Lights On!

Grow lights I mean, they must stay on for at least another six weeks.  I have them on a sixteen hour timer in my utility room and this is when the real work begins.  After sprouting, it is very important that those spindley little plants do not dry out.  I keep a plastic dome on each planting tray until they sprout and begin to grow.

Zinnia Highlight Seedlings

Zinnia Highlight

Zinnia Zahara Double Fire

Zinnia Zahara Double Fire

Amaranthus Seedlings (red and green)

I will have to thin these out by cutting off the extras.

Amaranthus Red

Amaranthus  Green

Snapdragon La Bella Seedlings

So small and delicate, it is diffiicult to believe that they will become 18 inch tall plantings.

Snapdragon La Bella

The seedlings require more water now and need to be checked on daily because of the heat of the lights.

Petunia Silver Tidal Wave Seedlings

Silver Tidal Wave Petunia

I will begin giving them a light dilution of fertilizer next week just to boost their strength and in about four or five weeks will begin a hardening off process that may last at least two weeks.

I had forgotten how much care these young seedlings take, like taking care of those little babies in the beginning rewarding but very time intensive.