Think I started my super hots too early

Proud Marine Dad

Proud Marine Dad

I started my super hots several weeks back and the largest is about 4" tall after all this time under 6500k fluorescent lights for roughly 15 hrs a day and the most growth has occurred in the past 2-3 weeks. Think I will just wait until March next season to start them as I think I am wasting electricity to be honest.  :doh:
Watered them with some alfalfa in the water yesterday so maybe that will give them a little boost. The leaves are slightly pale as well so I am wondering if nitrogen is a little low.
 
Wish I could help PMD.

I started mine in mid-February and they are probably around the same size maybe a little bigger... I'm just using wal mart grow lights 7200k I think not really sure.
 
You aren't the only one. I planted mine jan 28 I think and they are friggin monsters now. I actually thought I was planting mine late going off everyone else's post on here. I can only imagine how huge theirs are by now.... Some of mine are probably 10 inches tall already :/
 
"Too early" depends on things like how much space you have, how quickly you can plant out, and how long/short your growing season is. Hayward CA weather is a lot better than it is where I'm at. When I start seeds I do so in January because otherwise I'd probably have no pods ever.
 
Proud Marine Dad said:
The leaves are slightly pale as well so I am wondering if nitrogen is a little low.
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Most likely the problem is overwatering - that's usually the culprit. Describe your watering schedule and methods and preferably also post a pic so we can help you out.
 
JoeFish said:
Wish I could help PMD.

I started mine in mid-February and they are probably around the same size maybe a little bigger... I'm just using wal mart grow lights 7200k I think not really sure.
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I don't really need help I just think starting them that early doesn't really do anything. I think if I would have started them a month later they would be the same size as now.

geeme said:
"Too early" depends on things like how much space you have, how quickly you can plant out, and how long/short your growing season is. Hayward CA weather is a lot better than it is where I'm at. When I start seeds I do so in January because otherwise I'd probably have no pods ever.
 
Most likely the problem is overwatering - that's usually the culprit. Describe your watering schedule and methods and preferably also post a pic so we can help you out.
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They are most likely underwatered as they are in 4" pots in a tray with a heating mat under them. I water them when they feel like they are getting light. The same way I water all container plants. I had peppers up until Sept/Oct this past year so our season is fairly long.
 
I started some of my seeds on January 2, some in early February and some in early March. Although my little experiment is not done yet, it seems that late January or early February is a good time for me to start mine. I plant out around Mother's Day. The plants that I started in January are short but very strong and stocky. I germinate mine with a heat pad but after they sprout they go to the basement under my fluorescent lights. It stays a pretty constant 62 degrees so I think that the coolness helps to keep them manageable. 
 
Proud Marine Dad said:
The leaves are slightly pale as well so I am wondering if nitrogen is a little low.
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A little pale huh? Concerned about the nitrogen levels you say? Sounds like you need to mix a quality organic soil! There's soooooo many benefits to organics you know. In fact there's even a guy on here that's been preaching the virtues of said soil. Never an issue I'm told... ;)


Sorry. I couldn't resist a bit of gentle ribbing :D

Neil
 
Proud Marine Dad said:
They are most likely underwatered as they are in 4" pots in a tray with a heating mat under them.
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The heating pad usually makes them leggy - usually it is removed after the seeds sprout. Unless you're using it as a way to avoid heating the room, I'd suggest you stop using it at this point. And yes, the paleness could be as a result of the heating pad.
 
Thanks Geeme. I'll try without the heat as I was trying to keep them warmer that way as they are in the family room and we turn off the heaters while at work.
The room stays in the 60's if I don't use a heat mat. I checked the soil temp yesterday with a probe in the soil and it was 85 degrees.
 
Very funny Neil. :rofl:
I don't have them in that good soil yet as they are too young.
They are in a homemade compost/worm castings mix with peat moss and a sprinkle of kelp meal in the soil.
 
I'm glad you took it in the spirit it was intended :). A light misting with Epsom salt in water will darken then up in a hurry.

Neil
 
Wish I was in your shoes. I feel I started too late lol. Mine are barely about 2-3 inches tall. I say the earlier the better so you can plant out earlier and increase potential of multiple harvests. (just a thought though.)
 
7potquezada said:
Wish I was in your shoes. I feel I started too late lol. Mine are barely about 2-3 inches tall. I say the earlier the better so you can plant out earlier and increase potential of multiple harvests. (just a thought though.)
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that's kinda my thought too...  i started my first batch early december...  i had some itchy fingers then...  then another batch late january.  freaking fingers were still itchy...  itchy i tell ya...  itchy!  
 
good thing is, all my plants are outdoors now, many in their final pots and in ground.  we don't have any freeze date here, so i was like what the heck...  let's throw them outside.
 
jojo said:
 
that's kinda my thought too...  i started my first batch early december...  i had some itchy fingers then...  then another batch late january.  freaking fingers were still itchy...  itchy i tell ya...  itchy!  
 
good thing is, all my plants are outdoors now, many in their final pots and in ground.  we don't have any freeze date here, so i was like what the heck...  let's throw them outside.
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Haha, yeah I fought the itch off for awhile...now I regret it. Wish I would have sown seed in November now lol. But hey, live and learn.
 
A head start is never a bad thing! Worst case you can trim things back a bit and have some bushy plants when you put em out. Pretty terrible worst case! Also, what if something went wrong? You'd be late. Like me ... :violin: So don't fret! I'm sure the extra light you're investing will allow you to put out much stronger plants and yield a bountiful harvest.
 
Lets see some pics of what you got going on there :)
 
AaronRiot said:
A head start is never a bad thing! Worst case you can trim things back a bit and have some bushy plants when you put em out. Pretty terrible worst case! Also, what if something went wrong? You'd be late. Like me ... :violin: So don't fret! I'm sure the extra light you're investing will allow you to put out much stronger plants and yield a bountiful harvest.
 
Lets see some pics of what you got going on there :)
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I concur, pics please!! woot!
 
jojo said:
 
that's kinda my thought too...  i started my first batch early december...  i had some itchy fingers then...  then another batch late january.  freaking fingers were still itchy...  itchy i tell ya...  itchy!  
 
good thing is, all my plants are outdoors now, many in their final pots and in ground.  we don't have any freeze date here, so i was like what the heck...  let's throw them outside.
Click to expand...
 
Yeah and I'm  kinda jealous of your weather right now too lol. I should be able to put mine in the ground around the second week of May.
 
I agree with AR about trimming. I have short season in Colorado. I figured in the worst case I would trim. I planted Feb. 3rd. There still in 4in pots. Going to 1 gal next week or so. Good luck.
 
AaronRiot said:
A head start is never a bad thing! Worst case you can trim things back a bit and have some bushy plants when you put em out. Pretty terrible worst case! Also, what if something went wrong? You'd be late. Like me ... :violin: So don't fret! I'm sure the extra light you're investing will allow you to put out much stronger plants and yield a bountiful harvest.
 
Lets see some pics of what you got going on there :)
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I'll post pics later this afternoon when I get home. ;)
 
This is my 2nd season. Jumping in a little late last year, I sowed Reaper seeds in the beginning of april (zone 6) and it wasnt until October when I got some ripe pods and into November with a lot of protection.
 
So this year I started late January and so far so good.5 sets of leaves and still kinda short and stout but healthy under 5000k T8's
 
This is mine after several weeks under the lights.
The Datils on the right are the runts of the bunch and the biggest one is an SBJ7.
Left to right is the Choc. Hab, Choc. Bhut, Red Hab, SBJ7 and Datil.
My Butch T Scorpion and  one other didn't germinate.
 
 
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