Hi Sherri,

Welcome to RMG! We get it!!! :-) Congratulations on the new babies!

You can move everything under the lites! The sooner the better once theyÂve come up, and itÂs not gonna hurt the seeds. And you want to have the seedlings/plants just a couple inches away from the lites to keep them from getting too leggy. If youÂre using florescent, you donÂt need to worry if the foliage grows up into and touches the bulbs. If youÂre using some kind of incandescent, you need to be sure you keep the bulbs moved up a few inches above the highest foliage or it will burn if it actually touched the bulbs.

With the ones in pelletsÂwhich are pure peat, be sure they donÂt stay too wet! If they donÂt start drying out somewhat after theyÂve germinated, your new little babies are gonna lay down on youÂand not get back up again! ThatÂs true no matter what theyÂre planted in, but peat holds the moisture longer. Once theyÂve germinated you want to start letting them dry most of the way before watering. That helps draw the roots down deeper into the soil as they look for moisture as the top of the soil dries out, helping them develop a better and bigger root system.

And your seeds from last year are very likely still good! Some seed, like parsley, seems to be viable forever!!! I have seeds that are more than 20 years old, and some of them are still good! If itÂs something I want, I try the old stuff before I buy new! Half the time it works, and half the time it doesnÂt! But for year-old seed you shouldnÂt have any problem at all.

Welcome to OUR family, babies and all!

Have fun,
Skybird

There is also a lot of future-plant-health value if, once the majority of the seeds have sprouted, you can take them outside in full sun and breeze for a few hours.

I just lugged all my onions, leeks, shallots, 1st batch tomatoes, and egg plant outside on a sunny, breezy day.

Once a week seems to do the trick. But that sure can vary with what your indoor situation is. Mine is pretty sunny anyway.

Thank you so much!!! I was planning on moving them one by one under the lights, but just knew I would get them all mixed up. So, I thought I would ask first. This is going to be much easier. When my violas started coming up, I waited for the whole batch to sprout. The early ones are too tall & seem pretty delicate - hopefully they will be happier now. I do have flourescent lights, but think I'll bring them down a notch to be closer.

Skybird, your tip on watering came at the perfect time! I watered a little last night, but will let them dry out more now. This could have been my problem last year. It was my first time with seeds, I started 9 flats & only 3 made it. They were probably too wet & had no light. It was still alot of fun & I caught the bug. This year I have about 40 varieties & I'm determined to do right by them.

I'll start bringing them out next week to get some sunshine - good to know just once a week is OK to start. I wouldn't have done this until they were alot bigger.

Thanks to you both. I'm so excited I may need to go out & check on the wintersown ones...it's been so sunny lately maybe a few are coming up outside too.

David, I'd take all mine outside today, but the trays would end up in Nebraska!

Dan