Seedlings keep wilting over and dying.

[ohgizzle]

So title says it all after about 2 or 3 days of being transplanted into some promix the seeds plop over and just die. I have lost 2 batches of seeds due to this error and idk what im doing wrong. The first time around i figured out the soil i had got after testing some of the run off on some other plants it was over 2000ppm so that could have been why they died the first time. But this time i made sure to flush the soil out and get it to around 250-300 ppm and still i wake up today and find 4 of them wilting over. Someone said the light was to far away but i had other seeds that did just fine so im not sure but id appreciate the help.

 

[Pushrod Monkey]

Weak light. Keep medium damp but not wet.

 

[Capital_Florica]

That soil is way to soaked for seedlings. I barely water mine until they’re established, say 2 weeks. They get no more than a shot glasses worth of water at a time. Don’t worry about PPM at this point unless you’re using a soil with lots of additives you mixed in yourself.

 

[LexLuthor]

I don't think Promix needs to be flushed. The problem looks to be that the medium is WAY too wet. This is what I do:

Add perlite to my promix (unless you are using high porosity, then it might not be necessary)

Saturate the promix 100% and make sure there is very, very good drainage in the solo cup.

Plant seed, weigh the entire cup wet

Do not water again until the weight of the cup is about 50% of when it is wet. i.e. if it weighs 250 grams wet, do not water until it weighs 125-150 grams.

I use 10 watt LED shop lights from walmart at least 12" away and I let the seeds grow towards them without raising the lights.

Good luck!!

 

[Panhead59]

18/6 ?

 

[mysticepipedon]

Your main problem: Plant roots need to have oxygen in the soil. The main thing plants want from soil is the pore space between soil particles — not the soil itself. That pore space needs to have both water and air, and the air can't just be isolated bubbles, surrounded by water. Your soil has no air in it.

Second problem: Weak lighting. Seedlings will elongate, seeking sufficient light. When they receive it, they stop elongating and start putting their resources into growing leaves.

BTW, just so you don't feel too bad, these are classic mistakes that many growers make when they start.


Be scientific about things. When you germ seeds and they all die, don't germ some more without making some drastic changes.

 

[crossfader]

This!

 

[OLDSILVERTIP]

Your main problem: Plant roots need to have oxygen in the soil. The main thing plants want from soil is the pore space between soil particles — not the soil itself. That pore space needs to have both water and air, and the air can't just be isolated bubbles, surrounded by water. Your soil has no air in it.

Second problem: Weak lighting. Seedlings will elongate, seeking sufficient light. When they receive it, they stop elongating and start putting their resources into growing leaves.

BTW, just so you don't feel too bad, these are classic mistakes that many growers make when they start.


Be scientific about things. When you germ seeds and they all die, don't germ some more without making some drastic changes.

Ive made the same mistakes!