Columns from Left to Right: Tomatoes, basil, and lettuce mix. The 4th row from the right has 2 parsley (not germinated yet),
2 dill, and 2 oregano. The last row has cilantro, collards, and kale.
We've been very careful about keeping them watered, well lit, and warm. the heating pad and light stay on most of the time, and at night we cover the box to keep the heat in. They get watered at least once a day, and have been progressing steadily. Last night, however, we went to a seder for Passover, and I couldn't get home to water them. So when I got home this afternoon, they had gone more than 24 hours without water under a lamp the whole time.
Seedlings need a lot of water in general. Some, like tomatoes and basil, need less than others, but they suck it up pretty quickly for all the growing they do (some of these guys have doubled in size in a day!). You can imagine, then, that all my plants had shriveled up and fallen right over since yesterday.
Looks like it's been a hard day.
Plants are very resilient, though. They looked terrible, but if a little drought could kill a plant, Earth wouldn't have any. It's amazing what a little water can do. Less than an hour after I watered them, they were already starting to stand right up.
Of course, this isn't something I want to happen to my crops. I'm trying very hard to pamper them, at least until they're old enough to transplant into a larger container. This early in their lives, every little problem can have drastic effects on their future size. That said, they're not china dolls. They cling to life like every other living thing on the planet. If you think growing food isn't for you, take heart. Your little seedlings will fight for their lives more than you might think!
Wishing you all the greenest of thumbs,
The Regular Farmer
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