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A lil' Dilemma...

I have had some of my seeds sprout in their germination bin, and I know that I am supposed to give them light immediately. However, I also know better than to pot up before the true/real leaves have shown, so what do I do?

I cannot get lighting into the germination bin, as it's sealed for humidity retention, so that's out...:(
 
well, they either will get light or they will get very leggy...I dont' have a solution for you..
 
OK, AJ - let me ask then:

How soon after sprouting are the lights essential? (mine are at 1-2")ie When do they need the lighting more than they need the sealed chamber?

Can I pot up before the true leaves appear?
 
i'm assuing your germination bin is not transparent? i've seen some people remove the lid altogether, hang a light over their bin, and put individual caps, usually homemade, over individual squares that have not sprouted yet, there doesn't need to be a seal, as long as the squares are covered, they'll stay humid, and that way your sprouts can get light at the same time....once they're all sprouted, you can start transplanting one at a time as they get their true leaves
 
or just get one big transparent lid....even plastic wrap will work fine, that way they stay humid and get light at the same time
 
tough call huntsman...I can't answer your questions because I have a totally different set up than you do...

IMO If you are very very careful with the seedlings that are up, you could try putting them in a small container like a 9 ounce cup and then put them under light...they need light as soon as they start to come thru the soil...and if no one has said anything about using a fan...blow a gentle breeze across the seedlings to make them "sway in the breeze"...this will strengthen the stems...

Again, IMO, a sealed container to keep moisture in is asking for trouble...mold and damping off....but that is another subject...
 
Listen to AJ. The seedlings MUST have light. I planted some Jalapenos in May as a bit of a trial run and I made the mistake of not getting light on them soon enough. I thought I should wait until the hook straightened out and showed it's leaves but the hook just kept on growing. By the time they straightened out I had 3 inch long seedlings. They were very leggy and I buried them deep when I potted them up. After a week or two I topped up the soil in the pots too but they're still looking quite slender and need support. The Afghan Longs that popped up after the light was above them are, by comparison, doing great. Thick healthy stems and they can take a right beating with the fan. If you don't give them light you will regret it.
 
Thanks fellas ~

The sealed bin is doing the same job as the plastic wrap option, AJ - keeping the soil/seeds warm and moist until germination, and I need the bin to help retain heat, as I cannot raise the temps in the room too much. The problem of course comes after germination...

What about lifting the seeding trays out of the bin entirely, and dropping lights down on the two trays of seeds, which I could put on heating pads?

Plastic wrap won't work now, hotenuff4u...I have another seeding tray below the first one...LOL! So light won't reach both...

How long after sprouting should I introduce light? Instantly?
 
Here's a pic of the worst of the Jalapenos. This one was probably buried about an inch and a half all up:

007.jpg


Compare this to the Afghan Long, which hasn't been buried at all:

008.jpg
 
SeeYouJimmy said:
Listen to AJ. The seedlings MUST have light. I planted some Jalapenos in May as a bit of a trial run and I made the mistake of not getting light on them soon enough. I thought I should wait until the hook straightened out and showed it's leaves but the hook just kept on growing. By the time they straightened out I had 3 inch long seedlings. They were very leggy and I buried them deep when I potted them up. After a week or two I topped up the soil in the pots too but they're still looking quite slender and need support. The Afghan Longs that popped up after the light was above them are, by comparison, doing great. Thick healthy stems and they can take a right beating with the fan. If you don't give them light you will regret it.

Sorry, SYJ -

I missed this post before making a reply...

I'm convinced, but just need to figure out HOW to sort this out. Thanks, man!
 
huntsman said:
How long after sprouting should I introduce light? Instantly?

Yes, ASAP. Light is way more important than high humidity, as AJ said humid stagnant air is asking for all kinds of trouble. This is why I plant in tiny cups instead of trays - it makes it easy to move the seedlings as they appear. (Easy to do if you only plant 50-60 seeds each year and keep maybe 20-30 plants...;) )
 
OK, I've sent the wife to remove the lid and place the grow lights on the lip of the bin. The tray below must fend for itself...

