@NewTobaccoGrower 2024 Grow Log: Florida

[NewTobaccoGrower]

Hello, I am a new grower and on Day 24 of new seedlings of several varieties here in Florida, grown indoors (of course, with the weather we've been having for the last 2 months). Looking at everyone else's seedlings on Day 20+, they look so comparatively large and healthy. As you can see, mine are small and leggy. I believe the trouble was caused by growing them in the small/short plastic seed cell container w/transparent plastic cover, under the "Ferry Morse" small fluorescent light that is sold alongside the seedling starter kit. Even while completely lowered using the provided base, it was a good foot or so above the plants. So I've recently acquired a hanging LED light (shown) and smaller additional blue-red led lights which I've placed much closer to the plants. I've also started to keep them outdoors in direct sunlight (the little that we're getting here these days) for an hour or so a day. Does anyone know if this will help? I've turned on the overhead fan for there to be some "wind" over the plants, as well as periodically touching them with my fingers, which I've read stimulates strengthening of stalks as well. Has anyone else found themselves in this situation, and if so, what helped the plants in this condition? Thanks.

 

[Florida Dave]

Those kind of look like mine did last year when I started them inside the house in April. This year I bought a cheap 19watt LED grow light from Harbor Freight and they are doing much better. From what I have read here, leggy seedlings are a good indicator they are trying to reach the light.

 

[jclif43]

Welcome!

 

[NewTobaccoGrower]

Those kind of look like mine did last year when I started them inside the house in April. This year I bought a cheap 19watt LED grow light from Harbor Freight and they are doing much better. From what I have read here, leggy seedlings are a good indicator they are trying to reach the light.

Thank you. Now I'm afraid I must amend my initial certainty that light is the issue. I started a completely different crop elsewhere in the house (this time in a much sunnier window), in a different "tray" (in fact this time it's one of those kits that has 7 paper/soluble "pots" in them), and this time with not just one but 2 grow bulbs just 2 inches from the plants-- with my phone app reading that the plants are getting "high" light. Plus a few hours a day they get direct sunlight through the window, in addition to these lights. And still, they are quickly shooting up in height, with tiny little leaves on the top, so, leggy to the max. The only thing in common with the first crop is the soil. Maybe that's the culprit. But I don't think so, because there are countless videos on YouTube of new growers using all kinds of different soils (including ones that are likely inappropriate), and they aren't having this problem. Am really puzzled what is causing this.

 

[ProZachJ]

It's possible (likely) the light meter on your phone is reading lumens (human eye brightness) and not PAR (plant brightness) cheap diodes used in cheap LEDs sometimes use the wrong wavelengths that read bright to our eyes but are pretty dim for plants. I'm not saying it's definitely the light but I wouldn't take a phone as definitely eliminating it.

 

[ProZachJ]

20 20W double LED

In my experience 20w of LED is just not enough...you need at least 50w for seedlings.

 

[NewTobaccoGrower]

Just for the record am posting what tray and soil I used, in case anyone can see right off the bat if one or both of them are fatal mistakes.

 

[NewTobaccoGrower]

It's possible (likely) the light meter on your phone is reading lumens (human eye brightness) and not PAR (plant brightness) cheap diodes used in cheap LEDs sometimes use the wrong wavelengths that read bright to our eyes but are pretty dim for plants. I'm not saying it's definitely the light but I wouldn't take a phone as definitely eliminating it.

Well the app converts it to DLI (nanomoles of photons/day) as well as giving the PPFD reading, not sure how accurate it is though. What I need is an actual DLI meter but those are very pricey.

 

[ProZachJ]

Yea, I've never trusted those conversations
I figured there's a reason the read deal meters are so expensive if they could be replicated with a camera and software they would have gone extinct years ago.

 

[NewTobaccoGrower]

In my experience 20w of LED is just not enough...you need at least 50w for seedlings.

