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["Melody O." <melody AT crecon.com>]

At 12:33 PM 3/26/05 -0500, Chris wrote:
Well, I started about 25
>basil seeding in a nice little Jiffy peat tabs about three
>weeks ago.  <snip>
 However, since then,
>they haven't grown well.  
<snip>  
They are skinny, tall, slightly 
>pale plants, all of which suggest that they need more light.
>
>       Does anyone have advice on what I can go to get
>faster growth?  Is that normal growth?  

I hate the Jiffy peat tablets.  I used them last year and most of my plants
died when I transplanted them into the garden.  Since then, I have thought
about why I had lack of success.

The only thing I can figure, is since it is just a peat tablet, there is no
nutrition for the plants.  If I tried to use the peat tablets again, I
would wait until the plant is exactly in the same stage of growth yours are
at, and then plant those tablets directly into some sort of small pot,
whether it be a yogurt cup or those flats that nurseries use.  

By planting them in soil, I would hope to give the plants the umph that
they need to continue to grow well.

If I hadn't used those peat tablets last year, I'd tell you that they
aren't getting enough light.  That is typical behaviour of a plant not
getting sufficient light, but since using them I think it is a side effect
of no nutrition.

Good luck,
Melody
A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher
a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts,
build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders,
cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure,
program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly.
Specialization is for insects.
--Lazarus Long