New gardener

[entropyunleashed]

Hi everyone, I am somewhat new to gardening. Last year I planted some lettuces in late spring and we enjoyed them in the summer. But I'm trying to start early this year (my region's last frost is around May 1-10). I've started some lettuces and dwarf carrots indoors in an egg carton around a week ago and I bought an unusual rocket tomato product (seeds in a roll) from the dollar store. I have them set up in my kitchen because it seems to get the most light there.

My lettuces have sprouted. My carrots are taking their time. The tomato is chilling.

Should I get a grow lamp for the seeds? If so, which one is good?

When should I transplant the seedlings from the egg carton to a bigger container or should I put them directly into the ground outside later?

I've included pictures of my setup, if this helps. Any general tips about that?

Thank you for your advice. The current situation has caused me to take up a new hobby.

 

[oneeye]

I use fluorescent lights every year to start my seeds. You can remove the plants out of the egg carton when the roots are big enough to move the soil with the roots. . Be careful because its easy to over water seed sprouts when they are tiny and fragile. It looks like you are doing a good job just need more light. Good luck

 

[Chuck]

It looks to me as if the tomatoes are on a seed tape. If so they should not be rolled up, they should be stretched out in a linear fashion.

 

[entropyunleashed]

Thanks Chuck and oneeye for the tips.

I'm not sure if the tomatoes are on the same thing as a seed tape. The directions on the back implied that it should stay rolled up in the pot. The whole set up seems to be pretty weird and if the Amazon reviews are any indication it doesn't work too well, but I guess that's what I get for buying supplies at Dollarama.

 

[entropyunleashed]

Update for everyone about the tomato rocket dollar store product. My husband just took a picture of it. I almost gave up on it sprouting, but pretty much two weeks later, a ton of seedlings popped up! Surprise! I'll probably have to transplant them all into separate pots because it is very crowded. Now I can see why unrolling the tape and putting a small piece in a few pots would be appealing. It works! At least so far, anyway.

 

[Chuck]

Update for everyone about the tomato rocket dollar store product. My husband just took a picture of it. I almost gave up on it sprouting, but pretty much two weeks later, a ton of seedlings popped up! Surprise! I'll probably have to transplant them all into separate pots because it is very crowded. Now I can see why unrolling the tape and putting a small piece in a few pots would be appealing. It works! At least so far, anyway.
View attachment 63407

All is not good. That is a seed tape and to get the tomatoes separated you must either unroll the tape or cut the tape while still rolled up and neither will be easy without damaging the little roots. Which ever way you decide to do it, it MUST be done without delay. The tomatoes will be about 3 inches apart. I would use scissors and cut about 3/4 inch to each side of each tomato. Or, VERY gently try to unroll the tape. It must be done ASAP or the roots will grow into the surrounding tape and it will be impossible to separate them. Once you get a seedling separated place it in a prepared seedling container and grow it there until ready to transplant into the ground. The tape itself is biodegradable but slow. Therefore do it NOW before the roots get anymore extensive.

The way seed tape is supposed to be used is to cut a length of it and place the length into a container and grow it there until ready to plant outside. By the time the seedling is large enough to be transplanted the tape has decomposed.