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seeds What about 24-hour light for germinating/sproutlings?

HwyBill

HwyBill

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Someone said that I should give them as much light as possible, but didn't mention if this is an "absolute."

I'm perfectly willing to give them 24-hrs of light, and in fact it would probably be logistically easier for me. However, a friend of mind with some back ground told me that plants need some dark time in order to "respire."

Thoughts?
 
I'm a little new to all of this but from what i've read on this site and from my own experience i would say that you dont need light for the germination stage, just heat and moisture. When your seedling germinate and their cotyledons pop out then get them under a light. I had over 90% germination using small glass cups with the seeds on paper tissue on a heat mat at around 30C.
Once they shed their husk i put them in small pots and put them under a 6500K 3000lm bulb and they're around 3 inches tall now (little over a month since i started germinating). I kept them under light for 24 hrs for the first week and then moved onto a 18 hrs on, 6 hrs off after that...so far so good, all the plants are looking healthy. You might be interested in getting a fan as well, i've read some articles on here explaining how the pants need good air circulation and the fan will also help the stem be stronger.
Good luck!
 
Well, I suppose I should be a bit more specific.

I have a 72-pellet starter tray in a light box because some of the cells have sprouted, and some of the cells have yet to germinate (letting them germinate in the pellets, not in paper towels).

I was wondering if it is desirable, or at least OK, to give them 24 hrs of light. It sounds like from what you say it is OK.
 
HwyBill said:
Well, I suppose I should be a bit more specific.

I have a 72-pellet starter tray in a light box because some of the cells have sprouted, and some of the cells have yet to germinate (letting them germinate in the pellets, not in paper towels).

I was wondering if it is desirable, or at least OK, to give them 24 hrs of light. It sounds like from what you say it is OK.
Click to expand...

Yeah, that will be OK. A lot of people say to give them 24 hours the first few weeks. I've only given mine 24 hours. Make sure to pop the dome (seedlings don't like too much humidity).
 
I did 24 for the first month or so then back to 20/4 and yesterday i took them farther back to 17on/7off to try and slow them down for the last month. May go to 12/12.
 
Once a seed germinates it's usually best to move it out of the germination box and get it under lights. Then you can add a fan blow on the seedlings for a few minutes several times a day. The cells that haven't germinated yet don't need any light.
 
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