Do you think my seedlings are too tall and thin?

bombastic1337

bombastic1337

Member

**** Please check page 2 also, I got a problem replanting and I need help (thanks in advance!)****

Hi, guys,

I am starting in this and have checked other posts regarding this issue, but since I am an insecure newbie, I would like to expose my exact issue. ;)

Here I go (pictures attached):

1) Variety: Northern Lights Feminized (90% indica).
2) Stage: seedling (6th day since I put the seeds on the mini-pots).
3) Average stem length at this point: 4 inches (10 cm).
4) Grow setup: Indoor (closet)
  • Soil: Soilless mix (a premade mixture with perlite and "blablabla").
  • Solution = drinkable water + root stimulator (1:1000).
  • Closet: 2.62 x 2.62 x 5.24 feet (80x80x160 cm)
  • Light: 400 W HPS dual x 17.5 hours a day (under a hammered reflector). Distance from top of plant to lightbulb = 23.6 inches (60 cm). Since I read tall thin stems are normally caused by lack of light, I just put (temporarily) the light closer at a distance of 15 inches (38 cm). Please tell me if you think this is OK.
  • Average conditions: Temp= 71.6 ºF (22 ºC) Rel. hum.: 50%
  • Fan: directed to the walls so the wind rebounds and does not hit plants directly (I was told to do it this way so plants wouldn't get dry). Stems move all the time, but little (about 0.4 inches —1 cm— side to side).
5) Watering schedule: I watered them 6 days ago (drinkable water + root stimulator) and only 2 of them have asked me for water yet (it was yersterday and those 2 plants had the top half inch of the soil totally dry and the soil under was a bit dryish, they were also a bit small, so I thought it could be because they needed water).
6) Miscellaneous: I let them listen to musical classsic since the first day for 3-4 hours a day :-P



Questions:

1. Do you think they are too tall and thin or is this normal for the 6th day of an indica?
2. Do you think relative humidity could be a factor? (In this stage it should be around 65% but I cannot get it higher than 50%).
3. Do you think I did good now reducing the distance to the light (explained above)?
4. Leaves are a bit yellowy, I think. Could this combined with the tall thin stems the symptom of something I don't know?

Many thanks for your help.



___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
UPDATE!!!! (please help!)


  • I just replanted 3 of them, but I got a problem with 2 of them. The soil under the surface was humid and warm (it has dark color, as opposed to the light brown colour that drield soil has). So replanting was not really easy and I broke some roots. Attached are 2 before/after pictures of one of them.



      • Questions (please answer all questions!):​
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      ​
    ​
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1. Could this be an issue or is this not a big deal since more roots will come out of that buried stem?
2. I need to do this in 4 more plants and their soil is wet too. I don't want them to get behind the recently replanted ones but I don't want to hurt them either if breaking roots is really a big deal. So what should I do? wait for the soil to dry and then replant the other 4 plants or just go ahead now and replant them?
3. Also, when I replanted I noticed the soil was not soaked but homogenely humid and warm. I am trying to figure out when I should water again.
3a. So based on my description of the soil, would you say that that humid, dark borwn soil still has enough water for the plant or should I water them again so the soil gets damper?
 3b. If I shouldn't water again yet, how much more should I wait to water again? Does all the soil need to be light brown (as in totally dry)?

Thanks for your help. I really appreciate it.
 

Attachments

mak

mak

Active Member
i dont,i had one come out like that,really tall skinny stem..but now the stem is thick and the plant itself isnt stretchy,the nodes are not far apart.
 
cannofbliss

cannofbliss

Well-Known Member
yeah... theyre stretchin pretty bad...

if you have them under heavily blue light when theyre seedlings they wont stretch on you as much and distance is a factor as that hps you put them under at 60 cm was way too far...

keeping them that far away from the hps was closer to the equivalent of putting a couple of 23 watt florescent a foot above them...

40 cm for the 400 watt is plenty distance and about right for seedlings under a 400 unless high temperature is a big factor...
 
bombastic1337

bombastic1337

Member
cannofbliss said:
40 cm for the 400 watt is plenty distance and about right for seedlings under a 400 unless high temperature is a big factor...
Click to expand...
Temperature is not a factor, since it fluctuates from 21 to 25 celsius (which is really good).

