That is quite a challenge to over come. Is it possible to erect some sort of plastic or fabric tent over the seedlings so that the soot can't settle on them? Do you have access to ANY fluorescent bulbs of any type you could use?

We too heat with wood but our stove has a catalytic converter on it so indoor soot is minimal but is it possible that your wood stove and flue just needs a good cleaning so it burns more efficiently?

Dave

Dave;

Thanks for responding. Yes. And yes.

I don't normally buy seed-starting soil, but I don't think I can avoid it this year. I don't know if it'll be possible, really. Usually, I bake my dirt. lol But with the challenge, I can use the reprieve from fighting the dampening disease.

But I was wondering if some type of cloth would work. It is possible to get some light on them, but nothing perfect.

If my plants are leggy, I can handle them gently and appropriately... like laying the stems part way horizontally when I transplant, etc.

Yeah. Quite a challenge. I'm determined, tho.

We need a solution for our stove. It's disconcerting that we're breathing stuff in that's killing plants. It's an old stove. Simple set-up. Pipes are refreshed annually.

Today, I checked the temperature in that south room. The thermometer read just above 40 degrees. Might be able to make this work with extra light in there.

I'm happy to report the problem rested with the type of wood we were burning. Won't do that again!