Starting lettuce off in Flats need some help

I normally plant my lettuce directly but with location and the cats digging in the area had a low success rate.

So this year to get a jump on spring and to see if i get better results I have sown a tray with cells of lettuce.

They cam up very quickly and are 2-3in high with one set of leaves. I trimmed back so it was 1-2 lettuce per cell.

my problem is they have all fallen over and i'm worried i'm going to lose them all.

Need some advice on what i should do? my thought is to tease them out then plant them deeper but not sure.



lettuce seedlings ( photo / image / picture from Danjensen's Garden )

 

Your seedlings are "leggy" which means they get tall reaching for light. If you can put a florescent tube fixture 2" above the seedlings, it will help immensely. Keeping the light about 2" above the leaves gives them room to grow, but they don't have to stretch. Planting them deeper isn't going to help.
Do you have enough seed to start over? You could rig up the light fixture, re-plant, and as soon as the seedlings break ground, turn on the light. As they grow you can raise the light (or put the tray on something to boost it up, then remove the booster when you need to).


Seed starting ( photo / image / picture from marlingardener's Garden )

Can you tell from this photo how close the light is to the plants?

 

thanks marlin, yep can see how close you have the lights.

will try again, i didn't have them in the best place when they started to sprout so will try again and give them more sun.

thanks for the fast reply.

 

Once they are germinated keep them cool, also. The warmer it is the faster it grows and leggier it gets and then it starts falling over. Keep what you have and put it outside where it is sheltered and keep it covered (or inside) at nighttime until it is hardened enough to stay out. it may get a little stockier and surprise you. Good luck.

 

Thanks Carolyn, I did have it in a warm spot and was worried about that. I might try them in a different spot that gets lots of light but is cooler.

thanks for the help guys

 

You can also plant directly in the ground then sprinkle cayenne pepper over all. Cats don`t like hot pepper. Can use the cheap brand for that.