Help with seedlings and stem length

KaylasKush

KaylasKush

Active Member
Hi,

On my last thread I was concerned about the length of my stems and just as I thought, it was that they're stretching out for more light. Tomorrow the LED light is being delivered and I'll put it up ASAP.

However someone said to also plant them in deeper pots. I went out but couldn't find a similar pot size that was just deeper, so instead I bought a larger pot. I understand it's too big for seedlings that are just over 2 weeks old and that it will slow the growth rate down, but it's okay. The only thing is I was a massive (excuse my language) fucking idiot and didn't plant them deep enough. So once again the stem's are very tall. I was under pressure when transplanting them because I was so worried about hurting them due to how delicate they were. I wasn't thinking straight, and then when I had done all of them I remembered, "bruh, the whole point of you doing this was to PLANT THEM DEEPER".
I have however been told by someone that covering a lot of the stem is the last thing you should do as it can rot. So I'm pretty lost.

Sorry for so much information before the actual question, I just want to explain the whole scenario beforehand.

Question: Can I leave the current length of these stems and just hope that the grow light will strengthen them up/keep them at that height for a while? Or is the current length a very big problem for the future?

Thanks in advance guys
 

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Jimmy Sparkle

Jimmy Sparkle

Well-Known Member
Well they look very healthy so thats good. They will root along the burried stem and stay shorter and grow more normal looking. My opinion is that long stretchy seedlings often grow into straggly plants that grow long and leggy. Dont be afraid, dig down deeper next to the plant being careful not to handle the roots like a fuckin wild ape lol. Any way dig down and carefully slide the whole rootball , long stretchy neck and bury at least half of what you got above the soil. It will not rot just dont keep the soil wet. Damp o.k wet no way! Get it under lights and fan....Dont be afraid to just get in there and do it. They probably wont even wilt. Let me know if I can help more
 
sunny747

sunny747

Well-Known Member
Yea, I just broke one like this. It happens. I love the straw idea.

In the end it will work out and the plant will be fine. Maybe get some silica to help strengthen.
 
MonkeyGrinder

MonkeyGrinder

Well-Known Member
KaylasKush said:
Question: Can I leave the current length of these stems and just hope that the grow light will strengthen them up/keep them at that height for a while? Or is the current length a very big problem for the future?
Click to expand...
When you get your grow light just get that sucker as close to them as they can handle.
In hindsight you should have just gotten a 1-2 light mini t5 or something for them until you got a bigger light.
The single ones you can pick up at walmart for 15 bucks will even do the trick. And they're for cabinets etc. I vegged a pretty sweet plant out of boredom and curiosity to 12 inches by slapping it next to one that was attached vertically.
Regardless though your stems will strengthen up and get woody.
Stems won't get nice and woody until around 2-3 weeks from seedling.
After that they should be fine and dandy.
When you throw em under your grow light they should start pushing out new leaf sets.
That's what you should have been shooting for to begin with from seedling.
Hence why they got all stretchy.
Leaving them that tall really won't effect things in the long run.
The only thing you really did was lost the veg time that you had them in the window there.
If vertical height is going to be an issue then yeah bury it. If not then don't worry about it.
Just wait til the stem stiffens up a bit.
 
morgwar

morgwar

Well-Known Member
It'll be fine in a large pot too I've never had an issue going straight to 5 or 10 gallons froM solo cup. Always get a great solid root ball
Just prop em up, get the light close like they said, and move some air. My last grow started that way and theyre beautiful
 
KaylasKush

KaylasKush

Active Member
morgwar said:
It'll be fine in a large pot too I've never had an issue going straight to 5 or 10 gallons froM solo cup. Always get a great solid root ball
Just prop em up, get the light close like they said, and move some air. My last grow started that way and theyre beautiful
Click to expand...
Thank you so much. I feel less worried about them now. I know overthinking is easy when it comes to your babies.
 
WeedFreak78

WeedFreak78

Well-Known Member
When they get a little bigger, you can pull the dirt ball out of the pot, take a few inches of the bottom, repot and top dress to bury the stem if it's still needed.
 
KaylasKush

KaylasKush

Active Member
MonkeyGrinder said:
When you get your grow light just get that sucker as close to them as they can handle.
In hindsight you should have just gotten a 1-2 light mini t5 or something for them until you got a bigger light.
The single ones you can pick up at walmart for 15 bucks will even do the trick. And they're for cabinets etc. I vegged a pretty sweet plant out of boredom and curiosity to 12 inches by slapping it next to one that was attached vertically.
Regardless though your stems will strengthen up and get woody.
Stems won't get nice and woody until around 2-3 weeks from seedling.
After that they should be fine and dandy.
When you throw em under your grow light they should start pushing out new leaf sets.
That's what you should have been shooting for to begin with from seedling.
Hence why they got all stretchy.
Leaving them that tall really won't effect things in the long run.
The only thing you really did was lost the veg time that you had them in the window there.
If vertical height is going to be an issue then yeah bury it. If not then don't worry about it.
Just wait til the stem stiffens up a bit.
Click to expand...
Thank you. Everyone else has said to transplant again and cover more of the stem. But I took your advice instead as I just transplanted and I don't want to do it again because it can be stressful for them.
I now know for next time that I need a light on them from the beginning. I don't mind losing any veg time as Duban Poison is an early harvest plant anyway.
Thanks so much again, the grow light is over them now and I know it's too soon to say but they already seem to have stiffened up, haha.
 
KaylasKush

KaylasKush

Active Member
WeedFreak78 said:
When they get a little bigger, you can pull the dirt ball out of the pot, take a few inches of the bottom, repot and top dress to bury the stem if it's still needed.
Click to expand...
Sorry this could be the dumbest question but not even google will tell me what a "dirt ball" is?
Do you just mean take the actual plant out and repot?
 
ANC

ANC

Well-Known Member
Next time keep them closer to the light from the start, those look effed up.
 
KaylasKush

KaylasKush

Active Member
Jimmy Sparkle said:
Well they look very healthy so thats good. They will root along the burried stem and stay shorter and grow more normal looking. My opinion is that long stretchy seedlings often grow into straggly plants that grow long and leggy. Dont be afraid, dig down deeper next to the plant being careful not to handle the roots like a fuckin wild ape lol. Any way dig down and carefully slide the whole rootball , long stretchy neck and bury at least half of what you got above the soil. It will not rot just dont keep the soil wet. Damp o.k wet no way! Get it under lights and fan....Dont be afraid to just get in there and do it. They probably wont even wilt. Let me know if I can help more
Click to expand...
"Like a fuckin wild ape", legit burst out laughing, thanks for that. Don't worry, I'm so delicate my hands start shaking. I've got lights on them now and am going to transplant again in about a week, and THEN cover more stem. Hopefully the wait won't do any harm.
Thanks so much for your detailed advice, everyone on here is so nice. Except the guy that told me to kill them hahahah
 
KaylasKush

KaylasKush

Active Member
torontoke said:
Could also use a pipe cleaner bent like a hockey stick with a curve to make a crutch for each of them.
McDonald's straws slit lengthwise also work.
I'd put a fan lightly blowing across them to help stiffen them up while they are supported.
Click to expand...
Thanks I think I'm gonna do this as well. :)
I have a good breeze on them already since they're by my back garden door, which is always open.
 
KaylasKush

KaylasKush

Active Member
And everyone is making me stress!
I mean look at those beauties. There's faith for me.

Or was that after transplanting and covering the stem?
 
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