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Middle TN

why oh WHY do my pumpkin sprouts always get so leggy??! I put a fan on them, I keep the grow light an inch from them and STILL they streeeetch their necks out! grrr!
I put the grow light an inch from the plant and in a matter of hours its touching the light fixture. What am I doing wrong?

4/2/2011 9:42:28 PM

[email protected]

Does your starting mix have any fertilizer in it? Too much nitrogen is my guess.

4/2/2011 10:05:01 PM

Buffalo, MN ([email protected])

turning down the heat will help

4/2/2011 11:10:50 PM

all the above, plus:
perhaps the grow light is not powerful enough--i do not know what the wattage of a grow light is but i'll bet it's probably a small assembly, much smaller than the 4-foot-long standard shop-light from the hardware store i would recommend----with one plant/aquarium light in one side and one sunlight-simulating one in the other, suspended with
clothesline rope through screw eyes attached to the ceiling, or in my case the boards above in my basement.
now, the other thing is, (if you don't) you have to have the lights on all the time! you can NOT turn them off and on as if the plants were outside---this would be simulating the real outside world and guess what plants want to do out there...
yes, GROW! see, under 24-7 lighting, the seedlings still take-in all that light energy and put it to good use, but they don't get out of control, it costs nearly nothing for what it accomplishes, and this is all i can recommend. keep the fan on them GENTLY from about 5+ feet away, preferably oscillating. i have had the same lights for a good 5 years and have not had the 'leggy' problem. now, on the other hand, when i meet my next
girlfriend....naaaah, i won't go there, lol----eric

4/2/2011 11:32:34 PM

N.e. Ct.

pumpkinpal2 I was always told the plants need dark time to rest. Although light 24/7 may accomplish what you say, I beleave it will stess them in other ways. not really sure.

4/3/2011 12:33:45 AM

N.e. Ct.

Tammy there are many factors that effect your concern.
Amount- spectrum and length of light, nutrients, humidity, co2, air movement, genetics. None of them stand alone they all act on each other. Your enviroment is unique to you.
I beleave nitrgen is your biggest factor to much is known to make young plants leggy.

4/3/2011 12:48:51 AM

oh, i am sure there is a light and dark cycle.

rest? plants take-in the sun during the day and
put-up with the stresses of dehydration, overheating and
insect and disease attacks. they do not just shut-down and say to hell with it at night as we sleeping humans have to. if my suggestion solves her problem or anyone's problem of leggy seedlings, then i have done what i wanted to do, help someone out. if you ever have leggy seedlings, maybe what i have said will help you. if you do not ever have leggy seedlings, then whatever you do for your seedlings that they don't become leggy is of interest to everyone, including me----you'll have to pardon my 'tone'...
i do not frequent this site as much anymore because of my argumentative nature....because no one takes my advice. EG

4/3/2011 12:54:21 AM

Owensboro, Ky.

Tammy, what did you use for seed starting medium? Peace, Wayne

4/3/2011 2:58:02 AM

Johnston, R.I.

I put my plants out in a cold frame in the yard once they have sprouted and bring them in at night.. Never had a problem yet..

4/3/2011 3:31:05 AM

Georgetown, Ontario

If you also keep a fan blowing lightly on them (enough to keep the leaves fluttering a bit) this will help keep them short and stocky.

4/3/2011 7:20:00 AM

Bethlehem CT

You won't have problems from leaving the light on 24/7, only nicer plants. Think about how fast the stuff grows in Alaska with daylight nearly all the time.

4/3/2011 7:30:57 AM

nOVA sCOTIA

I get them into direct sunlight as soon as possible.

4/3/2011 9:02:27 AM

Kentucky, U.S.A.

Tammy,I tested on one of your 740s along with three others. The 740 was the leggiest one of the bunch! If that helps? BSD,David

4/3/2011 10:02:39 AM

Middle TN

Advice by definition is an opinion. We're all here to learn and having different opinions and processes is how we learn. If we all did the same things all the time we'd never learn anything new :)

I changed my starting medium because I had the same problem last year. Last year I used the cheapest of the cheap of seed starter from walmart and added Myco. This year I got miracle grow seed starter. (please dont kick me off BP for that) lol

How soon can I put them in the hoop house? Dont I have to at least wait for the first true leaf so I'll know which direction to plant? We are expecting some nice weather today. I'm gonna sit it outside for a bit.

