Plant growing Advice needed

I'm not sure if this is the most appropriate forum for this discussion but here goes.

I am trying to understand the reason that everything that I have planted in preparation for spring planting, both vegetables and flowers, seems to grow very tall and skinny where as the same plants in the greenhouses are shorter but have much more girth.
Could it be the amount of light I give them? I am using 4 Plant growing florescent tubes for each shelf, but is it as good as the greenhouse sun???

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Brian

How close are they to the lights? When they are very small, you want the lights about 10 inches (give or take) from the plants, and move the lights up (or the plants down) as they grow. Your plant lights are probably fine, but the greenhouse plants are getting filter sunshine - nothing better than that. I had this same problem when I started with plant lights and found the best distance by trial and error.

You're speaking about growing in two very different environments. Your greenhouse, if it's automated with stats, can provide more humidity, more true sunlight, and good ventilation. Growing under fluorescent lights does not provide full-spectrum lighting. In my opinion, growing a seedling that is 10 inches from the cellpack or top of the seedling is much too far away. Also, what about the ambient temp, air circulation, and humidity surrounding the area? Prior to owning a greenhouse, I would start seedlings under lights, mostly the fluorescent 48-inch tubes, and the tubes were set on wiring that could be lifted as the seedlings emerged upward, first from the cotyledon leaves to the first set of true plant leaves, and onward. Initially, the fluorescent lights were set about 5 inches or so from the top of the soil area. Depending upon the seed, bottom heat was supplemented. I never achieved the robust seedlings that I do from starting seeds/seedlings in my GH.

In my greenhouse, I do not bottom heat to germinate -- I choose areas of the GH that have their own small microclimates to match with the requirements of the seeds germination needs since some seeds germinate warmer than others. The greenhouse humidity stat is set at 60% for orchids, which works out well for seed germination, too. For a brief period of time, the normal night temp in the GH was elevated more for the conditions required for seedlings than the needs of the orchids (which need a drop of temp by 10-15 degrees at nightfall).

My personal opinion is that I much prefer GH seed germination/seedling growth than fluorescents. The GH environment is more like 'the real outside world', the seedlings seem larger, more robust, and more able to adapt to 'the real outside world' when the planting season arrives.

Hope this makes sense to you.
(I'm also a kayaker!!)
Lynn

Warm temperatures (above 50F) together with low light (fluorescent lights) will give taller plants than cooler climates (50-60F) and high light (sunlight, or HPS/MH lights for example).

Also, in greenhouse industries, plant growth regulators are often used which help keep plants compact.

If all you do is to start plants indoors, to give them head start before planting out, then the fluorescent lights are fine. Don't worry about plants being slightly larger. I keep mine 2-4" above the canopy of the plants, and try to keep the grow room as cool as possible.

Good luck.

Having a fan blowing on them (low speed) after the first set of true leaves develop also helps. The movement of the air encourages the seedlings to develop a thicker stronger stem.