Found a trick for saving leggy seedlings without buying grow lights

I had a batch of tomato seedlings last March that were stretching like crazy on my kitchen counter in Seattle. Instead of getting fancy lights, I put a cheap mirror behind them to bounce window light back. They thickened up in about 4 days and I didn't spend a dime. Has anyone else tried something simple like that instead of the usual fix?

3 comments

3 Comments

lisab325d ago

Are leggy seedlings really that big of a deal though? Seems like 90% of them will straighten out once you put them in bigger pots anyway.

bell.jessica5d ago

Read an article from a master gardener who said leggy seedlings often have weak stems that never fully recover, even if they look okay. They pointed out that those plants usually end up struggling with disease or producing less fruit later on. Worth considering, @lisab32 since you might end up with weaker plants down the road.

nathan_kim5d ago

Huh, @lisab32, I've definitely had leggy tomatoes that never quite thrived no matter what I did.