Need advice for my sprouting plants!

Miri Stoner----
by Miri Stoner----
The soil feels moist but the sprouts are yellow. Is this because they are not getting enough water? Or is it normal?
On the left is watermelon, in the middle is Cayenne Peppers and on the right is Thyme.
Are they big enough to be moved outside?

  11 answers
  • Dfm Dfm on Mar 21, 2017

    no, i would not move them outside yet- wait until the plants have the 1st set of mature leafs. the water melon leaves have not opened yet, those will be the baby leafs, the next set of leaves will be larger. your peppers have not sprouted yet, your thyme still needs the the other set of leaves, and the stem is still white, not go to garden green. be patient. they will get there.

  • Shaza Lee Shaza Lee on Mar 22, 2017

    they are yellow because they are not getting enough light. those on the right are very thin and too long also due to not enough light

  • Margolynluvsu Margolynluvsu on Mar 22, 2017

    I usually wait til I see some roots popping through the sides or bottom. They are white but not rotten or waterlogged. This is normal. Let them get a little taller and greener before you transplant outside and I cover my babies with plastic milk cartons with the bottoms cut out and put over the babies, put a few holes in the carton so ventilation can occur gently. Check daily, remove cartons after the babies start to reach the top. They are sweet treats for critters while they are young so protect with fencing or netting.😆

  • Joanne Joanne on Mar 23, 2017

    They need more sunlight - lots of it and because they are a little weak let the peat pots dry down a bit. There is a lot more water being held in those pots then they need at this stage and the last thing you want is for them to succumb to rot.


  • Brenda Peterman Brenda Peterman on Mar 24, 2017

    I see your in Canada, way to early to put outside. Live in Michigan and can't plant them out till weather is warmer.

  • Terry Terry on Mar 24, 2017

    Definitely need more sunlight! I bought a gro-bulb and put it in a goose neck lamp and set it over the seedlings. They are getting greener!

  • Margie Margie on Mar 25, 2017

    The first "leaves" that you see are actually the seed that holds the energy for the plant to grow. They need a lot of sunlight or a grow bulb, which emits the proper color spectrum for plants to absorb, unlike a regular household bulb. Let the soil dry to the touch and don't let the "pots" stand in water. If you are in Canada, the end of May is a good time to set outdoors. You may have to transfer them to larger pots by then. It is still very early in the season. Set them in a shaded area to get used to being outside for about a week. Don't set them in full sun, they will burn.

  • Annie Medic Annie Medic on Mar 26, 2017

    @Moro Stoner

    Get some LED strips to use, on a 14hour on timer. https://www.amazon.com/gp/your-account/order-history/item/ref=oh_aui_i_d_old_o15?ie=UTF8&itemId=jiqlsqjmmopvwn&orderId=114-1340167-5897855&returnSummaryId=&shipmentId=Dh1yRFtqH


    This is what I use. I made a little indoor greenhouse for my seedlings.


    You need to find out what the average last frost date is for your area. You may have to grow your tomatoes and such under a green house: http://www.motherearthnews.com/organic-gardening/earth-sheltered-greenhouse-zmaz04fmzsel


    Good luck. If you need more help, let me know, I'm a master gardener. This was quick info.



  • Elaine Elaine on Mar 26, 2017

    Margie (Preston) is dead on. They are very new little shoots so strong sun will probably burn them but if you have dappled light or a semi-sheer curtained window, that would help protect them from burning yet give them much needed light. Don't plant them anything outside until the end of May. We have had a very mild Winter (southern Ontario) but there always can be a sudden blast of cold air before Victoria Day weekend. Also, when watering, don't overwater but buy a plant mister from the Dollar store to keep soil moist (but NOT wet)! A mister is much kinder on fragile little shoots than, perhaps, watering/soaking the shoots too much. Good luck.

  • Kate Baxter Kate Baxter on Mar 26, 2017

    Sprouts that come up are ALWAYS yellow. It has nothing to do with sunlight etc. They will turn green when they get older. Yellow leaves etc are only a problem if they are on adult plants. Don't let anyone tell you differently.

    • See 1 previous
    • Kate Baxter Kate Baxter on Apr 09, 2017

      egt: Of course light is very important. But if you read the article and my response you will see what I am saying is that when the sprout comes out of the ground it is yellow because it has been without light. When it starts getting the light it turns green. Nothing that grows cannot live without light.

  • Judy Judy on Mar 27, 2017

    mine come up green because they are getting the correct light...I have been starting plants for 50 yrs for my gardens...