Hello All !!! I have been trying to grow for about 6 months. I manage to kill them every time. I have a small popup grow tent, humidity and temp a bit over 70, 2 different grow lights, heated seedling mat and the recommended soil etc... I have mastered the art of soaking and germinating. After that it's all downhill. This last batch has grown the best. They are 3 weeks old - here's where it all goes bad. There are 4 "good" ones of the bunch. They are all 3" to 4" tall and have the starter leaves and two adult serrated looking leaves. Total across both leaves tip to tip is about 1/2". They are so lanky I put plant supports to hold them up. They get about to this point and die. I am using the moisture meter and being very light with the watering. I know I drowned a bunch of them. And yet - I can't justify starting more just to watch them do the same stupid thing again. I am at a loss at this point. Ask me anything you can think of that I didn't give enough info on. I really just don't get it. Thank you all..... Julie
Growing Problems past the seedling stage
- Thread starter Julie Y
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ROSTERMAN
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Sounds like over watering causing the plants seedlings to dampen off.
spunom
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I have questions. How big are the containers? How often do give them water?
If your plants are 3-4" tall and just getting their first true leaves, your lights are way too far away.
Seedlings don't need much water. I've drowned a few myself.
If your plants are 3-4" tall and just getting their first true leaves, your lights are way too far away.
Seedlings don't need much water. I've drowned a few myself.
They are both LED stand lights. One will change from red to blue to mix and the other one is just mixed colors. I have them as high as it can - maybe 14 to 15 inches kind of to the side and above them. My plan is to get a big grow tent and lights to do it properly but I can't seem to get off first base.
So I have tried Jiffy pods then transfer to a coco coir pot-Fail. This last try was puting the germinated (1/2" tap root) seed straight in to clean Fox Farms planting mix in a red solo cup. Using spring water; not tap water. I ahve been using the moisture meter and feeling the weight of the cup to determine watering. I'm using a lot less water this time in an effort to not drown them. Thank you.
Huh.... Grow book say 18 inches but the long stretch makes sense that they are reaching for light. How close do you put your light to the seedlings? Thank you.
I have had 2 die from the damping off thing..... I appreciate all the input. Been waiting before trying another set. I was using free seeds I got in an order to practice on.
That makes sense. How close can I put the light when they are just breaking ground as a seedling. I can get to that point pretty successfully. I think I'l start another set this weekend and change my lights a bit. Thank you.
spunom
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I'm no expert... by a long way lol, but keeping it simple goes a long way with seedling to veg stage. This is my method. Get your soil like good chocolate cake before you fill your cup. Fill the cup and plant your seed. Put a sandwich bag over the cup until the seed sprouts. Take the bag off.
You won't need to water it until the cup feels really light. If it gets too light, your plant will warn you before it gets bad. In my experience, they have 2 or 3 sets of leaves before I water them. Usually lol.
When it needs water every day, transplant. By then, you'll have the watering down.
The lights thing depends on the light you're using. You know that they are too far away this time. Next time, halve the height. If your first leaves (after the cotyledons) are spacing too far, lower it. You can keep a SF1000 28 inches up, but if you're using a Walmart led bulb, like 4 inches. Just find your balance. And remember .. it's a weed lol.
What kind / power / brand possibly, of LED lighting. And I think you figured out a little with your previous post and distance from light source.
Same with you figuring you might have been overwatering a touch...
Picts?
Your Going To Do Great !!!
As close as possible depending on heat.
I run a couple different lights. My seedling tent I run a 1000 watt spider farmer(100 watt), around 30” today start then down to about 24”
zem
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i would guess it is overkill of something, maybe too much care lol I mean seedlings need an airy medium and no fertilizers, and time to grow, that's it. I most of the times start under cfls under a dome and leave them for a while under those lights until they grow a little bit. I never mess with taproots and such, just small cups and transplant. The seedling that cannot support itself goes out the door.
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ROSTERMAN
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Don't use peat pots they suck balls
I always use a good starting soil in the Beer pong plastic cups
Solo brand with drainage holes cut in bottom of them
I always use a good starting soil in the Beer pong plastic cups
Solo brand with drainage holes cut in bottom of them
The "grows like a weed" doesn't seem to apply to my efforts. I've done the bag thing-check. Lower the lights-check. don't over water-check. Going to try another batch of seeds. Thank you so much.
