Is this normal?
- Thread starter MX450
- Start date
chopper260
Active Member
yeah move the lights closer
I assume you are using CFLs. The first stage of stem development is crucial and will help shape the plant. You dont want it to be all spindly and unable to support its own weight later on. I recommend two options:
1. You could repot them in a larger, taller pot and bury the plant in soil up to 1 inch away from the set of Cotyledons. Then you could put the light 1-3 inches away much easier because all the plants will be the same size. This will also allow that entire stem, now buried, to produce more roots.
2. Or, you could hold the plant up with a tomato plant holder (I use extra long kabob skewers). I dont recommend this because there are no grow points along the stem and its pointless to have that much exposed before the first set of leaves.
Let me know how it goes
1. You could repot them in a larger, taller pot and bury the plant in soil up to 1 inch away from the set of Cotyledons. Then you could put the light 1-3 inches away much easier because all the plants will be the same size. This will also allow that entire stem, now buried, to produce more roots.
2. Or, you could hold the plant up with a tomato plant holder (I use extra long kabob skewers). I dont recommend this because there are no grow points along the stem and its pointless to have that much exposed before the first set of leaves.
Let me know how it goes
darkdestruction420
Well-Known Member
you need a fan in your grow area, your lights are too far away, like they said transplant them and re-bury em up to where the bottom leaves are 2-3 cm from the soil.cfls should be 1-3 inches away, fluorescents should be a few cm away
MX450
Well-Known Member
Ok they are repotted in a 4in. pot now as for water. I have them on a timer am watering 1 time a day at 8am for 5 minutes on a drip system at full drip(45 drops per minute).Do I need to up the water? The water comes from an open top 1 gallon jug with a PH of 6.3, this acts as my room humidifier as well(currently at 30%) and I do have a small ocelating fan on the plants set to LOW.
the new plants stretch for more light much like sunflowers follow the sun all over the sky.
MX450
Well-Known Member
I took all the advice and I bought different lighting that puts out 1650 Lumens...I dropped the lights and kicked a fan on low. I have them on a 17 hr light/ fan and 7 hr no light/ no fan cycle. the room in constantly in the 70's with 30-34% humidity... They still get watered at 8am now for 7 minutes from 2 hoses on a drip system from the same galon jug set up. Look what they did in just 10 days... what are your thoughts? What can I do better or diffrently? Thanks
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MX
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MX
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darkdestruction420
Well-Known Member
looks healthy, why have any dark period though? the plant stretches as its form of growth during the dark mostly and with cfls you want them as short and bushy as possible, you will need to add more light soon and alot more when it comes flowering time. keep the fan on 24/7, the plant still needs to breathe even though its dark.
MX450
Well-Known Member
ok adding one more CFL today and will take the timer off and run power strip straight in the wall. What about water consumption, will i need to add additional watering times with the constant light? The water output now is 110 drops per minute on a 7 minute cycle with a dripper hose so its roughly 4 ounces of water per day. I also replaced the ocelating fax with a 1.5 gallon cool air humidifier/fan that blows directly on the plants. Was this a good idea? as it is humidifying distilled water. Also these plants are starting to smell like Weed, just noticed it today. Thoughts?ThanksMX
jordisgarden
Well-Known Member
with seedlings you dont need a 1000watt hps lamp. all you need is a floro compact and leave it 2 inches from the top of your seedling and it will work fine. now when your at 3 or 4 fan leafs youll want to up the light power to an hps. your seedling stretched hard core
chopper260
Active Member
you don't need to switch to an hps, flouros are just fine, granted hps would be ideal its not necessary, your plants are lookin good a lot better than they did keep it up
darkdestruction420
Well-Known Member
all is well, just needs time to grow now, which can seem like forever. lol
chronichaze
Well-Known Member
I think watering them everyday for 7 minutes seem a bit too much. You should only water them when they are dry. They do not like to be moist all the time. You should set up your drip system soo it waters them whenever they dry. My plants take 2 to 3 days for them to be dry
MX450
Well-Known Member
Ok so I upgraded the lighting. Walmart of all places had a sale on the Stainless Steel Shop Light in the 4ft variety that holds 2 lights for about $9.00. I found the 4ft lights $6.84 ea. that were from GE that the specs say the light output is 1900 Lumens/ 40 watts/ cri 90these are the F40T12 bulbs specifically made for plant growth. these lights differ from the others becasue they emit really high far-red radiation which promotes growth and flowering of plants. The water was cut down to tu/ thur/ sa. on a digi timer. Here are some pictures of my new setup.
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LifeGiver
Member
MX450, excellent job getting your babies off to the right start. A couple of pointers that may be helpful.
As others have advised, bright light is important to developing seedlings (especially to prevent stretch and fill the leaves out well) but you must be careful not to overdo it. A bright HPS light will give seedlings the light they need and then some, sometimes over-heating and over-drying the tender seedlings. Fluorescent lights can give the light needed at a much closer distance and with less wasted light being thrown off to the sides.
Excess humidity during the seedling stage can cause the stem to stretch excessively as well, but I wouldn't predict that as the cause of your stretching since your humidity is actually somewhat low.
The yellow spots could... don't quote me here... could be because the plants have been pulling too much from the soil due to the low humidity, causing a mild nute burn. What happens is that the water being pulled up from the roots evaporates from the leaves, leaving behind any dissolved minerals that were allowed through the roots. Since lower humidity allows faster evaporation, the plant could be moving more nutes than it needs, causing mild nutrient burn.
The spots aren't very advanced yet, but they look like they could be either nutrient burn or pH fluctuation symptoms. You could try increasing the surface area available for evaporation from your 'standing water' humidifier by pouring it into a dish or pan. Just make sure not to let the plants sit in standing water or the roots could drown and die.
Lastly, if you strive to grow bushier shorter plants to put into flowering, lights with a dominance in the higher energy blue end of the spectrum will help you achieve this better. While some red light is necessary for healthy growth, and necessary for flowering, daylight tubes supply more blue light that encourages stout vegetative growth.
Your plants look beautiful, keep taking such good care of them and they will soon reward you.
As others have advised, bright light is important to developing seedlings (especially to prevent stretch and fill the leaves out well) but you must be careful not to overdo it. A bright HPS light will give seedlings the light they need and then some, sometimes over-heating and over-drying the tender seedlings. Fluorescent lights can give the light needed at a much closer distance and with less wasted light being thrown off to the sides.
Excess humidity during the seedling stage can cause the stem to stretch excessively as well, but I wouldn't predict that as the cause of your stretching since your humidity is actually somewhat low.
The yellow spots could... don't quote me here... could be because the plants have been pulling too much from the soil due to the low humidity, causing a mild nute burn. What happens is that the water being pulled up from the roots evaporates from the leaves, leaving behind any dissolved minerals that were allowed through the roots. Since lower humidity allows faster evaporation, the plant could be moving more nutes than it needs, causing mild nutrient burn.
The spots aren't very advanced yet, but they look like they could be either nutrient burn or pH fluctuation symptoms. You could try increasing the surface area available for evaporation from your 'standing water' humidifier by pouring it into a dish or pan. Just make sure not to let the plants sit in standing water or the roots could drown and die.
Lastly, if you strive to grow bushier shorter plants to put into flowering, lights with a dominance in the higher energy blue end of the spectrum will help you achieve this better. While some red light is necessary for healthy growth, and necessary for flowering, daylight tubes supply more blue light that encourages stout vegetative growth.
Your plants look beautiful, keep taking such good care of them and they will soon reward you.