Plant Stretching

[freddyp411]

nice grow :jointsmile:

keep us updated

[jakal369]

Okay so I just picked up a few items and one of my friends was generous enough to give me a left over 24" fluro that's in the blue color spectrum range, I heard that was ideal for veg, so I'll set that one up top while there are 4 CFL lights on bottom floor close to the plants, right now about 3-4". The fluro is 1,250 lumens, the cfl's are 1600 a piece and the grow area is about 2ft-4ft. I have plenty of fans and the temp stays about 60-75 during daytime, and drops about 5 at night. I also have a Ph test kit now, out of all places a local fish feed store had one for freshwater. The plants are on a 20/4 schedule right now and it's been about 2 weeks. It's storming here so I won't be able to pick up my camera, but the plants incredibly look better after adjusting the Ph yesterday.

[jakal369]

so for two plants I successfully have 5,050 lumens in full operation. I can't wait to see the end results after all the tlc I put into them. More pictures on this way, this thread must survive as long as my growing attemp does. Thanks for all who read and post. Much appreciated. Any info or tips please feel free to comment, no matter how relative.

[mazman1989]

those fluorescent lights need to be like 1 inch away man. that one that leans to the side is searching for more light. My plant has no stretch and alot of leafs because my lights are rich in blue spectrum.

[Rusty Trichome]

Mazman: Nice technique of burying the stem up to the cotyledons. I use it every crop. Only difference is that I leave a bit more room for watering. :thumbsup:
If you plan ahead, you can start the seeds in less soil, so after they start stretching, you can bury up to the cotyledons without transplanting.

jakal: With fluorescent tubes (and 23w CFL's) reflected light only extends a few inches, so no need to worry about reflectivity of the walls. By the time the light bounces off of the walls, it's insufficient for promoting photosynthesis. If using CFL's, effective CFL light extends further than fluorescent tubes, and the tubes end-up getting in the way. Plus they add to the heat, and can be a bitch getting the bulb within effective range of all of the plants. (some are shorter, some are taller)

[jakal369]

The CFLs are located along the sides of the plants, but still reaching the tops of them, about 2 to 3 inches from actually touching the plant. I think of the CFLs as those white lines on the interstate. The fluro bulb that I raise depending on their hieght sits right in the middle of the CFLS, reaching the complete top of the plants. Then I have one more fluro up top that is very rich in the blue spectrum so a nice tint falls over the whole opperation. When i transplant, I planned on burrying the stems a little bit. Thanks for the responses.

[jakal369]

looking at your main stem mazmen, it's twice as thick as mine. Though my problems most likely occured due to stretching, I'm on my way towards fixing the Ph levels. It's about 6.2 right now and just started today (2nd week) with adding water with higher Ph (added a tbls of baking soda in a gallon jug, modestly watering when they need it and testing Ph (which is now 8.5) before adding it) to the plants. It's too soon to test run off as I just watered, but as soon as I do I'll post the results. I hope the neutral ph level will lead the plants to strengthen up and get that stem to a better size. The light problems was only a minor set back, I have no intentions of quitting and if I need to spend an extra week or two on veg I unfortunately will find the patients somewhere.

[jakal369]

Here are a few pictures at week 2. I know this set up is nothing compared to others, but I'm trying and each few days I add something new to the set up. I'm about to add another CFL light and do away with the small fluro I have to keep raising. I removed it for a few pics so you could see. Let me know what you guys think, just be easy and if you have suggestions, let them be about what I'm currently working with so I can adjust what I already have.

[jakal369]

others:

[headshake]

keep your lights within 1-4". that will help prevent that stretch.

-shake