How To Fix Leggy Flower Seedlings | They Can Be Rescued!

Flower seeds sown in late winter, before daylight levels have increased in the spring can be prone to becoming leggy seedlings. The seeds germinate, the seedlings stretch towards any source of light and the stems become long and weak.
When this happens you can rescue them with some early intervention and in this video we look at what leggy seedlings are and what you can do to help them get back to growing into sturdy plants.
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[@juliehartley3652]

Thank you - I watched a few videos on how to rescue my leggy seedlings and this one was the most useful. I appreciate it.

[@cloudberryflowers-flowerfarm]

Hello Julie, thanks for watching. I am glad you found it helpful and thanks for the feedback.

[@juliehartley3652]

@@cloudberryflowers-flowerfarm You're welcome, I have some sunflowers that I may have planted a bit too early. They are indoors but I have now repotted them. Sunflowers are quite easy to grow and I have loads of seeds so it's fine either way. I like your channel because I'm in the North of England - our climates are similar. 🌻😊

[@cloudberryflowers-flowerfarm]

@@juliehartley3652 I hope the sunflowers are still doing well. I enjoy hearing from everyone and their different growing conditions but is is especially great to compare how our gardens are getting on when we are in similar climates. We have definitely warmed up a little this week after being very cold last weekend and I can see everything starting to grow which is exciting!

[@JackiesSouthernSoul]

Thank you for this video. This is the first year that I’ve started seeds and my seedlings are leggy. Out of all the videos that I’ve watch about how to correct this problem yours is the only one that states that I can repot and plant the entire stem up to the leaves with any seedling and not just tomatoes. I hope this works because I will be doing just that today. I’ve learned a lot from your video for when I start succession planting next month. Thank you again🙏

[@cloudberryflowers-flowerfarm]

Thanks so much for watching and I am glad you found it helpful. I hope it works for you on all sorts of your seedlings. This year our light levels have been low with poor weather and I have had to use the technique with saponaria and cornflowers and it has really worked.

[@tusheetadavid5881]

What a fabulous video! I’ve learnt something new . Thanks x

[@cloudberryflowers-flowerfarm]

Thanks Tusheeta. It’s so easy to miss the boat potting them on once they have germinated and they get leggy so quickly. It’s good to know we can rescue them 🌱🙂

[@ashalgurung]

First one .. Love from india

[@cloudberryflowers-flowerfarm]

Thanks for watching! x

[@clarewhitmore7155]

Can you plant any seedling up to the seed leaves? Or just certain types?

[@cloudberryflowers-flowerfarm]

I have found that they work on all my seedlings that get too leggy, it doesn’t seem to matter the variety. I hope it works for you too. Thanks for watching 😊

[@clarewhitmore7155]

Thanks for replying I will get on it! I think I got over enthusiastic and started to sow too early.I’ve made a note for next year😊

[@janetholley1004]

Thank you, finally I found someone who knows what to do without writing a book about it, short and sweet...subscribed&loved!!!

[@cloudberryflowers-flowerfarm]

Hello and thanks so much for watching and subscribing 😊 I hope the leggy seedlings tips help and you enjoy the other videos.

[@pronoun_dilemma]

Great video. Can i pot mine on even if they only have the 2 leaves? (without the true leaves)

[@cloudberryflowers-flowerfarm]

Hi thanks for watching, yes if they have already super stretched in the stem without the true leaves I would pot them on burying the stem.

[@MiguelAngel-dz4ix]

My seedlings have become leggy but do not yet have their true leaves can i still transfer them?

[@cloudberryflowers-flowerfarm]

Hello, thanks for watching. Yes you could transplant them if they have got really leggy. They should develop their true leaves still if you do that.

[@MiguelAngel-dz4ix]

@cloudberryflowers-flowerfarm thank you so much!!!! I'm a new gardener and I still got so much to learn so I got scared when I saw that leggy seedlings meant I made a mistake.

[@TecOneself]

Thank you, no wonder they're growing so tall and going down to the side, some are quite sturdy and up, 70%.

[@cloudberryflowers-flowerfarm]

Thanks so much for watching. Hope you can fix the leggy ones but that’s great 70% are looking good and sturdy plants.

[@arli4406]

Only over 1k subscribers? That's a crime! Such a informative channel! I started gardening last year, had very neglected (15 years)flowerbeds in the garden, I have been watching youtubers from US however it failed me (leggy seedlings or late blooms) as the weather there varies from North to South...I live in Hampshire, so glad has found someone closer to me👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[@cloudberryflowers-flowerfarm]

Hello! Thanks so much for watching. I hope you enjoy the videos. It has all been a new adventure for me getting in front of a camera and learning about KZbin. I’m really enjoying speaking to so many great people who love flowers and gardening so I hope it keeps growing! What zone are you in in Hampshire? Here in the Scottish Borders we are in zone 8b. Thought spring was coming last week with all the lovely sunshine but this week back to minus temps again with sleet .

[@arli4406]

@@cloudberryflowers-flowerfarm Im at the border of 8b and 9a, but I believe it's 9a because our winter doesn't go bellow -3. Actually South of Hampshire where I live is in 9a. Same here, over 10 days of sunny warm weather, started cleaning and preparing my garden...and today woke up to rain, Saturday is supposed to be -1☹️ I bought 3 hydrangeas and planted them last week, I hope they're going to be fine after all it's hardy plant... You're videos are lovely, short and informative! Wishing you a great audience!!! All the best👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[@susannaylor451]

Thank you for great informative video. Plain and simple right to the point, easy to follow. I'll now go and repot my leggy seedlings. Subscribed 😊🌱🌱

[@cloudberryflowers-flowerfarm]

Thanks very much for watching and subscribing. I hope it works well for your leggy seedlings.

[@brgovender8879]

Thanks for sharing your video. Now I understand what happened to my seedlings. I will try to follow your advice and see if I can rescue them. Bobby from South Africa.

[@cloudberryflowers-flowerfarm]

Hello, thanks so much for watching from South Africa. I hope it works for you to rescue your seedlings. I have had some cornflowers that have really stretched to find the light as we have had very little sunshine recently and I repotted them a couple of weeks ago burying the stem as shown in the video and they are so much stronger now and looking better for it.

[@Metalhead1409W]

Thank you for the informative video. My sunflower seedlings sprouted a few days ago and they already look a bit leggy. I'm hoping it can fix itself since I have purchased a grow light. BTW, I love your accent.

[@cloudberryflowers-flowerfarm]

Grow lights to improve the light to the sunflowers will help and you can definitely bury the leggy part of the stem when you pot them on into bigger pots or plant them out. Thanks for watching 😊

[@anjulibodyk8181]

Hello! Thanks for great video. One follow up question about planting the leggy stems - if I transplant them in the starter cells, is it ok of the stem doubles over itself as the cell is short and the stems are longer. If so, any specific way to fit the while stem in? Should they be spiraled around?

[@cloudberryflowers-flowerfarm]

Hello, thanks very much for watching. I am glad you enjoyed it. Ideally the stems would not double over as they are fragile at that stage but if they are placed in spiralled around and the stem is not broken as you do it then they will go in to grow away fine. I think my only worry would be that stem snapping.

[@cyhomer]

Hi Catherine…can we deeply bury ANY leggy seedlings? I have a few tall Saponaria that have gotten leggy, even tho they have been under lights. Thanks, Cathy (U.S. zone 6a)

[@cloudberryflowers-flowerfarm]

Hi yes I have found it works for all the ones I have tried. I would do it with Saponaria seedlings too. They can grow pretty fast and it’s easy for them to get leggy.

[@katalinkardos899]

Very happy to find You ,I just started gardening..very very helpfull Thank You!!!!

[@cloudberryflowers-flowerfarm]

Thanks so much for watching 😊 I hope you enjoy the gardening videos and I am looking forward to making some new ones this year. Enjoy your time in the garden.

[@St3phani33]

Very useful, I’m in Aberdeenshire so your channel is fab for me. I’m interested to know more about your greenhouse and maybe a vid on recommendations for a first greenhouse (progressing from a zippy!) ☺️

[@cloudberryflowers-flowerfarm]

Hi, thanks so much for watching 🙂 it’s great to get ideas for future videos so thanks for the idea talking more about the greenhouse. The greenhouse I bought was a Robinson’s renown one and I love it. We bought it through the Greenhouse People who were very helpful. I did go for as big a one as I could as a lot of people advised me before to go for the maximum size you can get within your budget and space. Their advice was you can never have too much growing room!

[@maryruud9566]

Greetings from Minnesota zone 4b, where our gardens are still covered in snow and -5 F temps are expected tonight! I've learned so much watching your channel. Are there any varieties that cannot be rescued by burying the stem deeply?

[@cloudberryflowers-flowerfarm]

Hello Mary, thanks so much for watching! You definitely sound like you are still in the middle of winter in Minnesota. We have torrential rain this evening which I am hoping stops tomorrow so I can get the greenhouse cleaned! I haven’t found any seedlings that burying them stem doesn’t work for so far x

[@louise9833]

Can you make a video on lake that is growing in the background?😃🌱 Thanks for all your videos 🙏❤️

[@cloudberryflowers-flowerfarm]

That’s a good idea 👍 Thanks for watching 🙂

[@franchescaburgos9804]

Is this method true for diff varieties or mainly cosmos? A lot of my zinnias and sunflowers got leggy 😢

[@cloudberryflowers-flowerfarm]

Hello, thanks so much for watching. I use this method on all my leggy seedlings so it will work for your zinnias and sunflowers too 😊

[@franchescaburgos9804]

@@cloudberryflowers-flowerfarm thank you so much for replying!!! (:

[@Noblesse_Sapphire]

I live in a tropical country when the temperature can up to 30°C (86°F) in the summer, should I put my seedlings directly under the sun, maybe in the morning when the temperature is around 24-26°C (75,2-78,8°F)? Because because I'm afraid my flowers won't get enough light if I just put them on the porch :""D

[@cloudberryflowers-flowerfarm]

Hi, thanks for watching. I think that is a good idea to put them out in the morning for some sunlight and then get them to a cooler but light spot for when the sun is strongest in the afternoon. When taking them out in the morning, just get them gradually used to it, so maybe an hour the first day and then 2 hours the next one and build it up so the seedlings are not too shocked.

[@Emily-xu6fi]

Main advice starts at 2:55

[@cloudberryflowers-flowerfarm]

Thanks for watching 🙂

[@JulieStandley]

Great info - thank you! I do this with my tomatoes but did not realize you could replant flowers like this as well - looks like I’ll be able to rescue my zinnias!!! Thank you! :)

[@cloudberryflowers-flowerfarm]

Thanks so much for watching. I hope it works for your zinnias. It really does work on so many of the annual flowers I grow.

[@moomoo3031]

Lovely! I have started some Milkweed that have gotten too leggy. I really cant believe you can bury them like you do! It goes against everything I learned haha! But I shall try it when they get true leaves and let you know.

[@cloudberryflowers-flowerfarm]

Hello, thanks so much for watching. I hope it does work for you. I am needing to do it with some cosmos as they have stretched and we are just not getting any bright sunny days at the moment to stop them getting so leggy.

[@hughjassol2072]

Thanks. Mine got leggy because of 2 weeks of cloudy hot days. I hope this works

[@cloudberryflowers-flowerfarm]

Thanks so much for watching. Yes seedlings can get leggy so quickly with a change in weather conditions. I hope the technique works for you.

[@Juliee79]

Thank you. My sunflowers are very leggy so I’m repotting them today. I’ve a poly tunnel type green house, Temps go down to around 4c at night inside it, I’m in North Wales. Would it be ok to leave them in there now over night?

[@cloudberryflowers-flowerfarm]

Thanks for watching 🙂 I hope repotting helps the sunflowers. They should be fine in your polytunnel/greenhouse as I usually have mine in my greenhouse this time of year and they are ok in there. It gives them some protection until the risk of frost is past and they can be planted out. We have very similar weather I think. I am so behind you and haven’t even got my sunflower seeds sown yet, it’s on the to do list for this week!

[@treeoflifebahrain08]

Hiya! Thank you for this informative video. What concentration of seaweed solution would you use at this stage?

[@cloudberryflowers-flowerfarm]

Hello, thanks for watching 😊 I use 10ml of liquid seaweed fertiliser in 5l of water roughly every fortnight.

[@mollypitcher9380]

Thanks!

[@cloudberryflowers-flowerfarm]

Your welcome, thanks for watching.

[@y_equals_mx_plus_c]

I have some zinnia seedlings that are about 5cm tall already with only two leaves, would this be considered leggy? Thank you great video 😊🌸🌸

[@cloudberryflowers-flowerfarm]

Thanks for watching 😊 Yes I think they sound like the stems are stretching and getting leggy. I would try and get them in a better light source and pot them on burying the stem, bringing the soil just up to below the first leaves. Hope it helps 🤞

[@y_equals_mx_plus_c]

@@cloudberryflowers-flowerfarm thank you ☺️

[@thecraftyhairdressercardsa205]

What a great video, I’ve already rescued a few after seeing this. Thank you 😬

[@cloudberryflowers-flowerfarm]

That’s great you have rescued a few seedlings after watching it. It really has helped me rescue a lot of mine if they have accidentally got too leggy!

[@kimberlysullivan2934]

What was the outcome of this? I didn’t see a follow up video

[@cloudberryflowers-flowerfarm]

Hi Kimberley, thanks for watching. We catch up with the leggy seedlings in my April Flower Garden and Greenhouse video a few weeks later. They had really come on by that stage and went on to flower well out in the garden in early June.

[@katalinkardos899]

Thank You so much🥰🥰🥰

[@cloudberryflowers-flowerfarm]

Thanks for watching 🙂 I hope it’s helpful.