Seedling stems will grow stronger and thicker if they are agitated. You can sweep your hand over them or use a folded sheet of paper or even a feather duster. I’ve been using the technique for several years now and it really works.
This year I decided to step it up even more. I started blowing a fan directly on my seedlings several times a week. I call it “fan therapy.” And rather than use the little clip-on greenhouse fans I have in my plant area, I plugged in a Vornado and stuck the flats right up tight against it.
I blew medium-speed air on them for about 15 minutes at a time. It caused noticeably-thicker stems.
Even my calendulas, which are notoriously floppy as seedlings, are standing up straight like little soldiers at attention.
I’ll definitely be using fan therapy from now on.
2 comments
What a great idea. No doubt the stems are stronger. I find that after a few days outside the stems soon harden up. So far the weather has been too cold and wet to take them from under the lights. Except for the past three nights it has been just above freezing at night.
I have fewer varities of plants this year growing in my basement. Calendula, Rudbeckia, Zinnia (Profusion and Zahara), Dahlias, and a half dozen bush tomato plants (Latah). Oh yes, I have poppies growing in peat pods.
I suppose you will soon be able to get your plants in the ground. The second week in June is safe for us. Today is 4 degrees C. Accompanied with drizzle and fog. But I am uncertain about this year!
Enjoy looking at the pics you post. Beautiful! James
I just tucked in my last plant today. I thought I’d be planting into the first week of June, but the weather warmed up nicely (FINALLY), and I was just itching to get out there and get it all done. Now I’m battling chipmunks. They keep digging up the plants and leaving the root balls to bake in the sun. It’s maddening. I won’t rest easy until the plants are a little bigger and can fend for themselves. Until then I’m running outside every hour to see if there’s any damage. I’ll try to send some warmer weather your way! 🙂
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