Relative Humidity could be a factor, since in this stage it should be around 65% and I cannot get it higher than 50% (I have pots filled with water, window open and I spray them a couple of times a day). What do you think?
 
darkdestruction420

darkdestruction420

Well-Known Member
do you have a air cooled hood? when i was using a 400w hps i'd keep it as close as possible, around 6-8 inches, for those size plants maybe 10 inches . it keeps them shorter and they grow really fast. keeping a few 23w blue spectrum cfls around 2-3 inches also helps that.
 
bombastic1337

bombastic1337

Member
darkdestruction420 said:
do you have a air cooled hood? when i was using a 400w hps i'd keep it as close as possible, around 6-8 inches, for those size plants maybe 10 inches . it keeps them shorter and they grow really fast. keeping a few 23w blue spectrum cfls around 2-3 inches also helps that.
Click to expand...
No, I just have a normal hammered reflector. Temperature is OK, though,
 
cannofbliss

cannofbliss

Well-Known Member
yeah since your temps are good then you can get a bit closer than the 40 cm but just wanted to make sure to give yourself a little leeway just incase your temps may be a factor... if you want to you can eventually transplant them up to the cotyledon leaves you could do that in about a week or so and that will have the stem act eventually as a root and that will take care of the legginess to them that way you dont have such a weak stem and have them floppin all around in there... ;)

your humidity is fine btw... if theyre lookin a bit dry just mist (one spray) morning and night and that will be sufficient... ;)
 
ismokealotofpot

ismokealotofpot

New Member
Yah what ghetto said but I think you should try to plant them deeper down to the sprout leafs so the stems don't dry out on you.
 
bombastic1337

bombastic1337

Member
Weedower said:
This and other very common problems are found in newbie section......
https://www.rollitup.org/newbie-central/429767-replant-those-long-stretchy-stems.html
Peace
Click to expand...
Thanks. I registered just yesterday to ask about my problem. I was worried about my plants and did not have the calmness to relax and start browsing the forum, sorry.

Since all of you agree that this should be replanted, I'm going to do this replanting when the soil is really dry.
1. Do you think I should do this before night time so they can enjoy a big night sleep? (I read in Jorge Cervantes book that when planting clones you should do it before the night so they can overcome better the traumatic experience of the transplant by having a good night sleep, so I am guessing that applies in this event too.
 
bombastic1337

bombastic1337

Member
I just replanted 3 of them, but I got a problem with 2 of them. The soil under the surface was humid and warm (it has dark color, as opposed to the light brown colour that drield soil has). So replanting was not really easy and I broke some roots. Attached are 2 before/after pictures of one of them.


Questions (please answer all questions!):
1. Could this be an issue or is this not a big deal since more roots will come out of that buried stem?
2. I need to do this in 4 more plants and their soil is wet too. I don't want them to get behind the recently replanted ones but I don't want to hurt them either if breaking roots is really a big deal. So what should I do? wait for the soil to dry and then replant the other 4 plants or just go ahead now and replant them?
3. Also, when I replanted I noticed the soil was not soaked but homogenely humid and warm. I am trying to figure out when I should water again.
  • So based on my description of the soil, would you say that that humid, dark borwn soil still has enough water for the plant or should I water them again so the soil gets damper?
  • If I shouldn't water again yet, how much more should I wait to water again? Does all the soil need to be light brown (as in totally dry)?
Thanks for your help. I really appreciate it.
 

