seeds Seedling Stalling

[jblo]

I found some 2 year old jalapeno seeds I had forgotten about and decided to germinate them to see if they were any good. Some germinated and I saved 6. 2 have opened and started trying to put out their first set of true leaves. But they've pretty much just stopped doing anything for the last 2 weeks. Even more interesting, 2 are hooked and you can see the leaves in the soil, but they won't stand up. It's like they've been frozen in time!

They've been under the grow lights and have spent a little time outside.

What causes this? Seeds too old?

 

[megahot]

I have the lights set really close to the seedlings. Your lights may not be close enough? What are the indoor/outdoor temps like? As this could be another reason why they are stalling. Sometimes they just take their sweet time to fully sprout

 

[jblo]

Indoor temps about 70deg. Outdoor temps 65-75. I've got them within 2 inches of a pair of T12's. I don't know their spectrum off hand. Germinated some cayennes purchased the same year (Burpee 2011 I think) and they're on their second set of true leaves and growing like champs.

 

[megahot]

are the bulbs more of a white color or florecent? Sounds like they are just being slow as a few of mine were. Nothing to worry, they will come around

 

[jblo]

It's no big deal if they don't. I don't need them for my growing plans this year. I basically curious if the seeds were still good.

One bulb is more blue. The other is fluorescent white.

 

[megahot]

Blue is good! see if you can pick up a 6500K bulb at a Lowes or Home Depot. the blue end of the spectrum is better for growth

 

[jblo]

Thanks. My recent emergence as a chilihead was a bit haphazard. I decided very late to start a bunch of heat and had seeds in soil before I entirely thought through what I was going to do once they sprouted! The T12 fixture was impromptu with stuff I had lying around. I don't really have much under the lights anymore - 4 or so seedlings, a Bhut I topped and 2 plants I just received in the mail that I'm letting hang out indoors for a few days to stabilize.

I plan on building an enclosure with several shelves and T5 fixtures for next growing season. Going to approach next year with a little more forethought and preparation! Just enjoying the ride this season and learning as much as I can!

 

[PepperWhisperer]

The ones that won't stand up may be literally stuck. Sometimes the seed casing doesn't split open enough to let the cotyledons escape and you get exactly what you describe. I bet if you dig one out you will see the leaf tips are jammed inside the seed.

 

[Wulf]

The lights won't matter before the second set of leaves. You can get to the second set of leaves with no lights at all.

 

[amps]

My tomato seedlings and a few later pepper starts all did the same thing. Finally just repotted them with some worm casting mixed and gave them a week shot of MaxiBloom fertilizer...those little mofos have all doubled in size.

Might be worth a shot.