Starting outdoor seeds indoors (light cycle?)

[alvin88]

Getting an early start this year and popping my seeds for outdoor now.

Should I put them on 18/6 or something closer to the outdoor light cycle? I plan to put them outdoors around April 1st.

 

[El Timbo]

I would put them on 18/6

 

[amanda88]

Getting an early start this year and popping my seeds for outdoor now.

Should I put them on 18/6 or something closer to the outdoor light cycle? I plan to put them outdoors around April 1st.

google for the sun up time at your place come time to lay these outdoors, ensure theirs no frost its a killer
for the first 2 weeks of the germ you can get away with 24/0 light but may be strain specific

good luck

ps I like to add larger pots as a way to keep up the temps the extra soil being insulation

 

[oldmaninbc]

I have put seedlings out in all kinds of conditions. The nature of the strain is very important in relationship to the environment. I have put seedlings out early spring and upon returning found them buried in a snow dome, brushed them off and they were fine.
I have put seedlings out early April that had 18hrs of light indoors (less outdoors)some strains adapted others failed and would not grow properly, they would become gnarly and never amount to anything useful.

 

[brookie]

Start your seeds under 12/12. this way the hours of light will be increasing when you place them outside instead of decreasing. Decreasing the hours of light can throw them into flower and you will get gnarly revegged plants as above poster mentioned.

 

[brookie]

I should also mention starting early never seems to pay dividends.

 

[Old Piney]

For that short of time from seed it doesn't matter go with it 18 -6

 

[brookie]

That is correct if its only 2-3 weeks. If something happened and he had to delay a couple more weeks before putting them out then he would be back to the revegg scenario. Its just easier to always start 12/12 and then your light hours will always be increasing.

 

[flameninja]

I start all my beans inside but I just put them on a windowsill. They don’t need a lot of light in the early days and there’s no need to worry about light hours because they are already acclimatised.

 

[Dequilo]

Decreasing the hours of light can throw them into flower and you will get gnarly revegged plants

That is correct I put mine outside May 4th here at 42.8N and start them inside but I start early

I put them out like this size

in a 7 gallon pot started third week of January they have been switched at this time to 16/8 from 18/6 on

Friday the last two weeks will be 14/10 to get closer to outside

but they will flower a bit and reveg

and look like this

flowering and revegging is not such a bad thing outside just need to support them as the will get big

@alvin88 all the best on your outside season 2024

be safe and grow well

Dequilo

 

[lohnjennon]

I start my seedlings inside for growing outdoors and set my light timer as close to the current daylight hours as i can. It is simple and does not confuse the plants. I have never had any issues doing this.

 

[Capt.Ahab]

I usually start them at 18/6 but on the other hand I've put seeds in the ground outside in June and by the end of the summer the plants are just as large as the plants I started early indoors.

 

[lohnjennon]

I usually start them at 18/6 but on the other hand I've put seeds in the ground outside in June and by the end of the summer the plants are just as large as the plants I started early indoors.

I have noticed this too, with cannabis and other veggies. I have started plants inside very early only to have the late seeded plants, planted sometimes 2 months later, catch up or surpass the early starts. Earlier is not always better.

My great grandmother said she used to start her tomatoes indoors but after many years of gardening she noticed that they produced tomatoes at the same time of year and the direct seeded tomatoes were healthier plants, not to mention it is much easier. This was in the Detroit, Michigan area, with a relatively short season.

 

[Dequilo]

Earlier is not always better.

for something and purposes you are indeed correct

all the best

Dequilo

 

[Old Piney]

Earlier is not always better.

Yes like you go to plant your early started tomato plants out and find volunteer plants twice as big

 

[Dequilo]

find volunteer plants twice as big

f1 hybrid vigor

 

[lohnjennon]

Yes like you go to plant your early started tomato plants out and find volunteer plants twice as big

I had this happen last year, the volunteer tomato was maybe 3 times as big as my puny little starts!