By Katie Markheim, Nebraska Extension Master Gardener
Temperature and Light – Did you know plants from seed should be grown in temperatures between 70 and 75 degrees? Too cold or too warm can reduce the rate of germination or the plants may grow leggy or improperly.
Seedlings need 12-16 hours of light per day. This light should be kept about 1 inch above the plants, as they grow, this light should be moved up with the seedlings. The light source can be as simple as a utility or shop light with one cool and one warm fluorescent bulb.
Many lights for growing plants have a built-in timer to keep the lights on for up to 12 hours, but you can always purchase an inexpensive outlet timer to keep it on for 12-16 hours and off for the rest of the evening. The light should not be on continuously for 24 hours.