seeds germ in paper then fizzle in soil

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GDub51

GDub51

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I've had a "wipe out" this year with all but ONE seed of 12 still alive. I figured damping off right? OK, so I cooked in the microwave for three min. sealed in plastic wrap AND then baked it in the sun as I've read for several days and started over to have it all do the same thing over again!! The cups were washed out with hot soapy water and rinsed thoroughly. So I'm going on my third try! I got new "seedling soil", tossed the old, and set new seeds today. The existing soil in the large pots will be sterilized with H202 tonight. Too bad it had already been recharged with a dozen expensive adds that will be wasted by the H202 sterilizing but I don't know what else to do! At least I still have time and more seeds. ANY ADVICE AS TO WHAT MAY BE GOING ON? I'm SoCal, Orange County, 7 miles from the ocean. The soil in pots has never had any diseases before and has been recharged already each season for four seasons. Nothing odd in the recharge, all by MFG's directions, and that soil was not used for seedlings anyway! I had used last years un-recharged for them, in which all but one died. I water seedlings with PH adjusted distilled water with a little H202 as advised in large jiffy cups (I only transplant once) keeping the area around the seedling damp while not soaking the soil not around the seedling. Now that I've been advised NOT to use a humidity dome for disease reasons anyway here is my problem. I spray the area just around the seedling about 6 times a day just to keep the soil around the seedling moist, not soaked, continuously. Under the lights dries the soil quickly which calls for the 6 times a day spray or three of fresh water, just enough to keep it damp around the seedling. (soil not around the seedling remains dry. I don't water the cup, I water the seedling. So I'm pretty sure they have enough and not too much moisture. I bury sprouts about a centimeter deep and cover loosely. I also use a heat matt for germination and seedlings. Yet still after two tries now, have only one plant left... ANY ADVICE??
 
Oldguy71

Oldguy71

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I’d put some of your sterile dirt in a solo cup water it. Sick your seed in it and leave it alone until you water it again. Skip the paper towel, it does nothing to help the seed germinate. Just put it in dirt and water it pretty well when it feels light. Also, the seed could be carrying the pathogen too maybe dust it with a fungicide powder before planting. I think misting it or the soil around it is contributing to your problems.
 
dire wolf

dire wolf

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I've had a "wipe out" this year with all but ONE seed of 12 still alive. I figured damping off right? OK, so I cooked in the microwave for three min. sealed in plastic wrap AND then baked it in the sun as I've read for several days and started over to have it all do the same thing over again!! The cups were washed out with hot soapy water and rinsed thoroughly. So I'm going on my third try! I got new "seedling soil", tossed the old, and set new seeds today. The existing soil in the large pots will be sterilized with H202 tonight. Too bad it had already been recharged with a dozen expensive adds that will be wasted by the H202 sterilizing but I don't know what else to do! At least I still have time and more seeds. ANY ADVICE AS TO WHAT MAY BE GOING ON? I'm SoCal, Orange County, 7 miles from the ocean. The soil in pots has never had any diseases before and has been recharged already each season for four seasons. Nothing odd in the recharge, all by MFG's directions, and that soil was not used for seedlings anyway! I had used last years un-recharged for them, in which all but one died. I water seedlings with PH adjusted distilled water with a little H202 as advised in large jiffy cups (I only transplant once) keeping the area around the seedling damp while not soaking the soil not around the seedling. Now that I've been advised NOT to use a humidity dome for disease reasons anyway here is my problem. I spray the area just around the seedling about 6 times a day just to keep the soil around the seedling moist, not soaked, continuously. Under the lights dries the soil quickly which calls for the 6 times a day spray or three of fresh water, just enough to keep it damp around the seedling. (soil not around the seedling remains dry. I don't water the cup, I water the seedling. So I'm pretty sure they have enough and not too much moisture. I bury sprouts about a centimeter deep and cover loosely. I also use a heat matt for germination and seedlings. Yet still after two tries now, have only one plant left... ANY ADVICE??
What type of seeds are you using , breeder ? Strain ?
That sounds like bad luck , shouldn't be that way twice ....
What type of light are they under ?
Can you try a simple " pro mix " medium to start them ?
 
