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Minnesota(dw447@fastmail.fm)

My giant pumpkin seedlings are just starting to emerged from the potting soil. In the past, my plants tended to be more "leggy". Growing upward, instead of filling out width wise. I think most of the upward growth that I want to prevent is in the stem before the cotyledons. What is needed to keep them from growing upward so much, before planting outside? Is it an especially strong grow light, running a fan on the plants, and/or something else?

4/23/2018 5:01:10 PM

Westmoreland, KS

remove them from heat pad if you use one. Good grow light and fan like you said helps

4/23/2018 5:41:20 PM

Upa Creek, MO

I just use full spectrum fluoro bulbs about 2 inches over the plants for the 2 weeks they are inside. No need for me personally to get grow bulbs since this is the only time of the year I do anything inside. The flouro bulbs are your basic hardware store bulbs in clamping aluminum reflector bases. They don’t give off much heat so they work well without burning leaves, but keeping stems short.

4/23/2018 6:35:46 PM

Bethlehem CT

The hypocotyl (stem) will be shorter if you plant the seed, tip down. You will have to remove the seed coat when planted this way. The rest of the stockiness can be obtained with lots of bright light. Moderate to cooler temps will also help reduce stretching (70 degrees sounds like a good temp.) Too much heat will make plants stretch.

4/23/2018 7:00:56 PM

Syracuse, NY

wow, someone i could possibly get along with in Smallmouth!
similarly, i use one full-spectrum 4-foot and one aquarium 4-foot fluorescent in each of 2 4-foot fixtures suspended by nylon ropes able to be adjusted to ANY height. i go even closer to 1" and actually amongst the leaves with them as they outgrow their siblings, and the 40 watts each has never been a problem. 24/7 is MANDATORY for stocky, as the plants do NOT have to reach for any light. i also have a Martha Stewart tiny oscillating fan about 4 feet away from one END on low, as i had once read that it helps prevent fungus; too bad i have Mycorrhizae in my SS mix, lol---eg

4/24/2018 12:25:27 AM

Central Illinois

I disagree that lights have to be on 24/7, mine haven't been leggy being on 16/8, wouldn't outdoor plants stretch if that was the case

4/24/2018 9:51:53 AM

Deer Park, WI

The distance between light source and leaf surface is the most important factor in this scenario.

Plants are programmed to reach for the sun. If the source is almost literally touching their surface, they do not need to stretch.

Suspend your light source as close to the leaf surface as you can without touching or causing damage. Also avoid any plant growth regulator products that contain giberellic acids. These PGRs induce cell elongation, which tells the plant to stretch out.

4/24/2018 10:01:58 AM

Little-TON - Colorado

Investing in a T5 light setup pays off...You'll never get this

http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=201712

from a 40W grow light. And no 24 hour light to
confuse the plant. T5 helps to get the plant ready for the real sun with less shock.

http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=201710

http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=240491

Grow BIG!

4/24/2018 3:39:18 PM

Syracuse, NY

of course, there will be extremes going in either direction, and i am somewhere on the lower end of spending any $$ (like $600?) on anything concerning growing AGs, other than seeds, lol---
as they say: "Whatever works for ya!"; i actually would not want to have super-sized plants to put into the patches, and they get just as big as anyone else's would for what is in the soil to support their growth as well.
at least, on here, discussion leads to choices for the reader and the more = the merrier. eg

4/24/2018 4:19:30 PM

New England

I bought a $15 grow light from wal mart garden section. I keep it on 24/7 about 2-3 inches above the plant and never had one get leggy so far. Its a great little light for my little operation

4/24/2018 4:23:48 PM

Syracuse, NY

Great! Now, maybe if i were to WIN at a weighoff again, my perspective might change, right along the lines of getting LARGE fries in my combo when i've gotten PAID for a pumpkin, lol!

4/24/2018 4:33:00 PM

Syracuse, NY

baitman - i'd have to say that it depends heavily on the KIND of plant in the wild. there are genetic, determining factors pertaining to how tall, bushy, long-lived, etc. plants CAN be--- i would not mind an AG that was 10-12 feet high, as a windbreak for SHORTER varieties, lol---one interesting thing i've noticed with my bathroom window-test plants is that they grow leggy, but slowly because of the cold window, and they seem to grow as far as they CAN, and then the leaf stalks themselves seem to elongate to take over for the stems. i have a seed from '05 that is my 301.5 (677 Catapano X 689.5 Sandercock) and it grew straight UP, being that it was grown UP AGAINST the window (maybe a plant 'senses' its confinement in the leaves as well as in its roots? like, competition?) and looks just like any other AG ready to be put out, complete with the super-long stem, miniature male blossoms and an obvious, 1/4-inch main vine evident. this straight-upness has NEVER happened before, so there must be something in its genetics that has dictated its growth habit thus far. i trans'd it into a KFC bucket a week ago and i may actually plant it out---i hate 'ending' a test plant! the 301.5 seed anyway should throw super-orange! eg

4/24/2018 4:55:51 PM

Little-TON - Colorado

Here's a few options

https://www.1000bulbs.com/product/172109/TF-10001.html?gclid=EAIaIQobChMInZTurfvT2gIVSZ7ACh1VfAexEAQYAyABEgK_SvD_BwE $68 four tubes HO mirrored reflector

http://www.wholesalecontractorsupply.com/HighBay-Shop-T5-Lighting-Fluorescent-FHB654F-p/FHB654F.htm?gclid=EAIaIQobChMInZTurfvT2gIVSZ7ACh1VfAexEAQYBCABEgIUyfD_BwE 6 lamp with bulbs.

And
https://wallacewow.com/products/jump-start-2-t5-grow-light-system-includes-stand-fixture-and-tube

A few great choices for cheaper than the badboys

Grow BIGGER

4/24/2018 6:38:29 PM

Little-TON - Colorado

My plants are always bigger than everyone else's not so with the fruit...hmmmm gives me an idear...lol

4/24/2018 6:40:03 PM

Minnesota(dw447@fastmail.fm)

Thanks for all the advice/suggestions. It's much appreciated. I think my main problem was that the light source was too far from the plants.

4/24/2018 10:57:13 PM

Syracuse, NY

Okay, just send us all some seeds from that 1317/1912 cross you're planning on---

4/25/2018 1:23:30 AM

Central Illinois

If there are low light conditions when the plant is in its night period that could have some effect, like a distant table light

4/25/2018 8:51:53 AM

Minnesota(dw447@fastmail.fm)

Thanks baitman, something to consider.
Eric, I hope I can make that cross, and get a lot of seeds:)

4/25/2018 4:55:08 PM

Syracuse, NY

And you're inside, typing on your computer.
C'mon, I can't wait! ha ha ha
I've yet to even select my seed lineup.
I think I'll make a 1985 Miller X 1317 Clementz cross;
Doinnnggg! Perhaps the DW 1912 X SELF as a side vine/cushion fruit would be beneficial to mankind for genetics-only---then we could hit it with anything 2145 X SELF.
or, IT-SELF, lol---
How WILL I sleep tonight? eg

4/26/2018 3:24:13 AM

Syracuse, NY

baitman, good point about background (noise) light, and also about possibly different combinations of on/off times being as effective as always-on or in-sync with the day/night cycle. there are always tiny improvements to be made to everything, it seems.

4/26/2018 3:33:08 AM

Peru

Im cheap, i use the wal-mart lights. I leave them on 16 hrs a day, and mine dont get leggy. I transplant mine in 4 gal buckets a tree comes in with the sides split and taped. I dont have a greenhouse and they can stay in my house till temps are rite.

4/26/2018 6:45:59 AM