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seeds seedling stem strength?
- Thread starter codykrr
- Start date
Strong light and an oscillating fan running on a timer, 15mins every 2hrs did the trick for me.
Also when transplanting, plant them a little deeper in the soil so that some more of the stem is burried.
When i took my seedlings outside i did however use a skewer and some wire to give them a little extra support.
Big plants get staked with thin bamboo poles.
Also when transplanting, plant them a little deeper in the soil so that some more of the stem is burried.
When i took my seedlings outside i did however use a skewer and some wire to give them a little extra support.
Big plants get staked with thin bamboo poles.
A light breeze from a fan will help to strengthen the stem and is a good idea, but it is more important to give the seedlings as much light as possible to keep the plants from getting leggy. I keep my lights within 2 inches of the plants and have mylar around the sides of the grow box to reflect as much light as possible. Growing the plants in a cooler environment will also help the plants stockier.
jacob
jacob
Agree with the above, though I do not believe a fan is a necessity. Something many growers tend to do is use a fert that has a good percentage of nitrogen in it. This promotes growth, much of it going to the stem. I've found that growing seedlings with a fert such as Tomato-tone that is low in N, and keeping the temps as cool as possible, creates a strong stem.
YMMV,
Mike
YMMV,
Mike
I'm repeating a bit but here's my take:
Keep the plants very close to the light, and keep temps a little on the cooler side, and use a fan for strong plants. Also when potting up, bury the plant a little bit each time you transplant to give it more strength and stability. If you provide a dark period for your plants, make sure it is completely dark or the plants will stretch towards light
Keep the plants very close to the light, and keep temps a little on the cooler side, and use a fan for strong plants. Also when potting up, bury the plant a little bit each time you transplant to give it more strength and stability. If you provide a dark period for your plants, make sure it is completely dark or the plants will stretch towards light
AlabamaJack
Extreme Member
what has been stated before is true, however, IMO the fan (or some kind of mechanical stimulation) is necessary....the cell walls of the stem are "stretched" when the plant moves making the plant "strengthen" the stem...I use a fan 30 minutes twice a day and run it as fast as the plants can stand...I also run my hands across the tops, back and forth to simulate wind outside...when you start hardening off, it is as important to harden off to the wind as it is to harden off for sun and temperature IMO....
seems there is research that verifys mechanical stimulation decreases heighth growth and increases thickness/sturdiness of stems...it is called thigmomorphogenesis
link to one research article abstract....
http://www.jstor.org/pss/1307878
seems there is research that verifys mechanical stimulation decreases heighth growth and increases thickness/sturdiness of stems...it is called thigmomorphogenesis
link to one research article abstract....
http://www.jstor.org/pss/1307878
I never use a fan. My seedlings are grown in my bedroom closet and the only air stimulation they get is when I open the closet door to check on them (about 30 times a day). Whether or not a fan helps a plants stem strength I can't say from experience, but I know that all my seedlings have sturdy stems simply because I let the soil dry out somewhat between waterings. Test it on a couple of plants and see if it works for you.
Interesting article AJ.
Alan
Interesting article AJ.
Alan
