So its been about a week and I thought I better post an update, everything is doing well and plants are looking healthy. Seeing some good growth as well.
I took a few pictures of my best plant and a little mystery seedling who popped up the other day and I have a couple questions on both.
This guy is looking very bushy, and new leaves popping out of everywhere(It really exploded when I added the fertilizer to the soil). It is reaching a bit for the light, but the picture doesn't really tell the whole story because the other side is much more relaxed, so I rotated it today. Should I just let it keep going like this? or should I prune it at all?
View from the top. It is continuously sprouting these new "buds" and I'm starting to get new branches from healthy leaves at the top. I did a lot of poking around for pictures before I would ask this question, but are these the "buds" that I should be pinching off? or is it too early for that yet? Everything seems so healthy I really don't want to mess with it.
Here is my mystery seedling, not the big guy on the right, but the tiny set of leaves on that tiny little stem just to the left. The camera doesn't like to focus on tiny things so it is a little blurry. I don't think it would make sense to ask what it is quite yet, but it just caught me off guard. It is much much smaller than any sprouts I had when everything was just starting to pop up, so I was thinking it must be something different. I've got another one just like it in a different cup. I'm probably going to keep them growing and figure out what they are, but if anyone has an idea let me know!
I didn't take any pictures of the other seedlings yet. They are doing fine and some have a third set of leaves coming in. I'll probably wait until they really shoot off or I plant them outside. Thanks for looking!
Looking good. Watch the temps with the foil it helps to redirect light, but also can get hot. You should also put a small fan for air circulation which helps keep the plants cool and builds nice thick stalks which will help once they are ready to go outside.
Yep I second LGHT, lookin good! You can tell how them leaves are laying more down that they ain't having to strain for the Light...
Good point about the fan, nothing real high circulation, something on low like one of those cheap desktop fans that oscillate. It will more then likely dry out the top part of the soil quicker but just compensate and keep an eye on it. Like muscle the plants build stronger fibers in the stalk. If that foil gets to be a PIA go check out a local grow shop, some have that reflective mylar on a roll and you cut off as much as u want and they sell it by the foot. Maybe you could fabricate something you could pin up or roll up for access when you want that is a lil more durable.
Anyway good job my friend and thanx for the post :}
Thanks for the advice guys, the lights don't generate much heat at all and the basement is somewhat cool. I added a fan to the area for a little circulation. So far the foil hasn't bothered me much, the lights are all on a timer and I only water about every 3 days. I'll be sure to keep posting on this thread through the summer and into winter if I decide to bring a few plants back inside.