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Ok I have a problem

andy999

andy999

Problem
I live in Michigan and I started peppers on Feb -9-08,
now they have four leaves and some were repoted into 9oz cups,
It will take another 2,5 months before I will be able to plant them outside (or even a little more). I already have about 50 cups and additional 4 trays with 72 seedlings-I'm in a big trouble,I will run out of available space .
I'm lowering temp in my basement -hopefully this will slow them down a little,right now I have approx 71 F in my basement,

I don't think shorter daylight(cutting fluorescent lights will help??)
Any other ideas?
Even bigger problem is that I only have 7 elevated beds
4 ft X 8ft
and additional 3 beds will be constructed in April/March
 
Get the lights higher. not far enough will make them grow funny.
Sure they'll get bright green, but they'll live and stop growing. a good dose of light will make them grow again.
BTW, you won't need to water them as often, too...
 
?! dont put your light higher , if you do , you plant will be leggy tall and not healty ... if you whant to keep you plant small just keep them in smallest pot possible and try to feed them just when the leaf are down ....you also can cut the main branch to stop them to grow .... this work cause I have in my grow room 4 plant in 8 inch pot ,that I cut at 30 inch and they grow really slowly than befor , and I have a naga plant as old as my 4 other that I keep in a 3 inch pot and water it only when the leaf ar down and the naga realy REALY slow ...it is maybe 3 inch tall ..
 
QuebecFire said:
?! dont put your light higher , if you do , you plant will be leggy tall and not healty ... if you whant to keep you plant small just keep them in smallest pot possible and try to feed them just when the leaf are down ....you also can cut the main branch to stop them to grow .... this work cause I have in my grow room 4 plant in 8 inch pot ,that I cut at 30 inch and they grow really slowly than befor , and I have a naga plant as old as my 4 other that I keep in a 3 inch pot and water it only when the leaf ar down and the naga realy REALY slow ...it is maybe 3 inch tall ..
Click to expand...

That is why I emphasised the fact it should be really far away, or they'll try to reach it.
I did a lot of experimenting regarding this subject... I'll look for some of the pictures I've taken.
In perfect conditions I was able to preserve size (height and width) for about 2-3 months, and they did seem to keep growing once the conditions were improved.
 
Ha! found some... grown with as little light as possible.
dsc00398ou0.jpg

I know they look lame, but here's 3 months later!
dsc00440qk4.jpg

The big one started getting real light about a week before the picture was taken.
 
both work. the light thing is the same logic as to why houseplants pretty much stay the same size and take years to get big, they don't get leggy cuz they never try to get bigger. the small pot thing works ridiculously well too, i started two cr habs on the same day and they've been getting the same everything just one is in a four inch square pot and the other is in a round three inch pot and the size difference is incredible, i wish i had a digital camera to show you cuz it's hilarious.
 
So far we have the following growth control factors
1- light
2-temp
Now by lowering temp I will definitely lower the growth of my peppers
But the light argument is kinda fuzzy to me.
Les light should create leggy,spindly plant- is this correct???
Or les light lower slower growth ???
How about water factor what is I will keep them a Little on the dry side?
I don't wont to cause any damage to my plants!!
How about controlling food-fertilizer???
Any opinions and experience.
What do you guys are doing in April when plants are big and there is still 1 more month before plants going outside???
 
if the light is close enough that they still try to grow then yes they will get leggy, but if the light is farther but still there they'll live just stop growing... well, grow really really slow. use as little nitrogen as you're capable of, a little is ok cuz it'll stop them from being deficient. waterwise they actually like it a little dry so you should probably do that regardless. plus don't ever pot up, when you transplant just finger comb the roots a little (but carefully so you don't break too many). how big is a nine ounce cup btw? somebody tell me in terms of ml or take-out coffee sizes...
 
Well Andy, there's a thing called "photosynthesis". this is how plants get the energy they need to grow. stopping this process will kill them, but restricting the factors will slow it down.
Giving the plants small doses of light will do it, just that one of the qualities plants have is surviving. meaning they'll all that's possible to survive, including reaching for the lights.
The trick is to get the lights far enough for the plants to ignore them, and not too far for them to stay alive.
Because of the almost non-existing growing, they will need fewer watering and almost no fertilizer at all.
 
Omri said:
Well Andy, there's a thing called "photosynthesis". this is how plants get the energy they need to grow. stopping this process will kill them, but restricting the factors will slow it down.
Giving the plants small doses of light will do it, just that one of the qualities plants have is surviving. meaning they'll all that's possible to survive, including reaching for the lights.
The trick is to get the lights far enough for the plants to ignore them, and not too far for them to stay alive.
Because of the almost non-existing growing, they will need fewer watering and almost no fertilizer at all.
Click to expand...

Well I 'm aware of photosynthesis,I got degree in biology
but what they didn't teach me at school is "the trick"
how much light ,how far ,what intensity???
I'm asking this question here because I believe we have some impatient people like I who planted to early ,and now running out of place .I'm not disputing your point I'm looking for broader answer if someone have.:idea:
 
Mostly it's try and err, just like everything else in life.
When it's unsuitable outside, grow inside. just make sure you're able to create the right conditions.

For slowing growth, I got a couple of 6500k 36w (really cheap here) and started playing with the height.
For growing inside, just look around... so many projects.
 
OK for start I lowered the temp in my basement ,when my wife is not home I keep 68-69F
she is always cold and she keeps temp at 72F
now all my vents in basement are closed and window is open to maintain 69F approx.
second I installed fan blowing gentle breeze and at the same time is cooling my lights (fluorescent)
In regard to light hight ,intensity I will search some more ans experiment....
I'm limited by shelf position -as fas as how much distance I can create in between plant and the light
Oh well we will see
regards to everyone
Andy
 
you really don't have to worry about cooling fluorescents, but the fan will do wonders for your plants stems. i think the nine ounce cups are good sized to keep them from getting too big, you might end up with a bit of a 'canopy' problem but don't worry if you lose some lower leaves cuz you'll have strong stems from the fan and when you finally get to put the plants outside they'll get bushy again.
 
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