Hello!
I'm completely new to trying to start seeds from home. After this first trial I have learned my next try will not be in peat pots. That being said, these little guys sprouted great, went for a few days that splat.... they fell over and shriveled up. Any ideas on what happened? I'm not using a grow light they are inside a south facing window. I have been watering them with a mister every 3-4 days. We live in a Wyoming and keep our house set to 70-72 so I'm wondering if the got too cold. I have them on top of our cable box which gets pretty warm but maybe not warm enough? Apparently my set up was not fancy enough for these guys! I'm going to have to invest in a light it seems!
-
Sarahly818
- Newly Registered
- Posts: 4
- Joined: Sun Mar 12, 2017 11:12 am
Wilting seed sprouts
- Attachments
-
-
applestar
- Mod
- Posts: 30541
- Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
- Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)
Yeah some of them are WAY light starved and not likely to recover or salvageable.
The basil on the bottom right might make it if given brighter light (and add more growing medium mixed with some sand to support the weak elongated hypocotyl) as well as the newly sprouted (but too many too close) ones 2nd from bottom on the left.
Try adding about 1/4 inch of water to the tray these are in. If they suck that up quick, you'll know you haven't been watering enough. Cablebox puts out more heat while (TV is) on but not so much when idle. Windowsill can get cold. I would invest in a thermometer -- even temporarily divert an instant read from the kitchen.
What did you use to grow them in? If not a fertilized potting mix, you will need to fertilize right away -- weak... 1/4 strength. I prefer mixing in some wormcastings from my little vermicompost set up to the seed starting mix.
I won't talk about the peat pots -- you've already said you wont use them any more.
Look in the light suggestion thread -- you must have something around the house you can use -- under cabinet kitchen light, desk lamp.... for a couple of those pots, there are many possibilities while you shop for and set up a more dedicated area.
The basil on the bottom right might make it if given brighter light (and add more growing medium mixed with some sand to support the weak elongated hypocotyl) as well as the newly sprouted (but too many too close) ones 2nd from bottom on the left.
Try adding about 1/4 inch of water to the tray these are in. If they suck that up quick, you'll know you haven't been watering enough. Cablebox puts out more heat while (TV is) on but not so much when idle. Windowsill can get cold. I would invest in a thermometer -- even temporarily divert an instant read from the kitchen.
What did you use to grow them in? If not a fertilized potting mix, you will need to fertilize right away -- weak... 1/4 strength. I prefer mixing in some wormcastings from my little vermicompost set up to the seed starting mix.
I won't talk about the peat pots -- you've already said you wont use them any more.
Look in the light suggestion thread -- you must have something around the house you can use -- under cabinet kitchen light, desk lamp.... for a couple of those pots, there are many possibilities while you shop for and set up a more dedicated area.
Peat pots are hard to grow in. It is hard to control the water with them and dampening off is common. Your soil looks contracted and dry. When peat pots dry, they suck up moisture from the soil.
Try the seedlings in cups instead. Use a potting mix and keep the pots evenly moist.
Seeds and seedlings will die if they are either too wet or too dry.
Try the seedlings in cups instead. Use a potting mix and keep the pots evenly moist.
Seeds and seedlings will die if they are either too wet or too dry.
-
rainbowgardener
- Super Green Thumb
- Posts: 25279
- Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2009 6:04 pm
- Location: TN/GA 7b
What everyone said! Here's a thread on seed starting basics: https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/vi ... 48&t=44183
Your little seedlings were WAY spindly because light starved. You said you had a grow light, but how close was it to the seedlings? Here's what it should look like:
Lights just an inch or two above the seedlings, hung so they can be raised as the seedlings grow.
Light intensity varies with the inverse square of the distance. That means if you have lights two inches above the plants and you move them twice as far to four inches, the plants are now getting one quarter the light intensity. If you move them six times as far, to one foot (12") away, the plants are now getting one thirty-sixth the light intensity or about 3%.
If your house stays at least 70 degrees (really!?) that should be warm enough.
But imafan is right about the peat pots. Seedling killers. The biggest killer of little seedlings is water. Watering is tricky. If seedlings dry out they die. But if they stay too moist they get damped off (a fungal disease little seedlings are very vulnerable to in conditions of of too much moisture and two little air circulation) and die.
You don't have a lot invested in those seedlings so far. Personally I would start over with plastic pots or yoghurt cups or Solo drink cups, etc. (with drainage holes added). Put them in a tray and water from the bottom. Get a better light source.
Your little seedlings were WAY spindly because light starved. You said you had a grow light, but how close was it to the seedlings? Here's what it should look like:
Lights just an inch or two above the seedlings, hung so they can be raised as the seedlings grow.
Light intensity varies with the inverse square of the distance. That means if you have lights two inches above the plants and you move them twice as far to four inches, the plants are now getting one quarter the light intensity. If you move them six times as far, to one foot (12") away, the plants are now getting one thirty-sixth the light intensity or about 3%.
If your house stays at least 70 degrees (really!?) that should be warm enough.
But imafan is right about the peat pots. Seedling killers. The biggest killer of little seedlings is water. Watering is tricky. If seedlings dry out they die. But if they stay too moist they get damped off (a fungal disease little seedlings are very vulnerable to in conditions of of too much moisture and two little air circulation) and die.
You don't have a lot invested in those seedlings so far. Personally I would start over with plastic pots or yoghurt cups or Solo drink cups, etc. (with drainage holes added). Put them in a tray and water from the bottom. Get a better light source.