Hey ,
I started some touch me nots from seeds about three weeks ago, well they were doing fine but now they have gotten so tall they have laid over and the stems are touching the soil. Is this a problem and what can I do to fix it.
Touch me nots
I don't know if you can save them. They don't usually require staking. But it seems a little early for them to me. ( I grew up in Dalton and I remember Grandmothers Touch Me Nots in mid summer.) In Conyers, ours reseed each year, and the "volunteers" start coming up in late May or June. I started some from seed I saved one year just to see if I could get some blooming earlier. Started them in April, transplanted in May and they bloomed in early June. If you have more seed, you may want to wait a couple of weeks to start some more, and keep the containers outside in indirect light. This should help keep them from getting leggy.
It sounds like they are reaching for the light. You might try cutting them back to a couple of inches or move them to strong light (a sunny window or very close to a light source). Are these impatiens or balsam? As oldtownegirl said, you might want to wait in the future and sow outdoors. Impatiens are easy reseeders (so is balsam). They can be perennial if you bring them indoors but I am trying to rid all my pots of impatiens since they can easily take over. I have noticed that you can cut them back to an inch or two (but not sure at what age this can be done) where they will stay plump and fleshy (fairly thick stems at this point) and continue growing once moved back outdoors.