# How soon should I put a seedling under my grow light? **URL:** \ **Category:** Seedling\ **Created:** [April 6, 2020, 10:18pm UTC](https://ilgmforum.com/t/how-soon-should-i-put-a-seedling-under-my-grow-light/42258 "2020-04-06T22:18:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![smokysmurf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/0ea827/32.png) [@smokysmurf](https://ilgmforum.com/u/smokysmurf)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2020, 10:18pm UTC](https://ilgmforum.com/t/how-soon-should-i-put-a-seedling-under-my-grow-light/42258/1 "2020-04-06T22:18:57Z")
I ordered my seeds on March 31st and they arrived today, I am stoked! My light should arrive on Wednesday so I am going to go ahead and start germinating a seed. The grow light I chose is the HLG 260W QB V2 rspec. Once the plant appears above the soil should I put it under the grow light right away? Should I dim it until a certain point of growth? Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![MidwestGuy](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/growingmarijuana/user_avatar/ilgmforum.com/midwestguy/32/914277_2.png) [@MidwestGuy](https://ilgmforum.com/u/MidwestGuy)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2020, 10:26pm UTC](https://ilgmforum.com/t/how-soon-should-i-put-a-seedling-under-my-grow-light/42258/2 "2020-04-06T22:26:49Z")
Good choice for a light. I would turn it all of the way down for a seedling and put it at least 30 inches above. Once your girls spring a couple of sets of serrated leaves you can start turning the light back up. ---
**Author:** ![smokysmurf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/0ea827/32.png) [@smokysmurf](https://ilgmforum.com/u/smokysmurf)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2020, 10:31pm UTC](https://ilgmforum.com/t/how-soon-should-i-put-a-seedling-under-my-grow-light/42258/3 "2020-04-06T22:31:01Z")
So I should turn it up gradually over a week or so? You end up answering most of my posts no matter what question I ask. You da man! Or woman, lol. ---
**Author:** ![MidwestGuy](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/growingmarijuana/user_avatar/ilgmforum.com/midwestguy/32/914277_2.png) [@MidwestGuy](https://ilgmforum.com/u/MidwestGuy)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2020, 10:43pm UTC](https://ilgmforum.com/t/how-soon-should-i-put-a-seedling-under-my-grow-light/42258/4 "2020-04-06T22:43:42Z")
Leave it down until your plant grows a little. Right now I have just one PCB of an HLG 260 V2 Rspec on this plant. That one panel is 24" away and is still turned all the way down. I probably won’t turn it up for another week or so. Young seedlings need even less light. ![6 April 2020](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/growingmarijuana/original/4X/f/3/7/f374aad4decfc82f543e8c913ae8387ffea2b2b3.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![smokysmurf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/0ea827/32.png) [@smokysmurf](https://ilgmforum.com/u/smokysmurf)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2020, 10:45pm UTC](https://ilgmforum.com/t/how-soon-should-i-put-a-seedling-under-my-grow-light/42258/5 "2020-04-06T22:45:37Z")
Got it. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Myfriendis410](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/growingmarijuana/user_avatar/ilgmforum.com/myfriendis410/32/556067_2.png) [@Myfriendis410](https://ilgmforum.com/u/Myfriendis410)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2020, 10:45pm UTC](https://ilgmforum.com/t/how-soon-should-i-put-a-seedling-under-my-grow-light/42258/6 "2020-04-06T22:45:44Z")
Just watch that the seedling is not stretching excessively; at which point you can drop the light down closer. These lights do an exceptional job of growing cannabis with about half the power of everything else. ---
**Author:** ![smokysmurf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/0ea827/32.png) [@smokysmurf](https://ilgmforum.com/u/smokysmurf)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2020, 10:47pm UTC](https://ilgmforum.com/t/how-soon-should-i-put-a-seedling-under-my-grow-light/42258/7 "2020-04-06T22:47:19Z")
Thanks. This light seemed to be a good choice after a ton of research. ---
**Author:** ![MidwestGuy](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/growingmarijuana/user_avatar/ilgmforum.com/midwestguy/32/914277_2.png) [@MidwestGuy](https://ilgmforum.com/u/MidwestGuy)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2020, 10:47pm UTC](https://ilgmforum.com/t/how-soon-should-i-put-a-seedling-under-my-grow-light/42258/8 "2020-04-06T22:47:54Z")
Good point. @smokysmurf you can see that these girls are getting plenty of light in that they are compact and the space between the nodes in very minimal. ---
**Author:** ![Grandaddy013](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/growingmarijuana/user_avatar/ilgmforum.com/grandaddy013/32/98577_2.png) [@Grandaddy013](https://ilgmforum.com/u/Grandaddy013)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2020, 4:38pm UTC](https://ilgmforum.com/t/how-soon-should-i-put-a-seedling-under-my-grow-light/42258/9 "2020-04-07T16:38:05Z")
I put my seedlings in a humidity dome after they sprout for 7days, then directly under a 600w MH @24" no problem. Then when they go to flower, they go under a 660w diy led @24" ---
**Author:** ![smokysmurf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/0ea827/32.png) [@smokysmurf](https://ilgmforum.com/u/smokysmurf)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2020, 4:15pm UTC](https://ilgmforum.com/t/how-soon-should-i-put-a-seedling-under-my-grow-light/42258/10 "2020-04-10T16:15:18Z")
My seed poked through the soil after about 36 hours. Can I let a seedling dry out once it has sprouted or does it have to stay moist? I can use a spray bottle to keep the top layer of soil moist or I can water from the bottom since it is in a clay pot with saucer under it. Or I can do both. ---
