That is a better option than keeping the dome on. You'll kill the ones that have sprouted while you're waiting for the rest to sprout if you don't. You probably won't get 100% germination with or without the dome and I'm not so convinced the dome helps germination anyway. Just means you water less
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New Grower In Wisconsin
- Thread starter vbkid
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Take off the dome. I pulled my humidity dome as soon as the first seedlings started sprouting. More and more seedlings continued to pop practically every day after the dome was gone. Then, i kept planting more seeds in the tray long after the dome was gone (just these few more, i kept telling myself... 
) Seeds planted after the dome was gone germinated and grew just as successfully as the ones that started out under the humidity dome. So I think you can remove that dome without worry.
) Seeds planted after the dome was gone germinated and grew just as successfully as the ones that started out under the humidity dome. So I think you can remove that dome without worry.You do want to be careful not to let seedlings dry out. They're not as forgiving as they will be once they get a couple real leaves. I like to keep the top moist at all times until they get real leaves ensuring some of that moisture can sink down to the root. Not soggy but definitely not dry. Once a day with about 5-6 squirts from the bottle works well for my setup.
I'm in the chicagoland area and recently started a few sprouts. Figure I plant outdoors in 2 months or so. That being said, the plants I have that are two to three months old are between 6-12 inches tall right now. So since you also have about two months before going outdoors, yes, you should sprout more.
Sorry to hear of your troubles, that really sucks. Let us know more about your setup, as many details as possible and someone can probably give more advice. Got any pics? I'm growing under t5 ho's as well so I know you can get some great plants under the right conditions by mid May
Sorry to hear of your troubles, that really sucks. Let us know more about your setup, as many details as possible and someone can probably give more advice. Got any pics? I'm growing under t5 ho's as well so I know you can get some great plants under the right conditions by mid May
Miracle Gro? I'm thinking maybe the fertilizer in that stuff was a little too harsh and fried your seedlings. I've been using Jiffy seed starting mix for mine with good results. Might be a better option.
Pics might help us help you
I do realize the usefullness of pictures, unfortunately my digital camera appears to have petered out when I tried to use it last night.
After talking with a coworker who is having good luck with his pepper seeds, I just wanted to run this by people.
Last night I through a second batch of seeds in a peroxide solution, plan on plantign them tonight in a 1:1:2 perlite:sand:starter mix
I will place them on a heat mat under a dome until sunday (I'm gone Tomorrow-Sun and don't want them to dry out!)
Any advice on what container is best to plant them in and how to best judge how moist they should be? Wanting to get them all on 1 heat matt...about 12 kidns of seeds, only looking fora few plants each!
After talking with a coworker who is having good luck with his pepper seeds, I just wanted to run this by people.
Last night I through a second batch of seeds in a peroxide solution, plan on plantign them tonight in a 1:1:2 perlite:sand:starter mix
I will place them on a heat mat under a dome until sunday (I'm gone Tomorrow-Sun and don't want them to dry out!)
Any advice on what container is best to plant them in and how to best judge how moist they should be? Wanting to get them all on 1 heat matt...about 12 kidns of seeds, only looking fora few plants each!
So finally ready to start moving some of the germinated plants from inside the humidity dome (I can't uncover it, they dry out during the day if I do!). So as far as into styrofoam cups, do I need drainage at all if I makre sure I don't overwater them? The plants 1-2 sets of true leaves, should I start fertilizing yet? What kind of mix should I use in styrofoam cups? Any bury them down to their leaves correct?
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Sorry for al lthe questions...thanks for all theh elp people have provided.
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Sorry for al lthe questions...thanks for all theh elp people have provided.
Don't use sand in your mix. Use an off-the-shelf "seed starting" mix or anything that is light and fluffy with very low or no fertilizer. I prefer Promix HP, but then I buy it by the 3.8 cu.ft. compressed bale so I have it on hand. After the seedlings sprout and grow two sets of true leaves I generally transplant into my soil mix, though this year I was way behind in that department and everything turned out fine.
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The way I start my seeds is either in small Dixie-like cups (punch drainage holes!) with Promix, wet paper towels in plastic petri dishes I happen to have on hand, or in cut-off Solo cups with Promix which I did this year (cut drainage holes!). I loosely fill them to the brim with Promix and water until the mix slightly compacts and feels saturated (focus on the weight of each cup compared to before watering). Then I take my seeds and lightly push them in until just barely covered by a thin layer of media. One more mist from the squirt bottle, then I take plastic wrap and cover the cup to create a humidity dome and put them on a seedling heat mat without the grow light on (or covered by cardboard to block the light/heat). Then once the first seedlings sprout I remove the plastic wrap, put them under the grow light, and stop watering until the little cup really starts to dry out. If you keep the sprouted seedlings too wet they are highly likely to rot. If your light puts out too much heat, they will roast. If your light is powerful and is too close to the seedlings, they will also fry.
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*edit* Sorry, I read the post above your most recent. For transplanting, I fill a Solo cup with either whatever light fluffy potting mix I have on hand or a chunk of my full potting mix batch for that season if I have it ready. Again, do not use sand. Whatever mix you choose, make sure it is fluffy and has chunks of perlite and/or vermiculite to keep it from compacting too much. The roots need oxygen and gas exchange which can't happen if the soil is too compacted. Compact soil can also retain moisture too long causing rot.
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The way I start my seeds is either in small Dixie-like cups (punch drainage holes!) with Promix, wet paper towels in plastic petri dishes I happen to have on hand, or in cut-off Solo cups with Promix which I did this year (cut drainage holes!). I loosely fill them to the brim with Promix and water until the mix slightly compacts and feels saturated (focus on the weight of each cup compared to before watering). Then I take my seeds and lightly push them in until just barely covered by a thin layer of media. One more mist from the squirt bottle, then I take plastic wrap and cover the cup to create a humidity dome and put them on a seedling heat mat without the grow light on (or covered by cardboard to block the light/heat). Then once the first seedlings sprout I remove the plastic wrap, put them under the grow light, and stop watering until the little cup really starts to dry out. If you keep the sprouted seedlings too wet they are highly likely to rot. If your light puts out too much heat, they will roast. If your light is powerful and is too close to the seedlings, they will also fry.
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*edit* Sorry, I read the post above your most recent. For transplanting, I fill a Solo cup with either whatever light fluffy potting mix I have on hand or a chunk of my full potting mix batch for that season if I have it ready. Again, do not use sand. Whatever mix you choose, make sure it is fluffy and has chunks of perlite and/or vermiculite to keep it from compacting too much. The roots need oxygen and gas exchange which can't happen if the soil is too compacted. Compact soil can also retain moisture too long causing rot.
Thanks for all the advice. I just transplanted a few sprouted seedling with anywhere from 0-4 true leaves from a humidity dome (where others are germinating) to a mix of perlite and organic potting soil, about a foot under my T5s. Within 5 minutes of translanting, the leaves were mighty wilted, like plants look when they haven't been watered in a while. I watered them in and left em, hoping they are just going to adjust to the humidity. Thoughts?Â