Help a discouraged newbie please!

[asintx]

Hi, I am having trouble getting beyond the seedling stage and am very frustrated. The Grow Lounge suggested I post my specs here and try to get some help in what I may be doing wrong. Basically, I can germinate and get the seeds to come up, they get a little leggy, then they stop doing anything and die off over a few days. I am dong something very wrong, but I donâ??t know what. Your opinions would be greatly appreciated.

Hereâ??s what I have:

Germinated in paper towels, planted ¼� down in soil: 4parts organic soil, 2 parts perlite. I've also tried adding peat moss.

I have tried big pots, small pots, and seedling trays. All with the same luck.

Under 135W cfl for seedling stage, 6â?� above. I have a 400W MH for veg, but never get that far.

Water: PH 6.5 watered every other day or so when things seem dry.

Room Temp: 77-82

Fan blowing over the tops.

No nutes at this time, but an occasional watering with 1 drop superthrive per gallon water.

asintx Reviewed by asintx on 05-20-2006. Help a discouraged newbie please! Hi, I am having trouble getting beyond the seedling stage and am very frustrated. The Grow Lounge suggested I post my specs here and try to get some help in what I may be doing wrong. Basically, I can germinate and get the seeds to come up, they get a little leggy, then they stop doing anything and die off over a few days. I am dong something very wrong, but I donâ??t know what. Your opinions would be greatly appreciated. Hereâ??s what I have: Germinated in paper towels, planted Rating: 5

[Jdog7000]

The only thing I can think of ,is the light being a little high. But that wouldn't kill it.
You must be doing something majorly wrong. Or something your using is killing them.
Is your water super hard?
What is your PPM reading? If you know.

[4x5]

hmm, everything seems fine, maybe soil is the problem, but I've never had that much trouble with even cheap soil. It's a pain, but maybe try some regular old top soil with vermiculite? I don't know, the stuff you are using should work just fine. How many times has this happened? Maybe god's trying to tell you to go hydro? Don't get discouraged! keep tryin' it'll come to you in time, It could be just crap genetics from seed.

Best of luck

[orangeman]

Something really wrong is going on..it has to be either soil or lights, I say this because when I first tried to grow I didnt even take the pH of my water, I just poured it and let it sit and water the soil and within a few days I had a sprout..so if I can do this without even any form of HID light or anything you must be doing something really wrong. Try to get a mixture...doesnt have to be soil..I hear all soil contains nutrients so I'd just go with like what ready-set-gro said..1/3 perlite, 1/3 vermiculite and 1/3 peat moss and wait and see what happens. And this time try to water the sprouted seed in a small pot and leave it out of the light. Seeds dont need light to pop out of the soil, once it does then put under light..If I could get the embryo leaves to show from the sun through a window then I know you can get those seeds to grow with your good lights. I say this because they can grow just as long as the lights arent too close, I dont think youngin's need all that light .

[asintx]

The only thing I can think of ,is the light being a little high. But that wouldn't kill it.
You must be doing something majorly wrong. Or something your using is killing them.
Is your water super hard?
What is your PPM reading? If you know.

Jdog, I have no way to do a ppm reading, but I have been using distilled water at about 6.5ph.

[asintx]

How many times has this happened? Maybe god's trying to tell you to go hydro? Don't get discouraged! keep tryin' it'll come to you in time, It could be just crap genetics from seed.

Best of luck

This has happened with about 20 seeds now. 12 I bought from Dr. Greenthumb in Canada--Nirvana x Shiva. The rest just bag seed of unknown heritage.

[asintx]

Something really wrong is going on..

Thanks for the response, oj. You're right... something is really wrong! I only have a couple of good seeds left, and some more bag seed, so I will wait to try your suggestion of the perlite, vermic., and peat moss. At some point wouldn't I have to transplant into more of a soil mixture?

[buthead]

take the pot ur growin with seedling,take another pot same sizeand mix,weigh its dry weight,wen the pot ur growin weighs that amont water.i do seed starter trays,i put 50% perlite on bottom,5o% poting soil on top,i just wet each cell compleltly and plant,put into dark until sprout,then put under light.i check to see if there 1/2 dry 1/2 way down befoe i water again,complely weting cell.after a coulpeweeks goes to 4inch sq. pots with 2 inches of styrofoam in bottom of pot.i start out first two waterings,30-40 sprays from qt. sprayer bottle=about 1-1and 1/2 ounces,then on 3rd water on the tranplant flood,ever watering after that,40sprays,ever water until transplant.with 6-8 oz cups. i use 30-40 sprays. to start off,. and hold there for while,until water needs to be increase by 1/2- 1 tablespoon at a time,for me=10-15 sprays from a qt. sprayer bottle.

[Pepper]

You are possibly over-watering. Try starting with a sterile medium. Try jiffy pots or other starter cube in a tray with a cover. After soaking them at first, do not let them sit in standing water. You don't want to overdo the Superthrive but a drop in a cupful won't hurt.

[Jdog7000]

It's not the water then.
Maybe it's the soil?