Super Leggy Seedlings

I planted a bunch of stuff and didn't immediately have space where it was sunny. My dill came up (and some tomatoes) and now they are super leggy. Like the dill has almost 2 inches before the seed leaves. Should I count these plants out and start over, or can I save them?

I don't know about the dill because I have never grown it. Your tomatoes should be okay if you can keep the stems from getting broken before planting out. My tomatoes always get leggy, even when they are next to a window all day. When it's warm enough to plant outside, I just bury the whole plant in a trench with the top leaves sticking out. I don't even harden them off, just plant and lay a frost blanket over them. When I pull them up in the fall the buried stem has tons of roots all along it. That may not be the best way to do it but I always have plenty of tomatoes.

I too have started some things from seed for first time.,tomato, butter leattuce,trunip, etc. Why are the sprouts leggy? Want to know what I'm doing wrong. Had put my mini house on top of stove griddle, the temp of the griddle stays about 90 from the pilot light. Was this too warm?
Thanks for your help.
Sylvia

Heat will help with germination, but once the seeds sprout you need to get rid of it or else the seedlings will get leggy. I could be wrong but 90 degrees sounds a bit too warm--I think most seedling heat mats you buy will be ~10 degrees cooler than that. But regardless of whether that's a good temperature for germination or not, now that the seeds have sprouted I would get them off the heat. You also need to give them good light--if they're indoors the best thing is some fluorescent lights and make sure you keep them no more than a couple inches above the tops of the seedlings--any farther than that and they'll get leggy.

Thank you, thank you! I have so much gardening stuff to learn. Your info is most helpful.
Sylvia

Listen mevnmart, if you want to have a leggiest seedling contest you have to post pics first ok, preferably with a ruler in the background to measure up. It would be nice if we could have a dg sponsered contest... Maybe with t-shirts and tattoos and all.... I actually have lots of contest ideas , but nobody seems to want to listen to me... what the heck??

RATFOOD, you're right - what was I thinking? I really must back up my claims!

I'm putting together my greenhouses today, if the wind permits, and hopefully the plants that aren't too bad will recover with some real sunlight. The dill is toast though. I'll have to replant. Thanks for the tips!

You can repot your tomatoes and continue to grow them inside. They will form roots along the buried stems just like they do outside. I'm afraid the dill won't be that lucky.

Tomato plants need more light than just a windowsill just as ecrane3 said. Mine are under fluorescent lights and I replace the bulbs every 2 years. I use a 4 light ballast on each shelf. Each shelf holds 2 trays. They stay nice and short this way, and yes, once you have germination, they are happier in much cooler conditions. Tomatoes germinate best about 75 degrees. Peppers at about 80.