mancorn

mancorn

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Agree with Oldguy and skip all the 6 daily spraying. Start off with wet soil. Drop in a seed. Give a little water. The soil will stay wet until it sprouts (3-5 days). If your soil is drying out too quickly back off your lights. You want to roots to search for the water not keep the area around the seed constantly moist, so let the cup dry out a bit (early) and totally dry out once you have 3 finger leaves. The first root will quickly reach the bottom of your cup and you want it to dry out. Water around the edges and try to keep it dry right around the stem.
 
sshz

sshz

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This thread should be called, "How Not To Start Seeds"..........

You've made mistake after mistake after mistake. Just compounding your issues with each move you make. Try this.......

 
LexLuthor

LexLuthor

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The paper towel method is one of the best ways to germinate a seed in my experience and millions of others. It provides a great combination of moisture and air. To say it does nothing to help germinate a seed is completely wrong. I have over 95% success rate using the paper towel method. I'm sure germinating directly in soil works very good too, but I've never done it that way so I can't speak directly out of experience.
 
Xebediah

Xebediah

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You cooked your seeds in a microwave for 3 minutes then baked it outside in the sun for 3 days?? wtf?!
I think she meant the seed starter mix.

Have you tried planting in seed starter trays instead of cups? They offer much better drainage and heat transfer to your seedlings root zones than cups. Seedlings sitting in water too long will die. Also, you can water them from the bottom that encourages better root development by forcing them to "seek out" the water under the plug tray.
 
MIMedGrower

MIMedGrower

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A tip I got from a breeder was to use moist coffee filters rather than paper towel as the root hairs won’t stick. But be careful. The tap rooted seed can roll off the coffee filter if we are not careful.
 
SSgrower

SSgrower

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What a thread, well, we can all learn from experience, I too hope the soil was baked not the seeds. I admit to using the "Paper towel for my last 4 seeds that did pop in 3-4 days after soaking in water a day. I flipped after 40 days to 12/12 light from 18/6 on,off.
 
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lvstealth

lvstealth

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the seeds germinate, then last how many days? then die by shriveling or just fall over, or what? (i know i sound silly, but i know nothing, and just want to get the lay of the land).

im thinking they germinate fine, and then something kills it. do you give it anything between sprout and die?

for a start, i would get new potting soil, need not be expensive, just new and decent. germinate any way you like, then put in a solo cup with dirt. see how that works. just one seed. no food or addons, just for a trial. if it makes it past the how ever many day point, do the other seeds. if it doesnt, i would try different seeds from a different source, for a trial. it is either the seeds or the dirt im thinking. i think the light would not cause this, but who knows.

i know nothing, just trying to figure things out.
 
Seb

Seb

37
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There are a lot of ways to germinate seeds, just like cloning growing etc, just a question of feeling imho.
As said, you can first soak the seeds in water for 24-48h than placing them in some paper towel and then in soil, or directly in soil, or in rock wool/root riot/coco cubes etc.

I’ve used both methods with success, but I prefer the paper towel method (wet, not saturated) placed in a lunch box and coupled with a heat matress set up on 28C; this is how I get the best and fastest results, usually getting 2’’ tap roots in 2-3 days (depending of the strain, age of the seeds etc of course)



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mysticepipedon

mysticepipedon

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Have you bulldozed your home and set the wreckage on fire yet? All successful grows start fresh! 😉

It's not the existence of fungal spores that is the problem. It is favoring fungal growth over plant growth.

