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How early can I start?

drdextrose

drdextrose

So I was tossing around some ideas about next year's grow, and I think that I've got my heart set on using a 4-6 lamp T5HO (54 watts/lamp) next year.

I think I want to run 8 varieties, mostly anuums, with as many plants as I can cram in there. My main concern though, would be vertical space and light penetration.

If I strategically employ training and topping, how early (what month) do you think I could get away with planting those seeds?

My plant out date is May 30th.
 
If your going to be only planting Anuums then February would be the best time to start from seed.... That will give you three full months if something goes wrong, and then you have time to start over again... By plant out time your plants will be of size to be put out in the garden..
 
Portuge said:
If your going to be only planting Anuums then February would be the best time to start from seed.... That will give you three full months if something goes wrong, and then you have time to start over again... By plant out time your plants will be of size to be put out in the garden..
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I understand the part if something goes wrong but what if it don't and they out grow that light. I think it would depend on how many he wants to grow, how often and what he feeds and what size containers are going to be used. Hell i have C Chinese that were planted around that time that are almost 2 ft tall. The thing is that i have others planted the same time that weren't potted up and there small and manageable. It really maters on a lot of things. If you end needing more light buy another one and you will know your limits for the next year. So many factors in there and you have to remember anuums grow way faster than Chinese. If you didn't go crazy and potted your plants into bigger containers you could have pods setting easily in a little over 2 months.

That's just my take. Quote me if I'm wrong
 
Started all of mine Jan 31 with a outside date of June 1st.
6 tube t5ho and 4 flats of plants. (50+)
Should have waited till Feb 28th.
2' tall or better in 3.5" pots, having to use hydro ferts every other drowning--from full trays of water to drooping evey 2 days.
Had to buy a "portable greenhouse" 10'x7'x6' tall to get them out next week, and rushing around trying to find a portable heater to keep them from freezing.
Snowed last week.
But I did sprout them in an aerogarden starter, so they *may* be a bit further ahead than those who started in dirt.
 
Keep in mind also that annuums don't usually get nearly as large as chinenses do. Foot and a half to two feet tall when fully mature, usually. Check out CCN's website (chileplants.com) as they list average height and width measures for each variety they sell.
 
i see lots of questions on when can i and when is to late. not being a jerk,but serious. why cant you just start 5 plants all the time year around and figure out what you can do and what is just a waste of time. i only say this because you will never get a real answer here you will get what other people do and just because they screwed something up one time now they say "these are the rules". my response should not offened anyone!! so my response is start a few every month and see what happens?
 
Hey guys, thanks for the replies.
In this case, I might be considering quality over quantity. I don't think I'd have room for 50+ plants unless I rented out a garden plot. I'd rather have fewer, larger plants.

Sicman, your method sounds smart, but the drawback I see is that with the fluorescents you'd want your plants right up against the bulbs. That wouldn't be easy when one plant is one foot tall and the other one is just cotyledons.

Gotrox: Two feet in two months sounds intense! But I understand that the T5HO are capable of completely sustaining whatever plants they can cover, right through flowering and fruiting. Your problem was horizontal space with the pots, right?

My big goal is to get some peppers as early in summer as possible. That's why I'm opting for mostly annuum varieties. Might it be feasible to have a handful of early-fruiting-size monsters for plantout with such a light?
 
i dig what you saying,and i like it :dance:

i still would start 5 plants every month and do diffrent things to them trying to make them live? i do it with atleast a 100 every month. i realize not ever one has the space for that. point is everyone has the room to germ 5 plants every month. just try it most will die but you will learn,and teach yourself magic knowledge :onfire: :onfire: good luck with what ever you decide :cheers:
 
sicman said:
i dig what you saying,and i like it :dance:

i still would start 5 plants every month and do diffrent things to them trying to make them live? i do it with atleast a 100 every month. i realize not ever one has the space for that. point is everyone has the room to germ 5 plants every month. just try it most will die but you will learn,and teach yourself magic knowledge :onfire: :onfire: good luck with what ever you decide :cheers:
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That's a great idea! I was going to start a few here soon as i can plant out and try and have some monsters for next spring but i didn't think about the magic knowledge I'll learn. Lol
 
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