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Powhatan,virginia

i tested some seeds in a coleman cooler and used a grow light covered with seran wrap an kept a temp of 80 degrees all seeds came up in 3 days then they started reaching for the grow light so i moved themm up closer to the light and they kept growing up how do i keep them shorter while waiting for the first true leaf to set them out

3/31/2008 8:01:11 PM

South Bloomfield, Ohio

To prevent "legginess", use a 25-40 watt standard fluorescent lamp as your light source. Keep it within 3" of your plants.

I prefer to "harden off" my starts as soon as they pop by placing them outside during the day and inside at night(as long as it's not TOO cool outside). This also prevents "legginess".

3/31/2008 8:16:29 PM

Ohio

great advice there Joe. I use a 4 tube fluorescent light source that I got from a office building they was tearing down, and all 4 of the fluorescent tube lights still worked.

Joe, I notice on my lights that they are just barely warm to the touch when on, could the ones I be using be the 25-40 watt bulbs because they dont get that hot?

4/1/2008 4:13:10 AM

South Bloomfield, Ohio

Bulbs should be marked Brooks. Barely warm is good.

4/1/2008 4:38:24 AM

Ohio

Thanks Joe, I looked on my lights for the watts but cant seem to find it, lights come with the set up when the office was gutted,lol, Ill make sure when one blows out to go with the 25-40. Thanks a lot.

Brooks

4/2/2008 4:45:03 AM

Brooks if those are older light bulbs it may be worth replacing them - the quality of light they give off deteriorates over time. The standard size tubes are available in a variety of color spectrums at different price points. If they're the smaller ones (T8 size I think) you won't have as many color options.

4/2/2008 6:45:47 PM

'pal2 method:
two fixtures, each with two 40-watt flourescent bulbs in each, lowerable and raiseable to accomodate a 1-inch
distance between them and the tops of the leaves.
the bulbs are a combination of: 1-grow-lite and
1-full-spectrum bulb that simulates sunlight, one of each in each fixture. so what if they cost a little more if you want nice seedlings.

i leave my lights on 24-7 which may surprise most people,
but the only reason to have them on in the first place is to keep the plants at-bay until the planting sites are ready, right? so, the stockier and sturdier the better, and this is what giving your plants a lot of light will do.

last couple of years, i have used 4-inch peat pots with holes (3/8-inch) punched plentifully into them.
especially once i see roots coming-out through the holes i
place the peat pots into quart, i think, Ziploc bags to allow the roots to protrude without drying out, as i do have a fan gently blowing on the whole arrangement to keep the plants from being susceptible to fungus aside from the
Mycorrhizae in the seed-starting mix. eric g

4/2/2008 6:57:29 PM