seedlings are not straight

[chilli_grower]

Sounds like some good advice, thank you all...

Woody - unfortunately I had already bought the more expensive light on ebay! You are quite right, the one you suggested did not come up in 'search'.

I will bin the weak seedlings tonight, and then that will make more room for the good seedlings underneath the CFL, until the new light arrives.

To be honest, I suspected I would need to buy a tube light at some point, as this year I am growing a lot more than I usually do!

At least it is still very early in the season, so I can sow more easily...

The lamp and seedlings are actually inside a wardrobe that has matt white on the sides, so that should help...

I will post a new pic in a few days...

[darcyvuqua]

I have grown chillies for the last few years never had lights your seedling look like there chasing the light they have this ability while at young mine have alway done that I would not bin them there perfectly normal when the hotter brighter days come they will straighten themselves out and wou will have normal plants mine started like yours last year and there seeming to over winter far from runts that should have been thrown out

Good luck whatever you do

[Bren In Pots]

I agree with Darcy I'd just re-pot the leggy ones up to their seed leaves.

[chilli_grower]

will do!!!

[chilli_grower]

light arrived!!!!!!!!

To my amazement my new grow light arrived today

Pics attached of new setup......

[darcyvuqua]

I'm waiting on my lights and greenhouse to be delivered you will probably find they straighten themselves up over the next day or two

[chilli_grower]

Hi Darcy, I sure hope so! To be honest they don't look that bad. When I put them into their first pot, I will plant nice and deep, they should be fine then.

If anyone local is interested, I no longer have any use for the 65 watt cfl. I am happy to trade for something....

It is this one:

Photography Lighting CFL Wing Reflector + 65w 5500k Photo Lamp Hanging Light E27 | eBay

Keep warm!!!!

[woody21]

To my amazement my new grow light arrived today

Pics attached of new setup......

Looking good, your seedlings wont stretch for light anymore and will start putting out sets of leaves nice and closely spaced. Once they have a first set of real leaves you will see noticeable growth every day.

How do you rate it compared to the cfl for brightness and even spread? do you think 2 of those 65w cfls would be as good as the 96w t5 light you now have?

[chilli_grower]

Hi Woody,

The new lamp has a much nicer spread of light, compared to the cfl. i.e more even.

No I do not think 2 of the cfl's would be as good as this. Only because the cfl's take up a lot of room. Whereas this unit is nice and neat, and it works out cheaper than running 2 cfl's...

I have also noticed that the new light fitting has increased the temperature around the seedlings, by 2 degrees. It was 21 under cfl, but now has increased to 23.

I will need to keep a close eye that they do not dry out!

I am quite pleased with it.....

Cheers

[woody21]

There is a small amount of heat that builds up but nothing drastic that seems to bother the plants even when 2 inches trom the tubes with no air movement, Never let the plants grow into the tubes as that does burn them.
I bet if the cfl was as close temperature would be higher right under the bulb!

A small computer fan or 2 running at low voltage/low speed will remove the heat and also help simulate a breeze which is said to encourage thicker stem growth making them stronger.
If using fans dont point them directly at your light tubes as cooling the tubes too much will lower the light output so just move the air below them.

i got 2 cheap computer fans in the post yesterday, they are very low rpm to begin with but running at 9v gives a perfect gentle breeze that only just makes the seedlings twitch and gently removes the little bit of heat to.

cheap fans at 99p each and free post.
12cm Crystal Clear LED PC Case Fan Super Quite 120mm (White) | eBay

[chilli_grower]

Hi Woody,

Yes I already have a couple of old fans that I salvaged from an old pc!!!!

I will possibly use them once the seedlings are well established and re potted....

Just checked the seedlings this morning 13/1/13 - And the compost is certainly drying out quicker than when I was using cfl.

Probably because I now have the light closer to the leaves.

I suspect watering will be required every day, or every other day.