That's probably true. But then FloridaDave did well with his 19W light? If it requires 50W I'm doomed. I'll just grow these with what I have until the weather here in Florida is hospitable enough to put them outside, then I'll grow them under actual sunlight all day, hopefully they will recover and grow normally. And hopefully we'll get normal weather soon. I do see that many of them are trying to grow their 2nd set of leaves, I'm hoping that once they accomplish that, their growth will improve exponentially. Maybe not.

 

[ProZachJ]

I tried for years to grow with bars and panels smaller than 50w but always had weak results.

 

[ProZachJ]

Just for context I have experience growing a lot of things indoors but admittedly not tobacco. So if someone had success with 19w as the only light source I'm impressed.

 

[NewTobaccoGrower]

I tried for years to grow with bars and panels smaller than 50w but always had weak results.

Do 50W+ draw a lot of power, meaning do they add a lot to your electric bill?

 

[ProZachJ]

Do 50W+ draw a lot of power, meaning do they add a lot to your electric bill?

I've never noticed, if I'm remembering past calculations I've done it's probably something like $5-10 per months

 

[ProZachJ]

If you want, I can send you a couple of old 50w panels I have quite a few laying around that were free vendor samples. Probably cost you $20 for the shipping from Texas though.

 

[GreenDragon]

For 3 week old seedlings these look normal to me. Post new photos in two more weeks. Most new growers are used to seedlings from the garden - tomatoes, peppers, squashes, cabbage etc that have a much larger seed. These plants have a more robust start in life, whereas the tiny Tobacco seeds start life really slow, and tend to look leggy the first few weeks, then they will start to take off. If they are still very leggy at 6-8 weeks then you know you are not providing enough light.

 

[NewTobaccoGrower]

If you want, I can send you a couple of old 50w panels I have quite a few laying around that were free vendor samples. Probably cost you $20 for the shipping from Texas though.

View attachment 49549

That's very generous of you, thank you, that would be great! Maybe I'll do an experiment and raise another batch using those (I bought more seeds than I know what to do with), and compare.

 

[ProZachJ]

Direct message me your info and you can reimburse me for the shipping via PayPal when you receive them. It may take me a couple days to get to the post office with them.

 

[NewTobaccoGrower]

For 3 week old seedlings these look normal to me. Post new photos in two more weeks. Most new growers are used to seedlings from the garden - tomatoes, peppers, squashes, cabbage etc that have a much larger seed. These plants have a more robust start in life, whereas the tiny Tobacco seeds start life really slow, and tend to look leggy the first few weeks, then they will start to take off. If they are still very leggy at 6-8 weeks then you know you are not providing enough light.

Thanks, that's encouraging to hear. Today they are at Day 25, and haven't changed much, except that many of them are developing their 2nd set of leaves. What worried me mainly was that once their leaves start getting bigger they might topple as their stems look so thin and delicate, but when I went to "wiggle" them, as I've read helps to stimulate growth, I realized how strong they are-- they feel almost as strong as toothpicks. I know to you guys this is ho hum but it surprised the heck out of me-- any other plant with a stem that thin would be so weak and flop over immediately. I'll keep an eye on them over the next few weeks and see how they do.

 

[NewTobaccoGrower]

Things are going from bad to worse. I first noticed a yellowing tint in one of the varieties (Heritage Gold) yesterday, and today they are almost completely white. To the right in the photo are the Rustica, which, though getting lighter, are still mostly green. Also, the Yellow Orinoco (not shown) have not increased in size at all since the day they germinated 2 weeks ago-- most still look like little "stems" with the "dot" of a seed on top. I don't think that's normal. And am beginning to regularly find mushrooms in the cells (some weirdly shaped) on a daily basis. It is really amazing how fast they grow-- the night before, the cell is completely bare (except for the seedling), and the next morning, there is literally an inch-high mushroom there. I bet if I'd been looking at it I could have actually watched it grow. Anyway, it's clear there is some sort of fungal infestation, which might have something to do with the growth issue. But the real variable might be the bad lighting, am not sure at this point.