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Incoming seed sprouting rant

Melium

Melium

So..I may or not be a moron when it comes to sprouting seeds. I'm leaning towards the moron side myself because apparently I can sprout a seed and nurture it until its a week or two old and then I magically lose all plant knowledge. Either I overwater or underwater, leave the light on too long, don't use a fan, use the fan for too long or just generally somehow kill every sprout I touch. I'm currently using a seed starting tray but I replaced the nasty peat pellets with top o' the line (Heh) potting soil, I had hoped the watering tray underneath would work for the plants but apparently it does the opposite and allows the potting soil to soak up ALL THE WATER AT ONCE. My first round of seeds sprouted 13 beautiful plants which have all but three died in the last week, but now two of those three are shriveled and dying also. The last plant is apparently still under some sort of protective spell because it hasn't sprouted its first set of true leaves yet and begun to die. I wonder if I dare transplant it to a tiny pot in the hopes that it lives or if I should leave it... If anyone has any other ideas of how to sprout plants in soil please let me know because its not my area of expertise..

Although it seems like once it has its first two sets of true leaves, I can take care of it just fine...


Thanks for reading

Melium The Destroyer of Plants
 
Dont transplant! The younger baby plants are more prone to over and under watering! Only water when the top of the medium is near dry. If the plant falls over it needs water. After giving it a drink it will literaly spring back to life! Young plants need good lights! Use florecent 6500k bulbs. Run your lights very close to the plants about 2-3 inches. For the first week run your lights 24/7. Then cut back to 18hrs. Make sure you are bottom watering as well
 
Qualifying that - If it droops down from the top, likely it needs water. If it falls over from a soft spot near the base, that is damping off, and you need to water your babies less than you have. Also, bottom-watering so that the moisture doesn't get all the way to the top of the dirt helps. Air flow is a must, but you don't want gale-force hitting directly on them - if you can find a gentle fan, great, but if not, make sure they get air flow more indirectly.
 
geeme said:
Qualifying that - If it droops down from the top, likely it needs water. If it falls over from a soft spot near the base, that is damping off, and you need to water your babies less than you have. Also, bottom-watering so that the moisture doesn't get all the way to the top of the dirt helps. Air flow is a must, but you don't want gale-force hitting directly on them - if you can find a gentle fan, great, but if not, make sure they get air flow more indirectly.
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Ya I agree. A few of mine were bent over at the top half. Didnt know about the damping off part. It makes sense though
 
are you using pottting soil or seed starting medium?....if you are not using seed starting medium, you probably are not getting good rootball development...
 
Another problem AJ might be that he is on well water....and running a salt softner. That might be a key too... I Dunno tho.
 
Potting soil is twiggy and chunky. Also seems to hold water. I need something that drains fast becsause my growing temps aren't as high as they should be. I err on the side of too dry because I always worry about diseases.Seed mix is the way to go. I started seeds a couple days ago and I ground the medium between my fingers as I was filling the cells. Trying to keep the soil fine. I am trying superthrive this year for better rooting. We will see what happens. All things need a good foundation.. Life, buildings, plants.
 
AJ, i'm using Miracle Gro Moisture Control potting soil, currently a 65w plant light and a small computer fan to keep away even more damping off.
 
I think...(which is a problem in itself) there's something to this. Sick635 (I think that's his username...sorry sick lol) had the same problem. He had most fall over and die after sprouting and only a couple live. Are you planting them deep enough? If the soil is too loose, when you water it could change the seedlings starting depth? I swear, I've never heard so many problems as with these superhots....I'm going to start mine in the next week here (I've grown everything else without a problem) I'm going to see what happens. Just make sure Mel that you're not trying to do too much. KISS (keep it simple stupid) Just a saying bradda, don't take it the wrong way. Sometimes less is more. Step back from the problem and look at it logically. It's just a plant, not rocket science. I mean seeds fall off a plant hit the ground and grow. Or a kind animal eats it and later poops it out in it's own little steaming pile of a home and out pops life lol. Good luck be sure to report back.
 
Aye, thanks King. I leave my soil loose when I put it in the tray, I water from below so I don't disturb it too much and I try to plant them at approximately 1/4in every time but it doesn't always work.
 
IMO the soil you are using is not good for starting seeds....you need a lightweight that does not hinder root growth....something like Hoffmans Seed Starting Mix or Jiffy Seed Starting Mix or Light Warrior...these are very light weight soil-less mixes...plus the fact that the miricle grow contains nutrients and may be too hot for your seedlings...may be burning them up before they get a chance to get started...your one goal when starting seeds is to get good rootball development...a healthy rootball means a healthy plant...

I know a lot of people use MG stuff, but I steer away from it because I have never had anything good to say about it....MG fertilizes may be OK but their soils suck....
 
understand...also, I wear gloves when planting the seeds...not to keep the seeds clean, rather to keep my fingers from getting the capsaicin on them...but it does keep stuff off my seeds...
 
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