I'm not exactly sure what method you used here. This is the "soak and paper towel method" one I use, because I like to know a seed has sprouted before it gets a pot:
1. soak seeds in water overnight to 24 hours. If they sink after soaking, they're almost assuredly going to germ. Floaters may not. (Tap them if they're at the surface, most will then sink.)

2. Put soaked seeds in damp paper towels. Keep the paper towels damp.

3. When they sprout, put them in soil. Water the soil before putting the sprouted seed in. Make sure it is thoroughly watered — all the soil should get wet. Let it drain, then plant sprouted seeds. 1 cm is a good depth, tamp down the soil.

THAT'S IT. It is unlikely to need watering before the seed breaks the surface.

If it's very dry in your area, maybe a humidity dome would be important. (It's not used where I live.) But once a seed comes up, no humidity domes.

If your seeds came up, got really elongated and then flopped over, the issue was not enough light.
 
KerryGreen

KerryGreen

5
3
Everything is going to be ok. It's easy to " overthink" some situations when trying to do the right thing. Let's just simplify your process a bit. It looks like most of us who responded trying to help have a very similar process which is successful each grow.
* Soak your seed for 24 or so hours.
* Germinate using wet paper towels( cheapo so root doesn't attach) or coffee filters. OR simply plant directly into soil in small container. Depth about the size of a pencil eraser. If you pre germinate make sure to plant tap root down.
* Once seedling emerges, move to lighted area. Soft light. Don't have light too close to burn seedling or so far seedling will stretch and get leggy. If you used a dome- take it off at this point. Too much humidity as well as over watering can cause " damping off" aka sudden infant death syndrome for seedlings.
*Never let seedlings completely dry up.
* Have a light fan or breeze going in grow area to encourage the babies to grow stronger.
This is the exact method I personally use with the exception of using rapid rooters for seedlings and clones.
I hope this helps you in some way.
 
Oldguy71

Oldguy71

418
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The paper towel method is one of the best ways to germinate a seed in my experience and millions of others. It provides a great combination of moisture and air. To say it does nothing to help germinate a seed is completely wrong. I have over 95% success rate using the paper towel method. I'm sure germinating directly in soil works very good
too, but I've never done it that way so I can't speak directly out of experience.

Soil has the proper air: water ratio too unless saturated, same with the paper towel. Same germ rate too. The only reason to germ in a paper towel is so you know it sprouted. Why sprout a tiny delicate root to disturb it and risk damage transplanting? I think it actually sets you back a bit because all those tiny hair have to reattach to the soil now.
 
LexLuthor

LexLuthor

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Soil has the proper air: water ratio too unless saturated, same with the paper towel. Same germ rate too. The only reason to germ in a paper towel is so you know it sprouted. Why sprout a tiny delicate root to disturb it and risk damage transplanting? I think it actually sets you back a bit because all those tiny hair have to reattach to the soil now.


Possibly, but I never had issues with damaging the roots. Lots of ways to grow and neither of these 2 ways of germinating is the wrong way IMO. Good luck.
 
zzzybil

zzzybil

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weak seeds ???????????? IDK why some are described as for beginners ? maybe some are finicky ? ph ?? old seeds ? Kids had the best luck with 4 for $1 seed packs from dolla store ..........FRESH SEEDS - per date on package - my guess - everything the 3yr old stuck in dirt GREW.......... just saying
 
lvstealth

lvstealth

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the last one i germinated, i used a jiffy peat pellet. i saw here to rip off the net part that is around it. the root had already grown through it, so when i took it off the root broke off. it still grew, and looks good. it is 4 weeks old and looks fine. i just dont think they are so picky they all drop dead because of how you germinate them. i think it is the soil. just my opinion. but the fun seems to be to talk about germination.

unless the guy actually cooked his seeds, i cant see a paper towel, a glass of water, or planting with your left hand while saluting with the right, has anything to do with his plants dying twice in a row. the thing they had in common is the soil and the guy. from the account, they germinated, they lasted a bit (we dont know how long), and then, after the germination, they died.
 
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