stoopy
Well-Known Member
I think that there are a lot of people out there who are still rather confused about how to do this correctly without stressing or shocking your plants, I’ve heard the shade technique and several others but the most important factor is getting your babies into a routine beforehand, that way when you put them out they are a lot less stressed out.
Here’s how I do it:
Germination indoors on 18/6 under T8 Compact Fluorescent bulbs meant for aquarium plants/corals
Looks like a lot of you do pretty well with those CFLs so those are fine but better off with a nice 250/400w MH
If it’s sunny out put your plants in the direct sunlight! Save some energy and give direct sunlight even to hour old seedlings, it will not harm them! Put them on the windowsill or wherever, the more direct sun they get right away the better they’ll grow right off the bat and they’ll already be used to the sun’s rays.
Don’t mess up your cycle, maintain your light cycle the same everyday, I do 18/06 from 08:00 to 02:00 then I put them on my balcony which faces east from 02:00 to 08:00 so the natural sunlight wakes them and then get used to the cold at night, I do this cycle every day until they’re ready to go out.
The trick to acclimation outdoors is to pre-acclimate them beforehand! You can’t take a wimpy seedling that’s been under a low wattage CFL in some newby’s closet and expect it to not have problems with UV rays and temperatures.
I say direct sunlight ASAP! Stick ‘em out in the rain here and there if you can.
Any comments shall be appreciated.
Attached is a link from last year’s grow with detailed pictures of the above technique, used it this year also, my ladies have been out since early April
https://www.rollitup.org/outdoor-growing/177902-germination-acclimation-station-germinator-1.html
Here’s how I do it:
Germination indoors on 18/6 under T8 Compact Fluorescent bulbs meant for aquarium plants/corals
Looks like a lot of you do pretty well with those CFLs so those are fine but better off with a nice 250/400w MH
If it’s sunny out put your plants in the direct sunlight! Save some energy and give direct sunlight even to hour old seedlings, it will not harm them! Put them on the windowsill or wherever, the more direct sun they get right away the better they’ll grow right off the bat and they’ll already be used to the sun’s rays.
Don’t mess up your cycle, maintain your light cycle the same everyday, I do 18/06 from 08:00 to 02:00 then I put them on my balcony which faces east from 02:00 to 08:00 so the natural sunlight wakes them and then get used to the cold at night, I do this cycle every day until they’re ready to go out.
The trick to acclimation outdoors is to pre-acclimate them beforehand! You can’t take a wimpy seedling that’s been under a low wattage CFL in some newby’s closet and expect it to not have problems with UV rays and temperatures.
I say direct sunlight ASAP! Stick ‘em out in the rain here and there if you can.
Any comments shall be appreciated.
Attached is a link from last year’s grow with detailed pictures of the above technique, used it this year also, my ladies have been out since early April
https://www.rollitup.org/outdoor-growing/177902-germination-acclimation-station-germinator-1.html
