Indoor planting for Fall Nasturtiums

Hi! Everyone!! I started some Nasturtium seeds on Aug 15 indoors to get a headstart on Fall cool weather annuals. I just transplanted them from peat cells to 4 inch pots. They all have new growth but the growth is very yellow. Are the plants too far away from the gro-lites? They are about eighteen inches away from the grolites. When they were in the peat cells, I kept the light source about three inches away. It is a little too hot here to take them outdoors (104.5 degrees Fahrenheit in the afternoon). The weather should be a little cooler about the third full week of September. Should I start tapering them off of the grolites and adjusting for the sun? I am really at a loss as I have only started annuals like this last spring when I grew some beautiful salvia annuals that are still blooming.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Chuck

Take care,

Chuck

can Nasturtiums be sown directly in the garden? or are they best started inside?

I have only sown mine outside, but in Chuck's case it might be too warm to start them outside. They're really rewarding - very quick to germinate, lovely round leaves.

There's a number of reasons that the new growth could be yellow, but I doubt that it is the light - with that they would likely stretch out (etiolate). And in the case of Nasturtiums, I doubt that it's a lack of nutrition, especially new seedlings.... they tend to like pretty lean soils. So, my best guess (heavy on "Guess") is that you could be watering them too much, although you'd be likely having other problems, too - gnats, for instance.

My only suggestion is to not water them until the soil on top is dry (and they take it pretty dry, too) and to start hardening them off as soon as you can in a bright shady spot.

HTH!