How to Grow Seeds With Grow Lights
Starting seeds early with grow lights can help you jump-start your garden. Many seeds do well when started indoors, including tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, cabbage, marigolds, and other flowers and vegetables. Early seed starting can extend your growing season and increase your garden's production. Though it takes some care and attention, growing seeds early can be rewarding. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Add potting soil to pots, flats or other containers. You can buy special seed-starting containers or use items from home, such as egg cartons or yogurt cups.
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Sprinkle seeds in each pot and cover lightly with soil. Label the pots or add tags so you know what seeds are in each pot.
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Cover the pots with plastic wrap or a sturdy plastic dome to hold in heat and moisture. Use a rubber band to keep the plastic tight across the rim of the pot. Make sure the plastic does not lie on the soil.
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Place the pots in a tray or pan and set them in good light but not direct sunlight.
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Add water to the tray under the pots.
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Watch for the seeds to sprout---this can take several days or several weeks, depending on the types of seed you are growing.
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Remove the plastic covering and set the pot under a grow light when the seeds start to sprout. Grow lights come in all shapes and sizes. One of the simplest grow lights to use is a fluorescent shop light with cool white bulbs. Hang the light so that it sits about 4 to 6 inches above the plants. Move the light higher as the plants grow. Keeping the light too close to the plants can burn the leaves.
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Use a timer to turn the grow light on and off. New plants need up to 14 hours of light a day.
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Keep the soil moist, adding water to the tray as needed.
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Repot the plants after they grow their second set of leaves (their "true" leaves) if the pot is crowded. Or remove weaker plants so the strongest plant has more room.
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Harden off your plants a week before planting in the garden once the danger of frost has passed. Place them outdoors in a protected area for several hours. Increase the time each day and eventually move the plants into direct sunlight. After a week, the plants are ready to transplant into your garden.
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Tips & Warnings
Start seeds at least 8 to 10 weeks before planting outdoors. Not all plants do well when transplanted. For these, it may be best to plant seeds directly into your garden when the weather is warm enough. Check seed packages for early seed-starting guidelines.
