Inthehillsgrower420
Member
my seedlings under 250watt led light on the lowest light setting are getting a bit tall I don’t want them to fall over an die. When I turn up the light the leaves seem to turn lime green more or look light burnt.
seedlings are stretched pretty bad what should I do
- Thread starter Inthehillsgrower420
- Start date
Snoopy808
Well-Known Member
Leggy!!! Lower the light after you do something to support them. You could very very carefully transplant to a bigger deeper pot, as deep as all the way up to the cotyledons.
Or buy seedling support clips. They are common in plant nurseries. Or macgyver a way to hold them up.
I would encourage the transplant method. A1- 3 gallon pot. Figure out the amount needed to put the whole cup they are in and the white stem under as much soil as possible. You might not get it all the way but thats fine. You will be lowering the lights when you are done transplanting. Carefully transplant and more carefully gently place the soil around the stem. Water it in. Then put the lights where they need to be. Closer!
If you chose macgyver method and no transplant and skipped to here :
I dont use LEDs, i use t5s so i couldn't give you a safe distance. As. My 4 bulb t5 is about 8 inches from the tops of my sprouts if that helps. And I raise it as they grow, until they can go under the 1000w, like the 3rd true leaf stage, and wont need support (or much support) as they grow.
Another tip leave some room at the top about 1-1/2 inch when filling and transplanting. You can add more soil later if needed and wont have water sheet off the top of your soil. Your cups look too full in the pic.
Good luck!
Or buy seedling support clips. They are common in plant nurseries. Or macgyver a way to hold them up.
I would encourage the transplant method. A1- 3 gallon pot. Figure out the amount needed to put the whole cup they are in and the white stem under as much soil as possible. You might not get it all the way but thats fine. You will be lowering the lights when you are done transplanting. Carefully transplant and more carefully gently place the soil around the stem. Water it in. Then put the lights where they need to be. Closer!
If you chose macgyver method and no transplant and skipped to here :
I dont use LEDs, i use t5s so i couldn't give you a safe distance. As. My 4 bulb t5 is about 8 inches from the tops of my sprouts if that helps. And I raise it as they grow, until they can go under the 1000w, like the 3rd true leaf stage, and wont need support (or much support) as they grow.
Another tip leave some room at the top about 1-1/2 inch when filling and transplanting. You can add more soil later if needed and wont have water sheet off the top of your soil. Your cups look too full in the pic.
Good luck!
Inthehillsgrower420
Member
Thank you I’ll have to find a way to lower the light or put them closer and I’ll definitely transplant I didn’t know you could transplant all the way up to the first leaves thanks for the help
Snoopy808
Well-Known Member
They stretched either during the germination stage (papertowel? ) and or as soon as put into soil as the lights were too far away, "reaching, stretching" to get closer to a dim light when compared to the sun. Next time have the lights close and transplant deep in those cups. They can get 6-8 weeks old, in that cup before really needing a bigger pot. But 5-6 weeks is usually the time frame to get strong stems without needing support and 3rd or 4th set of true leaves. You can still transplant it up to the cotyledons at this time too. Any stem below the cotyledons when buried in soil can become roots.
Have a good grow!
Have a good grow!
PadawanWarrior
Well-Known Member
If you can't lower the light, raise the pots. Use a box, empty pot upside down, or whatever to raise those suckers closer. But do it slowly so you don't burn them up.
Inthehillsgrower420
Member
When I put them in the soil when they first came up I had the light about half way turned up and it burnt them pretty bad so from then on I had it turned down all the way and put them closer so they would recover but then they stretched but the they recovered a bit
Inthehillsgrower420
Member
When I turn up the light they seem to get worse and worse by the hour but I’ll try turning it up a bit and check on them every half our till it’s turned up to the right spot
Inthehillsgrower420
Member
If I put them in pots about 4 inches taller and turned up the light a real small amount should they be ok to not burn?
Inthehillsgrower420
Member
And bury the plants to the leaves
Inthehillsgrower420
Member
Also would it be a bad idea to add mykos to their roots when I transplant them?
Snoopy808
Well-Known Member
Try full power but farther distance....? Its the lights causing your stretch.
Seed starts dont burn from lights too close, they rather quickly dry up and die. Small amounts of water. Ive sprouted under 400w hps, 600w and 1000w mh, 12 bulb t5s. Never burned. Even sprouted in full sun and still they can get leggy! Unless they touch the bulbs thats how they get "burnt" If its too hot, fan, ventilation air exchange etc. A fan is a good idea anyways for growth.
Seed starts dont burn from lights too close, they rather quickly dry up and die. Small amounts of water. Ive sprouted under 400w hps, 600w and 1000w mh, 12 bulb t5s. Never burned. Even sprouted in full sun and still they can get leggy! Unless they touch the bulbs thats how they get "burnt" If its too hot, fan, ventilation air exchange etc. A fan is a good idea anyways for growth.
Inthehillsgrower420
Member
I’ll try raising the light and I just transplanted a plant and it’s all off to the side and starting to wilt but I don’t think any roots got torn will it possibly still grow
Inthehillsgrower420
Member
I have a fan also but it only blows upwards
PadawanWarrior
Well-Known Member
1. Don't transplant them yet. It's way too early.
2. When you do transplant you can bury that elongated stem.
3. Go crazy with Mykos when you transplant. You can't really overdo it.
4. For now just slowly increase the light intensity to stop them from stretching.
Snoopy808
Well-Known Member
You will know by tomorrow if it makes it. Its ok if the plant is not centered in the pot. Just try not to damage the stem. Careful! You could dump the cup out gently onto some soil and get just the root ball. The cups soil maynot be settled and firm enough to place it and the small small root and plant into the pot easily.
Inthehillsgrower420
Member
Shit I transplanted 3 already In their same pot I’ll leave them to grow and turn up the light a little bit and lower the plants
Inthehillsgrower420
Member
Hope they grow
