Seedling

[Makk]

Hey everyone, I am starting some plants in pots for an outdoor grow. After the germinated seed is placed in the soil, when do I start exposing it to light? I'm sure this is important...even though I have previously waited till one broke the surface and that seems to be doing ok. I'm not sure of the proper method. This is gonna be my first grow doing it the right way. appreciate all the info on this site. Thanks.

 

[stealthnstoned]

you should put it under the light as soon as you put it in the soil. When the seed sprouts its lookin for the sun already. It will keep tehm from stretchign to long.

 

[FreezerBoy]

When the seed sprouts its lookin for the sun already. It will keep tehm from stretchign to long.

Bingo! Seedlings can handle the strongest lamp out there in terms of light intensity. They don't know much but they know where the good light is and will hurt themselves trying to get there if it's too weak a source or too far away.

Our concern is heat proximity. Hold the back of your hand under the lamp as close as is comfortable. That's the distance you want between lamp and canopy. Or, use the chart as a starting point.

 

[moonie]

Seedlings handle sunlight off the bat way better than throwing a clone out there, I always have thrown my seedlings outside as soon as they broke surface.

 

[FreezerBoy]

Most people clone under low light conditions. Like baby chicks, plants bond with the first thing they see. If that's a 23 watt CFL, that's the sun to them and they build themselves accordingly. Placing such a plant directly under the sun is as though the sun went nova. If you've ever told your plant that the sun was a cfl, you have to acclimate them to stronger light over the course of a few days.

 

[Makk]

Freezer...that makes alot of sense. Just like the natural brightening of the day as the sun rises higher.

Thanks for all the replies, I'm placing all the newly planted pots with my growing plants in the sun everyday.

 

[HempAlchemist]

Love that chart FB been looking for that ^^
makk, only thing i could add would be to pay attention to your weather till your seedlings get established. they are at their weakest and a gusty day, or mild rain can kill them really quick. you might want to prop them up once the start to sprout, even if they are not leggy. that way they will have some support if something happens.