty soil or seed starting trays.

Water your flat or seed containers very thorough then seed.If you are seeding by hand do not place to many seeds in a flat .If the seedlings are too crowded they will grow to spindly.Seed the size of tomato seed should be spaced 1/4" apart.You can broadcast the seed but that will take trial and error to find the right amount of seed to sow in one container. Cover your seed flat with either a plastic dome or plastic of some sort. This is very important , this keeps the soil from drying out before the seed germinate so you will not have to water and disturb the seeds before they germinate.Place the trays under your lights turn on your heat mat and you will be surprised how fast seeds will germinate.

Now the critical part is to know when to take the seed trays of the heat mats.Once all the seeds have germinated they must come of the heat mat if they start to grow to tall too fast. The bottom heat will make the seedlings grow to fast and spindly so when all germination has occured take the trays off the heat mat. Now you can do one if two things. The trays are now ready to go under another set of lights with no bottom heat. The seeds are all germinated so they don't really need any more bottom heat. Just place trays within 3-4 inches of your lights. You can use a timer if you want. They will need about 15-17 hours of light inside per day.The other option is take the seedlings outside if you have a greenhouse or hothouse of some type.They will not do very well on your windowsill they will need to be under the light or go outside on the greenhouse.
Once the seeds germinate and have at least 4 sets of True Leaves (these are the leaves that sprout out after the two first leaves you see when the seeds first germinate) They can take cooler temperatures, possibly as low as 50 degrees depending on the crop you are growing.

Now your seedlings will need a little time and then will be ready for transplanting. That's another day!