Beginning Growth

Ok, just as an experiment I sprouted a few seeds a few days ago. Now they're in soil, I custom made a blend of soils (Don't ask, I want to fool around with all aspects of growing), Now one of the sprouts has the two fleshy leaves and two 'true' leaves. However, the stalk is tall, like 2.5 inches tall, it's white and leaning over. I'm trying to figure out if this is normal, or is there something wrong here?

I had figured it was them growing towards my light source, but I've added more lighting, and placed it more evenly over the sprouts. Also the light is about six and a half inches away from the top of my tallest plant.

Anybody know if this is normal or what? Thanks for help.

I'm just a beginner but my seedlings were the same and looking around on the internet I found pictures on a site of lots of seedlings and they all looked the same. My plants are growing ok after 4-5 weeks so it's not a problem.

I figured they would work themselves out, but hey, no harm in asking eh?

Here's what you need and what you can do:

First, you need to prop the seedlings up. I use those cheap, plastic picnic forks. Put the fork into the soil handle down and rest the seedling between the tines of the fork. Be careful not to break the seedling by snapping the fork back and forth. Second, you need some air flowing to stress the stems a LITTLE bit. Get a small fan and have it GENTLY blow across the plants. Look at it like weight lifting ... as the plants are stressed a little, they get stronger. Look out the window to see how Mother Nature does it. She constantly has wind blowing across Her plants ... and so far, She's doing just fine. *lol* Hope this helps ...

Vi

ViRedd said:

Here's what you need and what you can do:

First, you need to prop the seedlings up. I use those cheap, plastic picnic forks. Put the fork into the soil handle down and rest the seedling between the tines of the fork. Be careful not to break the seedling by snapping the fork back and forth. Second, you need some air flowing to stress the stems a LITTLE bit. Get a small fan and have it GENTLY blow across the plants. Look at it like weight lifting ... as the plants are stressed a little, they get stronger. Look out the window to see how Mother Nature does it. She constantly has wind blowing across Her plants ... and so far, She's doing just fine. *lol* Hope this helps ...

Vi

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Thanks for the tip. I've got a few little stakes up and holding the plants, but man those stems are tall. I mean like over the past few days I've witnessed an exponential amount of growth in the little stalks, and a slight increase in leaf size. This is my first attempt at growing and all, but man somethings got to be up with this.

Also, as far as the fans go, would you recommend having it on all the time, or what? Right now I've got a fan blowing on them, and it's just enough to barely shake them. Is that about right?

First what lights are you using, if your using flourescent tubes or cfl's then you can keep them as close as 1 inch away from the plant.
Yeah keep the fan on 24/7.
if your plants stems don't get stonger then you can bury some of the stem in the soil and it will be fine.

NO GROW said:

First what lights are you using, if your using flourescent tubes or cfl's then you can keep them as close as 1 inch away from the plant.
Yeah keep the fan on 24/7.
if your plants stems don't get stonger then you can bury some of the stem in the soil and it will be fine.

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Well...haha lighting is kind of weird...I have one flourescent tube, but it's supposed to be optimised for plant growth its called florasun. However it's low wattage, 15 watts to be precise. The other lights are those new corkscrew looking lights (the ones that are more 'efficient') got two of those and they're both 75 watts. So total 165 watts. I know that's not much, but given my current growspace that's really all I can do. I'm afraid much more light will produce too much heat. I rent so I can't really tear up the place adding exhaust fans.

To be completely honest with you, I've just sprouted a couple of low grade seeds. I really don't care if they turn out a huge yield or a tiny yield. I'm just interested in picking up as much experience and information along the way.

Also, I believe I already mentioned that they had curved a bit. Is that curvature permanent or will they straighten out as I tweak the growing conditions?

they will straighten out. the cork screw lights your talking about are CFL's. neither put out much heat at all the fan should keep the temp pretyy good, just make sure they get fresh air. lower those lights down to about 1-2 inches above the plants they will be just fine and you'll thank me later.

NO GROW said:

they will straighten out. the cork screw lights your talking about are CFL's. neither put out much heat at all the fan should keep the temp pretyy good, just make sure they get fresh air. lower those lights down to about 1-2 inches above the plants they will be just fine and you'll thank me later.

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How 'bout I thank you now and then thank you again when it works

Oh, the plants got fresh air, I open the closet door when it's daylight and I'm in the room....so I also imagine they're getting a bit of CO2 as well.

sounds good.
It's nice to be talkin to a newbie like myself

NO GROW said:

sounds good.
It's nice to be talkin to a newbie like myself

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HAHA I'll drink to that

Also, I open the closet door to check on them every so often, am I in any danger of shocking them, and producing more males or hermaphrodites?

no, stress can cause hermaphrodite plants but you should worry more about that when you get ready to flower.

Well that's a couple of months off, but I'll keep it in mind, thanks

Hey wright now you should keep your lights on24/7 , Its hard to belive I was you just 2 months ago, started 12 bagseeds under 2 flr tubes in my bath tub...check the jurnal operation sprout, Its also my first indoor grow...whatch out, the plants have needs and needs turn necessities and nessecityes turn into projects and projects turn plants into green giants and giants have bigger needs...Its definatly plenty of experience...

Well, a couple of days later I notice most of my stalks have turned a darker brown color. I assume this is them stiffening up? I have had my fan on more or less constantly. At the very least it is on when my lights are on (16 hrs a day).