**Author:** ![MidwestGuy](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/growingmarijuana/user_avatar/ilgmforum.com/midwestguy/32/914277_2.png) [@MidwestGuy](https://ilgmforum.com/u/MidwestGuy)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2020, 4:22pm UTC](https://ilgmforum.com/t/how-soon-should-i-put-a-seedling-under-my-grow-light/42258/11 "2020-04-10T16:22:26Z")
Put a dome over it (a pop bottle cut in half works fine) and mist inside the dome a couple of times a day. If you do water it, then don’t add more than a ml or 2, and wait until the soil dries before you add more. ---
**Author:** ![smokysmurf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/0ea827/32.png) [@smokysmurf](https://ilgmforum.com/u/smokysmurf)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2020, 4:37pm UTC](https://ilgmforum.com/t/how-soon-should-i-put-a-seedling-under-my-grow-light/42258/12 "2020-04-10T16:37:05Z")
I found a V8 bottle that fits ok but it has a small gap in one spot. I assume the dome should not be airtight as the seedling needs oxygen? Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![MidwestGuy](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/growingmarijuana/user_avatar/ilgmforum.com/midwestguy/32/914277_2.png) [@MidwestGuy](https://ilgmforum.com/u/MidwestGuy)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2020, 4:41pm UTC](https://ilgmforum.com/t/how-soon-should-i-put-a-seedling-under-my-grow-light/42258/13 "2020-04-10T16:41:05Z")
A small hole here and there doesn’t hurt anything. A seedling won’t consume much CO2, so there’s not a whole lot to worry about since you are picking it up to mist inside of it a couple of times a day. So long as it is clear you’ll be okay. ---
**Author:** ![smokysmurf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/0ea827/32.png) [@smokysmurf](https://ilgmforum.com/u/smokysmurf)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2020, 4:42pm UTC](https://ilgmforum.com/t/how-soon-should-i-put-a-seedling-under-my-grow-light/42258/14 "2020-04-10T16:42:36Z")
Just to clarify are you saying I should mist the inside of the dome itself instead of the soil and seedling? ---
**Author:** ![MidwestGuy](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/growingmarijuana/user_avatar/ilgmforum.com/midwestguy/32/914277_2.png) [@MidwestGuy](https://ilgmforum.com/u/MidwestGuy)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2020, 4:50pm UTC](https://ilgmforum.com/t/how-soon-should-i-put-a-seedling-under-my-grow-light/42258/15 "2020-04-10T16:50:57Z")
> [@smokysmurf](#): > > I should mist the inside of the dome itself Yes. I usually add ml of water or 2 every couple of days to the base of the plant. When it puts up a couple of nodes you can remove the dome and start watering it. How big are your seedlings at this point? Picture? ---
**Author:** ![smokysmurf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/0ea827/32.png) [@smokysmurf](https://ilgmforum.com/u/smokysmurf)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2020, 4:57pm UTC](https://ilgmforum.com/t/how-soon-should-i-put-a-seedling-under-my-grow-light/42258/16 "2020-04-10T16:57:45Z")
The seedling just broke through the soil this morning so no leaves or anything yet. ---
**Author:** ![MidwestGuy](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/growingmarijuana/user_avatar/ilgmforum.com/midwestguy/32/914277_2.png) [@MidwestGuy](https://ilgmforum.com/u/MidwestGuy)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2020, 5:02pm UTC](https://ilgmforum.com/t/how-soon-should-i-put-a-seedling-under-my-grow-light/42258/17 "2020-04-10T17:02:06Z")
She needs very little water at this point. ---
**Author:** ![smokysmurf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/0ea827/32.png) [@smokysmurf](https://ilgmforum.com/u/smokysmurf)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2020, 5:03pm UTC](https://ilgmforum.com/t/how-soon-should-i-put-a-seedling-under-my-grow-light/42258/18 "2020-04-10T17:03:34Z")
![GSC](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/growingmarijuana/original/4X/5/e/3/5e3a022b5a6268ea0ba07a1737034c0eabdc1d36.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![MidwestGuy](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/growingmarijuana/user_avatar/ilgmforum.com/midwestguy/32/914277_2.png) [@MidwestGuy](https://ilgmforum.com/u/MidwestGuy)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2020, 5:16pm UTC](https://ilgmforum.com/t/how-soon-should-i-put-a-seedling-under-my-grow-light/42258/19 "2020-04-10T17:16:47Z")
Me again. 🤣 I just turned the light up on 2 young plants that had posted 4 nodes. Seedlings need very little light. Monitor the stretch of your seedlings for space between nodes to judge whether or not you are giving them enough light. A low wattage CFL is plenty for at least another week or 2. Your soil looks wet. Let it dry out. ---
**Author:** ![smokysmurf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/0ea827/32.png) [@smokysmurf](https://ilgmforum.com/u/smokysmurf)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2020, 5:19pm UTC](https://ilgmforum.com/t/how-soon-should-i-put-a-seedling-under-my-grow-light/42258/20 "2020-04-10T17:19:38Z")
This is definitely rich soil. It is damp to the touch. I watered the soil a few hours before I planted and have only misted the surface since then. I have the HLG 260 turned down to the lowest setting at 24" above the top of the pot. How many hours of light should a seedling be getting? [Next page](https://ilgmforum.com/t/how-soon-should-i-put-a-seedling-under-my-grow-light/42258.md?page=2)