Thank God for a good woman!


OH BTW -

Can I pot up before the true leaves appear? In an emergency such as this?
 
huntsman said:
Can I pot up before the true leaves appear? In an emergency such as this?

Didn't Aj already answer this? You can if you are careful, you don't want to damage the little root.
 
When I germinate in a paper-towel, I transplant to cells or small pots as soon as seeds germinate and immediately put them close to floro lights. No need to wait for true leaves in my opinion
 
MrArboc said:
Didn't Aj already answer this? You can if you are careful, you don't want to damage the little root.

He did indeed, - I'm afraid I missed part of his post and the one of SeeYouJimmy in my eagerness to post! (Former n00b mistake, I fear!) ;):lol:

Looks like Doctor huntsman will be operating all of tomorrow morning on potting into plastic cups, which I fortunately have on stand-by!

Thanks, POTAWIE - I tried the wet kitchen paper method as well, so I'm glad to read that! :)
 
Just take it easy. Breathe through your nose. Be calm.

This is not rocket sciense, the only thing you really need is common sense. It's only if you start to make it a sience it gets difficult and you have to supplement this and that and stop using that and this. Common sense, good soil and a good summer is what you want;)
 
OK, like Arboc said, just chill. Plants have been growing for millions of years. You can do this.

I say just take the lid off your germination box. When my first seedlings popped up, I also had a tray full of inseperable cells full of other seeds on a heat mat. I just took the lid off the germination chamber and set the whole tray under my lights, and had to watch more carefully to make sure the soil stayed moist. As long as you keep that heat mat under the cell tray, the soil will still stay warmer than the surrounding air. And remember, the heat isn't 100% necessary for germination, but it does speed up the process.

Not to further confuse you, but rather than risk killing a seedling, I'd just unlid that box of yours, and get some light on those little babies! What kind of lights did you end up getting? If they're CFLs on clamp-style shop lights, you could just clamp one to the side of the box to get it closer to the seedlings. If they're too large, and are long like flourescent tubes, you could just take that seedling tray out, put the heat mat under it, and slide the whole business under the lights.

You can do this man!
 
MrArboc said:
Just take it easy. Breathe through your nose. Be calm.

Mwahahaha! You read me like a book, my friend!

MrArboc said:
This is not rocket sciense, the only thing you really need is common sense. It's only if you start to make it a sience it gets difficult and you have to supplement this and that and stop using that and this. Common sense, good soil and a good summer is what you want;)

Gotcha, thanks! :lol:;)

FiveStar said:
OK, like Arboc said, just chill. Plants have been growing for millions of years. You can do this.

I say just take the lid off your germination box. When my first seedlings popped up, I also had a tray full of inseperable cells full of other seeds on a heat mat. I just took the lid off the germination chamber and set the whole tray under my lights, and had to watch more carefully to make sure the soil stayed moist. As long as you keep that heat mat under the cell tray, the soil will still stay warmer than the surrounding air. And remember, the heat isn't 100% necessary for germination, but it does speed up the process.

Not to further confuse you, but rather than risk killing a seedling, I'd just unlid that box of yours, and get some light on those little babies! What kind of lights did you end up getting? If they're CFLs on clamp-style shop lights, you could just clamp one to the side of the box to get it closer to the seedlings. If they're too large, and are long like flourescent tubes, you could just take that seedling tray out, put the heat mat under it, and slide the whole business under the lights.

You can do this man!

Thanks FS!

We have (my trusty wife has!) removed both seedling trays entirely, and placed them on a small work table very close to and above one of the oil heaters that is heating my wooden hut.

The two cool tubes are resting on supports an inch above the sprouts which have been sprayed.

I have had a coffee and feel much better!

Thanks, fellas!
 
Last year my seed tray was tipped and dumped into the floor and the sprouts only had seed leaves. After digging and sifting through the medium for the seedlings and potting them into 16 oz cups I still managed to save over 75% of the little guys.
 
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