They wll get leggy as there won't be enough light. If you are going to do this when it comes to planting them out you can always plant them up to the top two or so leaves or just below the first flower, burying the stem diagonally. That way the stem will sprout roots.

Agree that the quality won't be nearly as good. Window light this time of year lacks both the intensity and the spectrum needed. Leggy = long lanky, weak stems with minimal root growth.

But you don't need a "grow light" just a fluorescent (not incandescent) fixture.

I second the add a fluorescent bulb to the fixture. I am in GA and I have gotten away with the windowsill method as do many other gardeners, but your light cycle is a little different up there. I still think you can get away with it, but will need the supplemental light and you will need to move them outside every few days for real sunlight on the warmer days. You will probably end up with some legginess, but it is better than nothing. Best option is to go to walmart and buy a $10 shop light. I saw them for sale last week for this price and it is the exact one I use. it works great.

harry:

you can get a 4ft 2-light shop lite FIXTURE for about $20 at BBox_L0WEs .. make sure it is a T8 (T5 would be better but cost more). Two bulbs for the fixture should be about ten bucks. Convert a shelf in the closet and keep the light about 2 inches above the plants. Incandescent would fry them [and won't work]. Nominal electric expense for the T8s. You probably won't notice it. While you are at it, convert one or two of your old incandescent bulbs in other outlets around the house into LEDs and watch the savings materialize on your electric bill. If you are lucky, your utility company should offer a rebate on the bulb purchases. Ours is offering 50 percent. I bought a box of 12 T8 for $30, AND got $15 back.

bragu

Agree. My T8 sets each cost about $20, including the tube. . I bought them from HD.

Seysonn

Thanks for all the help.

Are you saying to keep the lights about 2" above the plants?

How many hours a day do you keep the lights on?

Harry

1.5 to 2" yes. 16 hrs on 8 off. Not touching but just above.

Dave

I keep the light a little farther away, in order to get more coverage.

Another thing : I suggest to get 6500 k deluxe daylight, which is on the blue side of the spectrum. This, they say, is good for vegetative growth,

not for blooming and fruiting. That is what we want while growing seedlings.

Seysonn

Thanks. I gave up trying to use my old aquarium fixture because it kept flickering and going out. I bought a simple 24" fixture (20w) described as a plant light. Seems like enough for my 20 plants.

Is there any reason not to use my clamp light with a 40 watt screw-in fluorescent bulb if I need additional light?

you will not get any growth out of an incadescent bulb. and they are expensive to run.

The main reason is that it takes around 6500K to properly mimic sunlight's intensity. I doubt you are getting anywhere near that with the clamp on alone. Like I said before, you can probably get away with the window sill and the clamp on, but you may end up with some legginess. I got my 4 ft shop light at Lowes and lined the inner shield with reflectix tape and bought two of the phillips 1600k daylight bulbs. I then created a pvc frame to hold it up. In all it cost $25 for eveverything. I saw a similar shop light at Walmart for only 10 bucks though so you could really get your cost down to $15 total. If you go this route you have nothing to worry about.

I have had success in growing the seeds on a table in front of a South facing window. The window is like a bay window but straight across. I turn them at least once a day to keep them growing straight. I pot up at least once and plant deeper as I pot up. My plants are healthy and not leggy when I put them out.

I don't have any other option so I have been doing this around 7 years. It would be nice to use lights but this is my only option. It still beats buying all the plants that I grow every year from a nursery or store.

The last two years I grew seedlings only from the light of my WSW facing window. The plants were a bit leggy, but I normally plant deep anyway because of the high winds I get. This year I added a 2 foot T8 fixture I found at a garage sale. I leave it on from 7am to 10-11 pm, and between that and the normal sunlight from about 10 to sunset I have noticed the plants aren't quite as leggy. Some of it seems to be varietal; the cherry plants tend to get leggy faster than the bigger varieties. In another week or so I'll try putting the older seedlings out in my rolling shelf greenhouse during the day as temps are supposed to be upper 50s/lower60s and that will free up space under the light for the seedlings germinating now.
If, like me, you are on a budget, try craigslist. I've seen fixtures going for half the price as new as many of the, ahem, "hydroponics aficionados" are transitioning to LED and need to get rid of the older-style fixtures quickly and discretely. Garage and yard sales are also good for many types of gardening tools and equipment.

I am using one 24" tube and a fluorescent bulb in my clamp light. I move the small tray to the window sill on sunny afternoons. So far, the seedlings look stout.

How soon should I add a little fertilizer?

Anijs,

So far, I have not asked to have a light fixture for my plants. I live with my daughter and son-in-law and don't really like to bother them to put in one. There would be a place for them in the basement but since the plants have done so well I think I will keep them upstairs near the window. It is only for eight weeks or less and then I move them out to the garden shed that has a large window and the plants can be moved in and out easily.

Harryshoe,

I usually don't fertilize until they are in the garden because when I pot up I use a mix that has fertilizer in it. Don't know if that is the proper way but it has worked for me.

However, last year was not a good year for my tomatoes because they suffered from too much rain during their first few weeks in the garden. This year I am going to plant them in several places and maybe put in a row with a raised section with a small ditch.