Gardening a little cheaper....

[inchworm]

I planted some seeds in seed starter in paper tubes. I watered and put in a very sunny window. They sprouted and grew two leaves. Then the keeled over and died.

The window is very sunny. Perhaps I didn't water enough for the intensity of the light. How often should I water? Or should I find a less bright spot?

Inchworm

 

[patandchickens]

LOL, I'm the kind of person who occasionally borrows the seedling heat mat to use for *me* (not owning a 'people' heating pad), rather than the other way around

Pat

 

[patandchickens]

There's a fine balance between too little air movement (causing damping-off, i.e. the leaves look fine but the whole seedling just keels over as if attacked by a tiny lumberjack) and so much air movement that it dries the soil out too fast.

It sounds to me like you probably need to work on the balance between them.

These seedlings weren't "in" anything, were they, that could have acted as a greenhouse concentrating the heat from the sunlight, cooking them?

It is also not totally beyond the realm of possibility that your tubes had acidity levels or something else that were not helpful for plant growth. Some types of brown paper towels discourage seed germination, there *could* be issues with it in other paper products too. It would be far from my first guess though.

If it were me I would try again, maybe in plastic cell-paks to be extra careful (they are reusable for years if cared for well), and keep a careful eye on them multiple times a day to make sure they get good air movement without drying out excessively.

Good luck,

pat

 

[freemotion]

Very helpful, thanks, all! Do the cell packs need to be disinfected? Maybe soaked in a bleach solution for a few minutes?

I don't plant until mid-May for most warm-loving plants, a few things earlier against the south side of the house. So how many weeks should I be planning so I don't have leggy plants? It is 10-12 weeks now, should I be in a rush to do this? (yikes!!!!) I know it varies for different plants, so what is your formula.....days until germination plus so many weeks before planting? It would be nice to avoid too much transplanting to bigger and bigger pots inside for my first season.

 

[patandchickens]

Very helpful, thanks, all! Do the cell packs need to be disinfected? Maybe soaked in a bleach solution for a few minutes?

In principle, if you're reusing them it would be a good idea to scrub them in a dilute bleach solution then rinse well. In real life I have never done this ever; I don't always even scrub them out but when I do I just use water and let them sit in direct sunlight for a couple days. And I don't have damping-off problems. But, you know, possibly better safe than sorry, esp. if you're already having trouble.

how many weeks should I be planning so I don't have leggy plants? It is 10-12 weeks now, should I be in a rush to do this? (yikes!!!!)

You can look it up in books and online, pretty easy to find, but off the top of my head, tomatoes need 6-8 wks, peppers about 6 wks (with adequate heat indoors), lettuce 3-4 wks or less if they're doing well. That's sowing-to-transplanting, and assumes a reasonably warm indoor location and that you only spend a few days hardening off.

10-12 wks... there are some flower seeds that have to be started that early, and I believe a few veggies too but they're things like (IIRC) onion seeds and celery and other stuff I don't actually grow myself

Find a good chart, then count back from your preferred setting-out date, and mark on your calendar when to start each kind of thing

Have fun,

Pat

 

[freemotion]

Thanks, Pat, I like those numbers better. I will find a chart and start looking for shop lights! Too many new projects at once! But what the hay, it makes life interesting!

 

[ams3651]

Also I find plants are cheeper at a local farm where they have a small nursery instead of the large stores.


edited because i forgot I replied earlier....shame on me for skipping ahead

 

[inchworm]

Pat,

The tubes were out in the open on a tray as I thought a lid would intensify the light too much.

I will try again. Should I be keeping the soil evenly moist all the time? When does it become too wet?

Thanks,
Inchworm

 

[DrakeMaiden]

Too wet would typically mean in standing water. Try to let the surface start to dry between waterings and make sure they aren't sitting in puddles of water after you water. If the plants start to get droopy leaves, then you have waited too long between waterings, but you can revive them by watering them right away and keeping them out of light until they recover.

 

[patandchickens]

Maybe it is just me, but I find that especially in tall containers (and toilet paper rolls would probably qualify) I sometimes have to water from the top, very lightly, *as well as* from the bottom (normally I water only from the bottom for seedlings), otherwise in dry air you can have the top (which is where most of a young plant's roots are) be too dry while the bottom is damp enough or even a bit soggy.

To me "too wet" is if you pinch the soil and water oozes out. Too dry (for seedlings) is when it turns a much lighter color (at least with the seed starting medium that I use) and the seedlings start to think about wilting.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat