Leggy lettuce?

Lewisium

Planted some lettuce (Mizuna) but not sure if it's too leggy and needs binning? I've repotted some into 7cm pots (on the right) but the ones in the tray just fall onto each other and any watering knocks them horizontal. What should I do? 

Lewisium

bertrand-mabel

Don't give up. If you can water very very carefully on the compost and not on the seedlings they will do ok. If the compost is damp then don't water.

Can you actually handle the seedlings?

If so can you then transplant them to....wherever you were going to?

Fairygirl

I find Mizuna is like a lot of things sown at this time of year - better sown in small pots, and not kept too warm, then potted on in small clumps rather than individually. Much easier  
Those have barely got their proper leaves, so it makes potting on difficult. They've been too warm, and are therefore leggy. A cooler window would have been better, as they wouldn't have shot up so quickly. A sunny window can get extremely hot at this time of year.
They don't need binning, but you'll either have to take time and pot them on, or else water more carefully [from below] and wait a little while until they're sturdier for handling. If you can move them somewhere a little cooler, that'll help too, and keep turning them   

Lewisium

Fairygirl said:

I find Mizuna is like a lot of things sown at this time of year - better sown in small pots, and not kept too warm, then potted on in small clumps rather than individually. Much easier  
Those have barely got their proper leaves, so it makes potting on difficult. They've been too warm, and are therefore leggy. A cooler window would have been better, as they wouldn't have shot up so quickly. A sunny window can get extremely hot at this time of year.
They don't need binning, but you'll either have to take time and pot them on, or else water more carefully [from below] and wait a little while until they're sturdier for handling. If you can move them somewhere a little cooler, that'll help too, and keep turning them   

Where do you suggest I keep them to germinate? How often should i water them? 

Fairygirl

Like any seedlings, watering is determined by how dry the growing medium is. It's impossible to say definitely, because that varies enormously. If the compost is dry when you poke a finger into it, then it needs a bit of water. Another way to judge is by the weight of the container. If you can get a feel of the weight once you've watered, then check every day or two, you'll gradually recognise the differences 
As to where you have them - a south facing sill at this time of year can be roasting, and that isn't beneficial. A west facing one, or similar, will be much cooler, but still warm enough to germinate seed. Again, that's only a rough guide, but as I mentioned the other day to someone with seedlings, my kitchen is south east facing, and the temp in there, even on not very sunny days, is well into the 30s by mid morning, fine on all the cloudy days. I have the blinds down when it's sunny if there are seedlings or young plants there, as lettuce of any kind doesn't like excessive heat.
As they get bigger, I move them to a cooler sill. Most of my lettuce plants are on a north west sill. They don't need lots of heat, they just need some light, once germinated and growing. The biggest ones are now outside, with the others indoors for cut and come again use, including Mizuna. 

Lewisium

Mine get mainly the afternoon sun, or from around 11ish.  They're in my unheated propagator now about 5 metres from the window. I've never done lettuce before. I'm eager for them to germinate.

Fairygirl

They wouldn't need heat of any kind to germinate just now. Lettuce prefers cooler temps as it grows anyway  
They would do better nearer the light, but not with heat.