{{gwi:219379}}
{{gwi:219382}}

I really can¡¦t believe they actually came up in mulch º

In saying that, I believe the mold is due to too much water and no air circulation.

For now, I would decrease the water and increase air circulation (space them out and get them out of the tub/container, just put the pots on a cookie sheet for now).

Once they have their first set of ¡¥true¡¦ leaves (not the ones in the picture¡Kwait for the next set of leaves). I would put them into divided plastic flats or Styrofoam cups with drainage holes with NEW seedling soil that has been pre-moistened (rung out sponge damp).

The flat or cups should be placed in a shallow container to catch water run off (no larger than an inch lip) as to keep good air circulation.

Your plants should be quite happy then.

Also remember to keep your lights as close to the plants as possible so they are not reaching for the light and getting spindly.

I hope that helps, happy gardening!

Keriann~

Okay cool. I did put a fan above them/kinda pointed near them. I couldn't put them on a cookie sheet, but maybe I can put them on the lid to the container I have them in.

There are probably like... 60 of these little pots.

Thank you so much for the advice! I think just moving them to the lid will help things, but I'm really not sure how I will do the lights then. I feel like the lights I have are inadequate, but I wasn't really sure how to find the long fluorescent lights/sockets and how to set them up.

I'm thinking I may get one of those wire shelving units and try to set something up with the long bulbs. Currently I have three shop lights, and I can only get them about 5 inches away from the plants. I know they need to be about 3 inches.

I really appreciate the prompt reply!

{{gwi:219385}}
{{gwi:219387}}

You should be good with the lights you have. Long (4ft)shop lights you can get at Home Depot or Lowes or Menards and they come with a regular plug. The only tricky thing is that they have to hang or use some other method of fixturing them (I have seen people stack up bricks on each side and rest the light on them with the plants below). Thwy just need to be adjustable so you can raise them as your plants grow.

Your lid would work great as well.

Plants are pretty forgiving, except when it comes to being too wet. They should be fine once you transplant them.

Happy gardening :)

Don't stress, this is half the fun of gardening...it is an experiment and we all learn as we go....just have fun

And you are welcome

Keriann~

I made a simple system with a 5 shelf storage unit from Lowes. Used thin chain with hooks to suspend four fluorescent shop lights (2 warm and 2 cool) from the shelf above. The chain allows me to adjust the distance between light and seedlings. Simple, inexpensive, and it works great.

You said your lights are 5 inches from the plants, and it sounds like you can't lower them further. In that case, raise the plants! Put the container or lid or whatever you have the plants in on top of some books or anything else that would give you those two inches. As your plants grow, you remove those and move your container back down.

Well... The problem is that I have the clip on kind of shop lights and they are clipped onto the side of the plastic bin. So... Until I figure out how I'll light the plants I can't take them out of the bin... I've also been waiting on them to become a bit drier so they don't fall apart when I transfer them to the lid of the bin (for better air circulation).

I really want to do the wire rack thing... I think it would work really well for the space I have available.

Some plants are closer to the lights than 5 inches, but some are def that far away.

Your babies are so sweet! Looks like they're doing fairly well in spite of newbie error. It goes to show that you can do a ton of reading and research ahead of time, but nothing really teaches better than experience.

Good luck with your seedlings. =)

Definately very cute babies! Wish I could start mine so soon!

Try a spatula if the pots are too wet? ;) It SOUNDS like it would work well! lol...