Without a doubt, one of the biggest mistakes gardeners make when trying to start vegetable and flower seeds inside is trying to grow their seedlings in a window. And can it ever produce weak transplants that struggle to survive when planted outdoors!
Although starting seeds in a window might seems like a natural place because of all the sunlight, as it turns out, windows simply do not provide enough light for strong and healthy seedlings. Nor the right kind of it.
A sunny window sill certainly works well for a long list of houseplants. Pothos, snake plant and numerous herbs such as thyme, chives and mint can all thrive with window light. But when starting seeds for your garden or flowerbeds, it’s simply not a place to grow.
The Biggest Mistake Gardeners Make Starting Seeds Inside
So why are windows so bad for seedlings? For starters, they don’t provide enough direct light for long enough during the day to support healthy seedling growth.
Most vegetable and flower seedlings need a minimum of 10 hours of strong, full light every day. During late winter and early spring when most seeds are started indors, daylight hours are simply too short to provide that. At most, you can get four to five good hours of light.
In addition, the sun’s arc is farther away during late winter and early spring. That means even the light that does arrive is far less intense. The result? Not only is it hard for seedlings to develop strong stems and leaves, they also stretch out.
Reaching For The Sun
Seeds naturally grow towards the light. But because the sun is so far away and so weak, seedlings that are placed in a window grow thin and long trying to reach out to it. This results in weak, leggy plants. And even worse, thin stems that have difficulty supporting their own weight.
Even if you regularly turn your seedlings to the sun in the window, they still will stretch out too quickly. There just isn’t enough strong light to keep plants growing steady and strong.
Unfortunately, once these seedlings are transplanted into the garden, they often struggle to even survive. The first strong wind or hard rain can spell the end of the line. And even the weak transplants that somehow survive end up more prone to disease, pests, and poor yields.
So what is the best way to avoid the window mistake? The answer is using artificial light. But here’s the good news. You don’t need expensive or fancy grow lights to get the job done. In fact, ordinary LED or fluorescent shop lights work perfectly well for starting seeds and growing strong seedlings.
The Best Way To Start Seeds Inside
All vegetable and flower seedlings need is bright light that is close. That light doesn’t have to be warm. Nor does it need to have any special light spectrum. Just simple, bright light. And shop lights are absolutely perfect to provide it! See our article: The Best Lights To Use To Start Seeds Indoors – A Simple & Affordable Way To Start Plants!
The key to big success when using shop lights with seedlings is to position the lights properly. And, of course, to provide enough hours of illumination each day.
When using shop lights for seed starting, hang them so they are about 1 to 2 inches above the top of our seedlings top leaf set. As the plants grow, adjust the lights upward to maintain this distance at all times. Affiliate Link: 4 Pack Linkable LED Utility Shop Light Super Bright 6500K Cool Daylight
Keeping the lights close ensures that the seedlings receive intense, direct light. And this prevents them from stretching and becoming leggy. If the lights are placed too high above the plants, the seedlings will respond just as they would on a windowsill and stretch toward the light, leading to weak and fragile plants.
How Long To Leave On The Lights
The second key to growing great transplants is giving your plants enough of the light. It’s important to leave the lights on for between 10 to 12 hours per day. A simple timer can be used to make this chore a breeze.
Providing the right amount of light for the right duration each day will encourage strong root development and thick, sturdy stems. And in the end – lead to far healthier transplants for your garden!
Another Common Mistake Gardeners Make When Starting Seeds Inside
Last but not least – there is no need to turn your lights on your seeds until they sprout. It’s a common misconception that when starting seeds indoors, they need light right away. In reality, seeds do not require light until after they have germinated.
What seeds do need before germination is warmth and moisture. Placing seed trays in a warm room with a consistent temperature of around 65 to 75° (F) helps speed up the germination process.
Listen In To Our Podcast Below On The Secrets To Starting Seeds Indoors!
In addition, always use a humidity dome, plastic cover, or even a loose sheet of plastic wrap over the seed trays. This will help retain moisture, preventing the soil from drying out too quickly.
Once the seeds have sprouted and the first tiny seedlings appear, that is when they need to be placed under lights. At this stage, it is essential to remove any covers or domes to allow air circulation and prevent excess moisture buildup.
From this point forward, you can begin to turn on the lights for 10 to 12 hours each day – and maintain the 1 to 2 inch height above your plants.
Here’s to keeping your seedlings out of the window sill. And to growing robust, healthy seedlings that are ready to thrive once planted outdoors!
Simple Garden Life
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Simple Garden Life is a website dedicated to keeping gardening fun, simple and enjoyable! We publish two new articles each week along with a new garden podcast episode every two weeks. This article may contain affiliate links.