Best way to start seeds Grow lights or sunny windowsills

If you're new to seed starting and just want to try your hand at growing a few tomato seedlings without investing much money, stick to your (hopefully) sunny, south-facing windowsill.

Can I start seeds in a sunny window?
What color of light is best for starting seedlings?
Do seeds need light or dark to germinate?
What is the best light for germinating seeds?
What do I do after my seeds sprout?
Should newly planted seeds be in direct sunlight?
Can seedlings get too much light?
How much light do my seedlings need?
How far away should grow lights be from seedlings?
Should seeds be covered to germinate?
Why do seeds grow faster in the dark?

Can I start seeds in a sunny window?

Fortunately, most seeds require heat, not sunlight to germinate. Start your seeds in a spot that stays consistently warm — on top of the fridge or a radiator are good options. Shift them to the sunniest windowsill you've got as soon as a bit of green is showing above the soil line.

What color of light is best for starting seedlings?

Although plants use the full spectrum for photosynthesis, red and blue light seem to be most critical. Red light stimulates vegetative growth and flowering (but if a plant gets too much, it will become tall and spindly).

Do seeds need light or dark to germinate?

Most seeds germinate best under dark conditions and might even be inhibited by light (e.g., Phacelia and Allium spp.). However, some species (e.g., Begonia, Primula, Coleus) need light to germinate (Miles and Brown 2007). Don't confuse seed light requirements with what seedlings need. All seedlings require sunlight.

What is the best light for germinating seeds?

Fluorescent lights

They are significantly more efficient than the once common home incandescent bulbs. In simple terms, fluorescents use their energy to produce more light than heat comparatively. And there are two types commonly employed for starting seeds, tube types and compact fluorescent lamps (CFL's).

What do I do after my seeds sprout?

Once the seeds have sprouted, remove the cover. When the seedlings are young, you may want to re-cover them for a few hours a day to keep them from drying out. Over many years of growing my own plants, one thing that really helped me out was using a turkey baster to water the young seedlings.

Should newly planted seeds be in direct sunlight?

Most seeds will not germinate without sunlight and will perform best with 12 to 16 hours each day. Indoors, place seed containers in a sunny, south-facing window and give the container a quarter turn each day to prevent the seedlings from overreaching toward the light and developing weak, elongated stems.

Can seedlings get too much light?

Plants cannot get too much light, but they can get too much of the heat energy that comes with the light. Photosynthesis and other plant growth processes will shut down when the environmental and tissue temperature gets high enough that all the water taken up by the plant is used to cool the plant tissue.

How much light do my seedlings need?

In general, seedlings should receive roughly 14 to 16 hours of light a day when situated in a south-facing window. This can be very difficult to achieve, and most growers opt to use artificial lights for their seedlings. These fluorescent lights should be left on for 12 to 16 hours a day.

How far away should grow lights be from seedlings?

For seedlings, LED grow lights should generally be mounted between 24-36 inches above the plant canopy – however, this depends on the power (wattage) of the light source.

Should seeds be covered to germinate?

For seeds to germinate, you need to keep the growing soil damp but not too wet. Many seed starters cover the container to keep soil moist until seeds germinate.

Why do seeds grow faster in the dark?

The light slows stem elongation through hormones that are sent down the stem from the tip of the stem. In the darkness, the hormones do not slow stem elongation. The seeds in the dark-grown condition rely upon the stored chemical energy within their cells (lipids, proteins, carbohydrates) to power their growth.