Sprouted but leaning over

I have 5 white widow plants in 4x4 pots with 6 holes in the bottom about the size of a pencil eraser in my closet that were planted 2 days ago. i am using miracle grow organic choice and have been watering about every 12 hours. I have a 45w flourescent bulb about 20 inches above them going 18hrs a day and a small fan banking off the wall. They have sprouted and grown to about 1 inch and are showing their first true leaves but they are hanging over to the side and the leaves are facing downward. They also seem to have stopped growing. Should I be worried? What am i doing wrong?

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There are a couple of concerns, yes, the first I’ll address is the 45 watt bulb. The space required for five 4x4inch pots is about 2 square feet and so needs at least two 45 watt bulbs. If the light is not intense enough the plants can stretch and become very stringy and not capable of supporting themselves. Also a light breeze from a fan will help the plant develop rigidity in the stems.

If they have indeed stopped growing, that could be a sign of other things as well.

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Yes. Make a 20" long with 3 x 45 watt cfl light bar. set 1 in the middle and set the other 2 to the outside, 8" fro3\m the middle lamp.

Ha Ha Latewood, that brings back memories… That is very similar to my very first indoor grow, a four 45 watt strip in a 2 foot by 3 foot closet, ah the memories, lol. I think it grew with the grow, by the time I was ready to flower it had turned into a eight 45watt light rig by adding those Y shaped adapters.

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Is it too late for the plants that are leaning over? They’ve just collapsed over onto their sides now… but are still green

No it is not too late, support them with something, as long as they stay green and healthy looking they should recover as long as nothing else serious is contributing to why the are falling over, like damping off.

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Any recommendation on what to use to support them? and how to handle the fragile plants

Thin bamboo sticks or maybe chop sticks, unused soda straw, avoid metal such as paper clips or other metal wire as it will add/leach the metal into the soil. Be gentle and when tying them up with plant ribbon, twisty ties/wire, or even twine, just be sure to leave plenty of room for growth, don’t tie them tight at all, just enough for the support they need.

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Hey Will, my new sprouts are getting long and spindly. If this keeps up there just going to tip right over what should I be doing? I have them in the outdoor greenhouse with the florescence light a couple inches above them. I can probably turn the fluorescent light off now yes or no? The florescence light has been on 24 hours since I put the seeds in the dirt. Additionally I have two LED tubes that come on before the sun goes down so there is some sort of light in the greenhouse 24 hours a day. Again sorry for so many questions thanks for your help.

Use some small sticks to prop them up. When I plant my seedlings I’ll leave about 2" or so for more soil. Just for that reason. Ask all you want lol

Will

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It looks like they could be stretching too tall, too fast, from not intense enough light.

Yes, small sticks for support will help, you should also have a breeze or some wind blowing around and kind of stirring or shaking them about a little, this will encourage thicker stems that will support themselves better, as well as the additional light you will be adding, that should help a lot. You can also try arranging the lights you have to be closer, that will make the light be more intense at the plant’s level.

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More soil around the stems for strength??

Rog

You can but it’s not necessarily recommended cause you can cause stem rot from them staying wet.if you do decide to go that route,try to make it like a small mound at the stem so when you water that stays dry or I’ve even seen people make kind of like a small trench so water can’t get to the stem.

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They are a weed I’m just going to let them go I guess I’ll put a fan on to shake them around a bit gentle like thanks for everybody’s help I just don’t want them to die. :slight_smile: Roger

Rotating the pots also, they will bend towards the most intense light. Rotating the pots periodically will help keep them growing more vertically.

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Thanks everybody I’m going to move them from the bottom shelf up to the top so they will get all the sun when it’s out and I’ll rotate them I just hope the little buggers make it. :slight_smile:

They look pretty good, I think they’ll make it.

Moved them to the top deck of the shelf in basically an all glass greenhouse. They had been underneath only getting sideways son and the florescence light. So they’re on top now no more fluorescent light. They will get sun during the day and some LED tubes at night there’s always at least the LED in the Greenhouse. Another thing I will note I purchased 20 OG Kush and if you can count the pots 20 little sprouts are growing it was really remarkable. I don’t know what I’m doing but I’ll keep on Chugaluglin. This form is really great I really appreciate it thank you Roger.

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Rog … your babies look great. I think they’ll be okay. Because of where mine are camouflaged, I have to rotate the pots every week so the plants won’t grow a little sideways. We had a huge storm last night and I was worried about my outdoor girls. The wind was so fierce it knocked down an apple tree. Checked this a.m. and everybody was fine!

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