Re: lighting


     You are right in trying to duplicate nature. Acclimating the seedlings to outdoor temperature drops at night and getting exposed to the real sun are your bigger concerns. You cannot duplicate the sun artificially. With great effort and energy usage you might only come close. I go with 20 hours of light on and only 4 off. This is sufficient for the rest cycle and an attempt to duplicate the real thing. I use a Phototron that I used to grow hemp in, in my younger days, much younger, So long ago that I can hardly remember, I was poor and needed to make my own rope!, and I don't recall even inhaling!  Anyway, even with this hi tech unit that is designed to focus all of the possible light to the plants, it is not quite intense enough to prevent 'the too long and weak seedling effect' that occurs when a seedling needs more intense light. Does anyone know a real name for that? I bring the young plants outside for some real sun anytime the weather is warm enough. Even an hour or two everyday or so will make a huge difference and help with the outdoor acclimation.  This is especially important as the seedlings are just germinating and during the earliest days. If they get 'the too long and weak seedling effect' it will be very challenging to get them sun acclimated and strong.

Ray 
P.B. 554.5 Green :)

>>> <BChris1335@aol.com> 03/27/01 11:00PM >>>
When starting seedlings do you leave the grow lights on 24 hours a day or 
something more like on 18 hours and off 6 hours? I've heard arguments going 
both ways in the past. The biology of it all probably says to imitate nature, 
but has anyone actually compared both methods to see if there are actually 
any differences?
Brian

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