help: light on or off before they sprout

Ok so I got 4 beans in rockwool cubes under a dome with temps running 80-82*F and 60-80% humidity. I placed them directly into PH adjusted wet but not soaking cubes 2 days ago and they still havent sprouted. Was wondering if I need to turn my T5 I have over them, off until they show?

I was taught to keep them off til first true leaves.

here's a pic of the girls setup

I started my light schedule at 18/6 as soon as they were germinated and put in soil they seem to be doing just fine

I keep my lights on for 2 reasons.
1. The room I grow in is on the cool side and I use the additional heat to speed up germination.
2. I want my babies to be welcomed with bright light as soon as they break the soils surface and then I vent the heat away from the HID light.
If you are running 80-82f with the lights off then you are doing okay and can go either way with the lights. I don't use T5's but I don't think they put off too much heat.
Even under perfect conditions 2 days to germinate those beans is a little fast. I've had some come up in as little as 3 days when growing hydroponically but usually 5-7 days in soil and if the soil is on the cool side maybe a little longer.
All is good.

I always turn on my light as soon as I plant the seed in rockwool cubes, that way there will be light when they sprout, also I've had seeds take up to 6 days or more to sprout, patients is the name of the game.

My current sprouting took 9 days to show. Give it time. You will wake up one day in the next week to your girls saying hello.

keep the light on. it'll keep the medium a bit warmer, which is what seedling crave.

blowincherrypie said:

I was taught to keep them off til first true leaves.

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To clarify, I leave them in my veg tent with the lights on buy I usually shield them from the direct light, or cover them with a hat or something. You will be able to tell if it's too much light for them.

get paper towel soak it. squeez excess water put beans inbetween now damp paper towel and fold then get to plates paper-towel in middle so its like a dard humid dome and spray every couple days to keep moist should pop in about 2-8 days.(plates are creating a dome one upside down)paper tolel in middle.then rockwhool after they pop,then dirt after poping from rockwhool seens to work great

Ok guys two of the girls have sprouted!!!! and another one just broke the surface but hasn't completely unfolded its cotyledons yet. The last one looks a bit stuck, I think the seed was laying weird in the hole but hopefully it will push up through too. So excited!

Do you think the single T5 is enough light? Last time my seedlings stretched pretty bad but I think I had the light off for like the first 6 hours that they sprouted (Can't remember exactly)

wonderous said:

Ok guys two of the girls have sprouted!!!! and another one just broke the surface but hasn't completely unfolded its cotyledons yet. The last one looks a bit stuck, I think the seed was laying weird in the hole but hopefully it will push up through too. So excited!

Do you think the single T5 is enough light? Last time my seedlings stretched pretty bad but I think I had the light off for like the first 6 hours that they sprouted (Can't remember exactly)

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Yeah the T5 will be fine at first, and put it like 3-4 inches above your babies so they won't stretch, trust me, they will love you for it..good luck man..oh and be careful not to over water, and NO NUTES till 3rd or 4th week, you'll be fine..

With the T5 you should be able to get them real close. For anybody using HID or LEDs might want to shield them from direct light the first couple/few days like this. View attachment 2584207

Not gonna step on toes or argue... it is a matter of preference and personal results.

Since they do not get any light when in a cube or in the soil- they need the light and warmth to stretch up toward the light as they sprout..

If pre-sprouting... NO light at all, just a warm spot..

But the less light you have in cubes- the longer they take-- and keep in mind- if not pre-sprouted, you do not know for certain that they are all viable to begin with... they can take from 4 days to 2 weeks to sprout in cube/soil...

Next time- IMO- presprout then plant with the tiny tail down and the shell just showing at the top of the soil/cube... they will then continue to sprout and be open within 48 hours...

And T5's are great! They are perfect for sprouting & vegging- many people will swap-out 1/2 the bulbs to "warm light' and flower under them! With decent results!

Thanks everyone for the responses! I love the RIU community!