light, water, air flow

I know it's been questioned before...I set up my germinating/seed starting shelves last week and seeded 20 different tomato seeds in 4" cow pots. No lights on yet. I know to begin light after germination and to place lights close to plants. It's pretty cold in the place where my shelves are. Water when I see pots drying out? Put a fan on for air circulation? Worst part - I'll be away for 6 days beginning next weekend! Now what do I do about light, water, air, heat?

Thanks!

Well, I live in a complete other USDA zone, but I had this problem once in summer. Usually I can ask one of my neighbouts to water the plants, but that time it was not possible. I put plastic over the plants, made a few holes in it for air circulation and bottom watered them well. All survived.
Jonna

I am trying to determine whether all the sites that tell me that the seeds need bright light to germinate unless otherwise stated (like pansies) is correct or not.

Do the tomato seeds germinate either way??

Teri

I think so!?

Thanks,

I think that I will try both ways. It is all very confusing to me. Some people start their seeds in wet paper towels in their refrigerators (so they say). Where's the heat that is supposedly necessary?? And of course there's no light unless the door opens.

Then I read that you need to start seeds in some kind of domed container under grow lights that are 1 inch above the container. Then some people put their seeds in containers (covered with holes) outside in the middle of the winter and they say their seeds germinate and grow into healthy plants. I guess this is not really an exact science. That winter sowing thing seems like the easiest way to go, if it really works.

Trying all these different methods is probably the best way to use up all the extra seed that comes in the packages, so I guess I'll try them all.

Not all of the paper-towel-baggie-methods are with the fridge, in fact, some of them need to be in a warm place.... like peppers, and I believe, tomatoes. I think they need like 70-75 degrees to germinate (look at your seed pack if you have one). Not all seeds will start with heat, not all seeds will start with - or without- light. It's a very individual thing, you have to take it seed type by seed type. No one method will work for everything.

Were it me.... I'd stop watering and start it all over when you get back from your 6 days away. At this point, I'd either need to stop watering or get some heat on the tomato seeds so they don't end up just getting mushy and going bad.

I hope this helps!