Attachments

dtp5150

dtp5150

Well-Known Member
dont listen to anyone lol u are doing a great job on ur own they are not too stretched!

also u shouldnt have needed to transpalnt them for like 2 weeks
 
missnu

missnu

Well-Known Member
It will be fine with the roots, when someone says to replant seedlings they mean just add some more soil around the base of each one, but they will be fine...I use a larger watt CFL for seedlings for just this issue...if you had the 400 close enough to them for them to not stretch I think they would just singe up in a puff...lol. But you can put a CFL right up on one...as long as the plant isn't directly touching the bulb and they are usually fine...So for the first 2 weeks I use the CFL--which is the same little space for clones---so it works out...but you don't need to go get a CFL because in the end it doesn't matter if they stretch or not...from 2-2.5 weeks they will start really taking in the 400 and those stems won't be all wispy...also i know you said you have a fan...I have found that you can make a drastic difference in stem stability if you point a fan on the plants...make em sway just a little...It really makes a huge difference! And the bigger and thicker the stems the better movement of nutrients throughout the plant and better yields and growth...all with a fan...lol. So put the light as close as possible without possible risk of burning which is still not too close with a 400, and then you put a fan blowing on the plants...not at like gale force...but just enough to make em look a little twitchy...it makes the plant make stronger stems...and then just let them go... and if they still look too stretchy to you then just keep adding dirt around the bottom of the stem...as you water the soil level will decrease through the course of the grow, and I always just add a little more to the top when it starts to look low to me---because it is all up to you. The plant will basically do what you want it to---you just have to know how to communicate with it...and you might wanna water directly into the tray a few times to make sure you don't over water the seedlings...it is easy to over water in a larger pot...---So, add dirt, check light, position fan, watch the moisture, and enjoy watching them grow until the next hangup...oftentimes there are a few as you go...
 
missnu

missnu

Well-Known Member
As for when to water, I stick my hand as far down in the soil as I can and if it is like jungle-y humid then I don't water, I'll wait another day or 2...and every once in awhile I poke my fingers around in the pots drainage holes to make sure that I am adding enough water...it is extra moisture at the bottom of the pot that makes roots grow---to get to the water...and I have been known to not water enough when watering so that the plant was not drying out, but the roots weren't really needing to seek the water out either...you really want the pot to feel light...you can easily tell the difference between a pot that has enough water and one that needs it...I just kinda shake mine around and see if any feel light...it's easy--just try it...anyway that is why I said to water into the tray...to get the roots to branch out and fill in that pot a little...
 
cannofbliss

cannofbliss

Well-Known Member
thats why i told you in my earlier post... that you CAN replant them in about a WEEK...

then you wouldnt have had that problem with the roots being TOO WEAK at that point to transplant and ripped them off... ;)


yes humid dark brow soil is enough water... that is if you have any roots left to soak it up with... ;) jk

yes you would be surprised how well seedlings do in soil just like that and not any wetter... :)
 
bombastic1337

bombastic1337

Member
missnu said:
It will be fine with the roots, when someone says to replant seedlings they mean just add some more soil around the base of each one, but they will be fine...I use a larger watt CFL for seedlings for just this issue...if you had the 400 close enough to them for them to not stretch I think they would just singe up in a puff...lol. But you can put a CFL right up on one...as long as the plant isn't directly touching the bulb and they are usually fine...So for the first 2 weeks I use the CFL--which is the same little space for clones---so it works out...but you don't need to go get a CFL because in the end it doesn't matter if they stretch or not...from 2-2.5 weeks they will start really taking in the 400 and those stems won't be all wispy...also i know you said you have a fan...I have found that you can make a drastic difference in stem stability if you point a fan on the plants...make em sway just a little...It really makes a huge difference! And the bigger and thicker the stems the better movement of nutrients throughout the plant and better yields and growth...all with a fan...lol. So put the light as close as possible without possible risk of burning which is still not too close with a 400, and then you put a fan blowing on the plants...not at like gale force...but just enough to make em look a little twitchy...it makes the plant make stronger stems...and then just let them go... and if they still look too stretchy to you then just keep adding dirt around the bottom of the stem...as you water the soil level will decrease through the course of the grow, and I always just add a little more to the top when it starts to look low to me---because it is all up to you. The plant will basically do what you want it to---you just have to know how to communicate with it...and you might wanna water directly into the tray a few times to make sure you don't over water the seedlings...it is easy to over water in a larger pot...---So, add dirt, check light, position fan, watch the moisture, and enjoy watching them grow until the next hangup...oftentimes there are a few as you go...
Click to expand...
Really good avice and relief. Thanks a lot for taking the time to write so extensively and nicely. Happy New Year, duderino!

:)
 
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