Quick start, then stall
 

I'm about a week in since planting. One thing that I've noticed is that several of my seedlings grew at breakneck speed at the start, then stalled. Planted on March 20. Several broke ground on the 23rd. By evening on the 25th, some were 2-1/2" tall. Since then, they haven't grown a millimeter. Is this due to the depth of the cell? Is it just coincidence that they're almost exactly as tall as the soil is deep? I normally don't repot until I see a lot of real leaves, but I'm trying an experiment and repotting one into a solo cup.

[QUOTE=enchant;691703]I'm about a week in since planting. One thing that I've noticed is that several of my seedlings grew at breakneck speed at the start, then stalled. Planted on March 20. Several broke ground on the 23rd. By evening on the 25th, some were 2-1/2" tall. Since then, they haven't grown a millimeter. Is this due to the depth of the cell? Is it just coincidence that they're almost exactly as tall as the soil is deep? I normally don't repot until I see a lot of real leaves, but I'm trying an experiment and repotting one into a solo cup.[/QUOTE]

For right now the height is stalled for the plant to get a little more substance on the stems. Kinda nornal. Is it cold where they are? That will slow growth too. If they came up, then the cell depth is not usually an issue. Photos would help us.

It's definitely coldER. I had them in a heated hydration dome. I read (on this forum somewhere) that once the seedlings sprout, take them out from under the dome. So it's definitely cooler. Maybe 68 during the day and down near 60 overnight.

Here's a photo if it helps. I lifted the lid on the hydration dome in the back for the photo.

[IMG]http://pat.ssih.com/images/seedlings01.jpg[/IMG]

They look leggy. I think you need them closer to the light, or just more light. I wouldn't want them to continue length wise growing until they fill out more. No hydration dome right now is a good thing. Get them up a little closer to the grow light maybe 2 to 4 in depending on whether you're grow light puts out heat or not. Then let nature take its course and they'll be fine. If anything that cool temperature will slow them down a bit but right now I like the idea of that for what I'm seeing with their amount of leggyness.
Please don't add any fertilizer until after their first set of true leaves. They have enough food in the seed leaves right now.

Thanks for the good info! The tops of the cells are about 8" from the grow lights which are not hot (pleasantly warm when you grasp the tubes). I can get them a little closer. There are a few others that I really need to pull out from under the dome as well at this point.

I agree with Marsha they look leggy to me.. If you are using fluorescents for lighting position the light about 1 inch from the tops of your plants. You can repot them and bury the stem deeper and also an oscillating fan blowing on them can help promote a stronger stem. just my 2 cents worth.

Rick

I've given them a boost.

[IMG]http://pat.ssih.com/images/seedlings02.jpg[/IMG]

[QUOTE=ricman;691744]also an oscillating fan blowing on them can help promote a stronger stem. just my 2 cents worth.[/QUOTE]
Really?! That's the first I've heard of that one. I think we have a fan around somewhere.

You still have a hydration dome on that back tray, but with so many sprouted, take off the top & get them under lights. jmo

Nan

2" from the light would be my recommendation, and a fan will make the stems stronger, and also keep fungus like damping off away.

[QUOTE=ricman;691744]I agree with Marsha they look leggy to me.. If you are using fluorescents for lighting position the light about 1 inch from the tops of your plants. You can repot them and bury the stem deeper and also an oscillating fan blowing on them can help promote a stronger stem. just my 2 cents worth.

Rick[/QUOTE]

+1

[QUOTE=Nan_PA_6b;691762]You still have a hydration dome on that back tray, but with so many sprouted, take off the top & get them under lights. jmo

Nan[/QUOTE]

Agree

[QUOTE=Nan_PA_6b;691762]You still have a hydration dome on that back tray, but with so many sprouted, take off the top & get them under lights. jmo

Nan[/QUOTE]

Well, it's complicated.

I was doing a test. I did my main planting on the 20th. But then on the 23rd, I remembered something that I'd wanted to try on planting day but had forgotten. So I did an entire second planting, and those are primarily what are under the dome. Plus, my peppers haven't broken ground yet.

The only fan I have is kinda noisy, doesn't oscillate and pumps air pretty fast. So I've ordered one of these:

[url]https://www.amazon.com/Holmes-Blizzard-8-Inch-Oscillating-Table/dp/B000J07RMU[/url]

Much too far away from the light. As long as they aren't touching they are not too close, lol. You should separate seedlings that don't germinate in similar time frames and under similar temps. Tomatoes can germinate in 3-4 days and peppers I have heard can take 8 days or more. They need more heat for longer. I am trying peppers for the first time this year. They just don't need the same conditions for the same amount of time.