they're in humidity dome, about a week old, not far from top of dome. Using a 35 watt gro lux tube.. would love some help? PLEASE
Give them more light. Stretching is from not enough light. Be sure to transplant into larger containers when the 3-bladed leaves start growing in.
I was told to leave them in the humidity dome for two to three weeks. Is this wrong? Should I put the seedlings down further into the medium when I transplant them? To bury some of the stem? Does this become part of the root? Also, I have a 600 watt metal halide, should I put them under this light now?, and at what height above the seedlings? Cheers
Yeah if they stretch bad like that its a very good thing to do. You should bury up to the bottom of the two round leaves (the first leaves that came out of the seed shell). This will help you out alot. For one thing your plant wont look so lanky, and it also helps keep the plant more stable, healthy, and it just looks better.
What he said^ You are correct in assuming it becomes root mass. It will shorten your plant several inches(over the course of the grow) as well so you can grow it taller. The part of the stem under the cotyledons would continue to grow taller wasting a lot of space if you didn't bury it.
Once the plant has its first set of two leaves take the humidity dome off. As for the stretching..there streching for the light. Move the light closer. Yes you can pack some soil around the seedling to cover some of the stretching when you transplant. Sure you can put them under your MH light. I would not have it close first couple days till your seedlings are transplanted and happy in there new pot. Once they are how close a light gets is alot dependent on your set up. With a MH/HPS you can only have it as close as your cooling allows..they generate alot of heat. http://forum.grasscity.com/attachme...-lights-plants-light_distance_chart_1__1_.jpg
Thank you, Do I need to wean them off the humidity dome, before transplanting? Or just take them out?
Take it off. THe humidity dome really is only there to help aid the transition out of the ground to the 1st set of leafs. When seedlings emerge there fragile. Oviously in nature there is no humidity dome but it gives the seedling some protection. Once it has its first set of leaves and your giving it plenty of light you will have rapid vegetative growth. In 2 weeks you won't believe how fast your little mjers look.
Not a problem everybody starts somewhere where just here to point your and your plants in the right direction
I think I have the same problem, they kinda stretched, so there's about 5-6cm (2-2.5 inches) from the soil to the first set of leaves. Do you guys think I should bury them or just add a bit of soil around the stem?
My bad, my question was: is 5-6 cm an indicator that they stretched? How do you know when they do/don't stretch? I take it it's big enough to be burried? Thanks
Is all good.. It sounds like you're at the same point I am. I would assume so yes, that is what the guys told me.. . Bury some of the stem..