Sprouts are getting "leggy"

[chel0524]

My cucumber sprouts are getting long and "leggy". I've read the transplanting info but am still unsure. I have them in flats in front of the window. I may still have to hook up a grow light for them.

Also, would it be okay to move them into large plastic cups? They are looking droopy. I am spraying them with a little spray bottle.

[goatlady]

They are STRETCHING for light and they most probably need some food! Cukes are notorious for disliking transplanting so it's a chance you take. They need a bigger pot with excellent soil in it, but they really need to be planted outside. They do sprout/grow fast so most of us just seed directly outside in warm weather.

[Summerthyme]

Like Goatlady said... vine crops really don't like transplanting. Not sure where you are located, but the only vines I start indoors are melons (because we generally don't get the long season and warm nights they need to ripen). And I only give them a MAX of 2 weeks before I put them out in the garden.

Grow lights are really mandatory for almost anyone wanting to start seeds inside. Unless you have a big, south-facing bay window, there is just no way you'll get enough light for them to grow well.

And quite honestly, you're better off direct seeding many things, if the alternative is transplanting soft and weak seedlings.

Summerthyme

[chel0524]

So I've probably goofed up my cucumbers. Great. They were heirloom seeds. I wanna cry!

[Zarathustra]

They are STRETCHING for light and they most probably need some food! Cukes are notorious for disliking transplanting so it's a chance you take. They need a bigger pot with excellent soil in it, but they really need to be planted outside. They do sprout/grow fast so most of us just seed directly outside in warm weather.


Thanks, it's good to know this so next year there will be no wasted seeds.
I've started mine but I have enough seed to plant outside if it doesn't work out.

[ElGato]

When I had my garden, I planted them in the ground. I had a chicken wire fence behind them and it was like a wall of vines. I thought it was purdy. :mrgreen:

[scalesdropped]

So I've probably goofed up my cucumbers. Great. They were heirloom seeds. I wanna cry!

like you said earlier, transplant into larger cups
hopefully you get a couple of strong ones that survive
then save seeds from these, for next year
it may not be a complete loss, yet

[Summerthyme]

A couple of questions...

First, did you plant ALL your seeds of that variety? Rule #1 NEVER plant more than half of any rare seeds you have. That way, if you get a crop failure, for any one of a thousand possible reasons... you have a backup.

The ONLY exception to this is if you only have a very few (20 or less) of a VERY old batch of seeds... you're not even sure if they are still viable. In that case, I will plant every seed, hoping to get two or three healthy plants. Since they are already too old... it's sort of "now or never".

Where are you located? What's your last expected frost date? If you're in a much warmer area than we are, you MAY be able to salvage these by transplanting them out early with some type of makeshift cold frame over them for protection.

If not, and especially if you planted ALL your seeds, what I would do is set up a homemade "earthBox clone" (look HERE: http://www.josho.com/gardening.htm) and transplant 2 plants into it. (actually, transplant 4 plants... then if they all survive, snip off two smaller ones once you know which are the strongest).

You can then save seeds from the fruit you get- and cucumbers actually produce well in those earthboxes (you'll probably want to set up some type of trellis for them to climb, unless you can put them someplace after the weather warms up so they can just crawl around on the ground around the EarthBox)

Last choice, and the one which is going to give you the smallest chance of getting a crop- transplant them into a large, BIODEGRADABLE container of some type... maybe a cardboard box? Biodegradable, because once it's finally time to transplant the (too big) plants into the garden, you MUST do everything possible to not jar, bump, or break any of the roots.

You mentioned "flats"... that's another problem. IF you do decide to give vine crops a head start, the best thing is to use the Jiffypellets (pot and soil all in one) to start them. Then, as soon as you see roots beginning to peek through the sides, you transplant them into larger individual pots.

If you have them in flats, you can TRY this... now. Use a sharp knife, and cut between the plants, in a grid fashion. Don't do anything else... just slice down through between each plant. Keep them well watered, and "re-cut" the lines again the next day. What you're doing is "root pruning"... but hopefully you'll leave enough roots undisturbed so it doesn't kill the plants.

After 2-3 days of this, try to scoop up each individual "block" of soil- with a plant- your "scoring" created. And immediately transplant them into something much larger, which you hopefully can remove without hurting the roots (or even better, the "biodegradable" container mentioned above).

And remember- EVERYONE has made mistakes and had crop failures. It's THE reason most of us who have gardened for years are so vehement about people practicing NOW, while it's not a matter of starvation if something doesn't work.

Summerthyme

[chel0524]

My heirloom seeds were only packs of 20-30 seeds. And, yes I planted them all! Duh! I should have known better.

They are still hanging in there and I think I will try doing the biodegradable box thing. That seems like a good solution.

Live and learn I guess. We usually directly sow cucumber seeds. I don't know what I was thinking! They looked so pretty for a while though!

We live in Ky right on the Tenn. line. Right now we are having 60-65 degree days and 35-40 degree nights.

Thanks for all the advice.

[Zarathustra]

Summerthyme
You can then save seeds from the fruit you get- and cucumbers actually produce well in those earthboxes (you'll probably want to set up some type of trellis for them to climb, unless you can put them someplace after the weather warms up so they can just crawl around on the ground around the EarthBox)

I have about 8 Earth Boxes bought them 2 years ago. I was going to use them this year for lettuce but the cukes might go nicely in them as well. I set them by the railing on the porch and will let the vines crawl over that and hang down. The soil in the containers needs refreshing rather than replacing so I have ordered "Container Booster Mix" from Garden Supply Company and hope to see money saved. I forget how many bags of soil I bought to fill these Earth Boxes but it wasn't cheap.

http://www.gardeners.com/Container-Soil-Booster-Mix/31-571,default,pd.html

[momof23goats]

I would put under a light. Now let me tell ya, I have planted leggy plants. just plant them allot deeper, they did fine. just leave the last inch and a half or so out of the ground.

[Midnight Blue]

This year I bought some of those Jiffy greenhouses with the soil pods. So far the seeds are growing well and I'm gradually exposing them to sunlight, per the instructions.

[packyderms_wife]

So I've probably goofed up my cucumbers. Great. They were heirloom seeds. I wanna cry!

You can do it, they are correct, what this means HOWEVER is you are going to ahve to be deligent and give them extra tlc! Put a grow light over them etc., Don't give up whatever you do!

Kimberly

[packyderms_wife]

Another option is to transplant them to a cold frame that could be converted to a greenhouse. I was going to set my cold frame up last week but now I'm glad I waited, we got snow today. Probably by April 15th.

Kimberly