4/3/2011 10:20:10 AM

Middle TN

David, Im growing a different seed so I think its something Im doing wrong. Although that could explain why mine were so leggy last year. Maybe the 740 picked up on me being so short and is trying to make up for it! lol

4/3/2011 10:58:15 AM

Minnesota

Becoming leggy can also be a hormonal response in the seed, too much gibberellin, i cut half the cots off when this happens sometimes all of the cots. if you light is weak........thats ok, leave it on for 24/7, never turn the light off. Like bill said, too warm, heat promotes cell division. Start with a 12 degree negative diff. and i think you will be fine for the others you start. its too late for the seedlings that are leggy, find a deeper pot and fill with soil right up to the cotyledons, legginess dont hurt if the plant dont fall over and break stem.

hope this helps.........

4/3/2011 11:39:25 AM

[email protected]

I'd guess there is Miracle Grow in the Miracle Grow seed starter and that is the reason for your leggy seedlings.

4/3/2011 12:41:49 PM

Lloydminster/AB

I would think the light is too dim. I had to overdrive my fluorescent bulbs to get them bright enough. Most fluorescent bulbs are under driven now to promote energy efficiency. I'm not going to say how to do it because google will tell you how. It does work though and my plants look much better even though the light is farther away. Highly recommended by me.

4/3/2011 12:54:15 PM

Mill Bay, British Columbia

Tammy, how many days in the pot under lights? Any more than a few days under lights and they are going to get leggy. I only have mine under lights a couple of days, and like Norm, but them in the hoophouse as soon as possible.

http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=128937

http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=103193

4/3/2011 12:54:30 PM

Muddy Waters

Are you using bottom heat?once they germ no bottom or side heat only room temp.

4/3/2011 1:37:46 PM

milford, CT,

I agree with the cold-frame bring them in at night(no heat) routine.

Since I started doing that they stay short and stocky. BEWARE..don't get greedy and put them in direct sunlight too quickly..slowly acclimate to direct sun.. Mark

4/3/2011 3:07:56 PM

Middle TN

I turned off all the heat once it sprouted, its at room temp about 73 degrees. I put the grow light on it as soon as the seed coat came off. (Apr 1st) I put it outside today but only left it in direct sun for a little bit the rest of the day its been in the shade. I piled soil (not MG starter mix) around the stem up to its little seed leaf ears haha I believe with my next seeds I'll go back to the plain stuff with a lil Myco mixed in.

with the cold frame method what temp do you keep your cold frame during the day?

4/3/2011 3:30:02 PM

Muddy Waters

Ive never had a problem setting them out as seedlings,Suns not that strong here in april early May.I will keep that in mind though,They did wilt 1 year,I thought it was to much fertility,maybe not.

4/3/2011 3:53:54 PM

Nikiski, Alaska 99635

To weak of light source and possibly the wrong spectrum with warm ideal growing conditions will cause extreme legginess. As soon as I get germination I will transplant young seedling from its 4 inch peat into a 7 gallon container. From there it goes under a 1000 watt metal halide grow light set on a timer 16 hours on 8 off with a broad spectrum grow light, with heaviest amounts oriented in the ultraviolet and visible light range, with the smallest amount in the infared range. Light source is placed 38 to 40 inches above the surface of the pot. This will produce a very stocky young plant. Generally I do this only 2 to 3 days then it is out into the hoophouse outside. Now on the other hand if I used only an infared/heat lamp as a light source that would produce an extremely leggy plant. I have done this on test seeds in the past just to test the effect of different light sources on plants. Overall it will help if the temperature comes down during the evening hours to match the lowlight conditions, that will help slowdown the plant from growing when the light is dim.

4/3/2011 4:08:31 PM

Sharon, MA

Put them in the garage or down stairs at night, to keep them cool. The 0-2 week old sprouts will get real leggy if you keep them under a light and hot 24/7.
-Steve

4/6/2011 5:07:41 PM

Muddy Waters

I agree pumpconn

4/6/2011 6:54:03 PM

Bethlehem CT

I am sorry if I misguided anyone, Real light will always beat out a flourescent tube in it's strength and fullness of spectrum. I was talking about ordinary flourescents when I said 24-7 light.

4/10/2011 8:40:24 AM