seedling death.

[Gundari]

So there was a cold snap a while back that killed the power to my house and because of that killed my plants (got down to like 10 degrees in the house) and that killed my mother plant and the two clones off her i had growin.

I've tried restarting with seeds several times and the babies always end up dead, and its beginning to get a bit frustrating. I'm not totally sure whats happening but I theorize they are drying out (not quite sure how). I start the seeds off in the paper towl in the bowl method and check fairly regularly so when i see the tip of the tap root sticking out I move it to the soil medium I'm using (hummus and manure + perlite that I've flushed the nutes out of). Plant the seed maybe half an inch or so deep and water the soil, several of them with push up out of the soil and seem to be healthy for a day or so then they just kinda droop over and die. Several others never even make it out of the soil and I end up digging out a shriveled up tap root when I pull them out.

So what am I doing wrong? and more importantly how do I prevent it from happening again? I'd really like to get another grow underway.

[Twentyinches]

ya know, some ppl love using paper towels, but I've had more success with just planting straight into the soil. Plus then you don't risk messin up the tap root...i hate when that happened...
Are you keeping the soil moist?

[Mr. Clandestine]

I only use paper towels for germinating, and as long as the taproots don't elongate too much they generally sprout just fine for me. I only place the seeds in the soil a few centimeters (about twice the width of the seed), and within a day or so they'll generally make their grand entrance into this world. My theory is that planting them too deep in the soil only makes them spend that much more energy trying to wiggle to the surface. It's not based on any scientific fact, but it seems to work well for me.

What kind of lights are you putting the seedlings under? Is it something that generates a fair amount of heat? Do you keep fans trained on the seedlings? I usually don't start seedlings under an HID, because even the slight temperature difference, coupled with drafts from fans, tends to dry out the soil in my little 6" seedling pots real fast. And while overwatering is a good way to kill young seedlings quickly, it doesn't take much for the soil (and the plant) to dry out completely.

It can be frustrating to find a good balance, but don't give up! It gets a lot easier with practice & patience. :jointsmile:

[Gundari]

They are under two white CFLS (i dont rmember the wattage but it wasn't anything very high just because they are lighting a really small space).

I don't have a fan blowing on the seedlings but I do have a ventilation fan (the area they grow in is a gutted PC case that I made a while back) its just a standard case fan blowing air outta the case.

This is rather frustrating though because with my first grow I just put a few seeds in some cups with dirt in them and then tosssed a few seeds and left them on my window sill and the shit actually grew, was hilarious to me. But now this time that I'm actually planting things correctly etc etc its failing.


Suppose I'll just keep tryin.

[Mr. Clandestine]

This is rather frustrating though because with my first grow I just put a few seeds in some cups with dirt in them and then tosssed a few seeds and left them on my window sill and the shit actually grew, was hilarious to me.

Haha, I can totally relate! My very first grow consisted of a solitary seed, a handful of used potting soil mixed with red clay from my front yard, a windowsill, and a prayer. I just watered whenever I would remember (which wasn't very often at all) and that little bastard still grew about a foot tall! I can't remember how it finally met its demise, but I remember it being early, and unpleasant.

Anyway... once I attempted to do things right, I started getting frustrated, and that's where I began running into other, bigger problems. Took me forever to figure out what I was doing wrong, but I eventually (and very gradually) started dialing-in to what my plants needed. I'm by no means a veteran, but I'm getting better with each pass I make at growing, either from seed to harvest, from clone to harvest, etc. Weird, unexplainable shit still happens to my grows, but I think that's one reason why I like doing it so much. It keeps things interesting. :jointsmile:

[Rusty Trichome]

Was taught years ago, when planting a seed, bury it as deep as the seed is big. Don't really know if it's an old wives tale or not, but it works for me.:thumbsup:
If the seed is 1/4", bury it 1/4" deep. If it's a 1/2" seed, bury it 1/2" deep...
I use the paper towel method too, but I cover the bowl with tin foil, or I slip it into a 1 gallon baggie. Whichever is handy at the time.
Keeps the moisture in. Once seed splits, I know it's viable and I'll plant it then. (before it changes it's mind)

[Wobster]

You say you have manure mixed into your medium. I'm just wondering if your soil is a bit too rich. Try it without manure. I think manure has to break down before it is used on cannabis and can make soil much more acidic. I'm pretty much a newb myself so I'm not sure.

[Gundari]

So there was a cold snap a while back that killed the power to my house and because of that killed my plants (got down to like 10 degrees in the house) and that killed my mother plant and the two clones off her i had growin.

I've tried restarting with seeds several times and the babies always end up dead, and its beginning to get a bit frustrating. I'm not totally sure whats happening but I theorize they are drying out (not quite sure how). I start the seeds off in the paper towl in the bowl method and check fairly regularly so when i see the tip of the tap root sticking out I move it to the soil medium I'm using (hummus and manure + perlite that I've flushed the nutes out of). Plant the seed maybe half an inch or so deep and water the soil, several of them with push up out of the soil and seem to be healthy for a day or so then they just kinda droop over and die. Several others never even make it out of the soil and I end up digging out a shriveled up tap root when I pull them out.

So what am I doing wrong? and more importantly how do I prevent it from happening again? I'd really like to get another grow underway.


soil can't be too rich if you flush it out :-p

[Rusty Trichome]

soil can't be too rich if you flush it out :-p
Ummm...Partially true if you are talking about liquid nutes. Solid manures hang around longer than a flush or two. Isn't that their job? (slow steady release)
Plus, if you don't put it in there in the first place, you won't need to flush it out. :jointsmile:
Would try a good seedling mix, which has no manure because seeds, seedlings and clones tend to burn quite easily.:thumbsup:

[stinkyattic]

Yeah, that manure mix is going to be great for after week 2 but for seedlings, I'd only use it in a pinch- something a bit finer, lighter, and less ferty is better. Even the miracle-gro seedling mix or peat-pucks.
I think though that your problem is damping-off. Does the stem of the plant appear thin and dark immediately before it dies? It's a nasty, deadly fungus. If you have problems with pythium wilt in your grow area, you should ask why. High humidity or extreme temperature swings resulting in dewfall will do it, and so will re-using old dirt. The cloning product called 'rapidrooters' actually has a bacteria in it to protect against fungal infection and is great for starting seedlings too.

[Gundari]

Cool thanks for the advice stinky. The stems aren't really dark, but they turn that purple reddish color (i think thats genetics mostly though) but I'll take your advice and see what I can do and if it helps. All the advice is much appreciated ^^.

[stinkyattic]

Do the stems appear thinner or weaker than you would expect? I think you've got fungal problems. Dry out the air, and consider watering with a dropper or ketchup dispenser stuck through the top layer of dirt so the surface alwyas stays dry while the root zone is moist.

[Gundari]

They do appear slighty thin and a bit too flexy. Need to run out to the store and get some seedling soil and I shall take your advice of the dropper or the ketchup thing. I'll report back once ive had a few seedlings go past a week old.