Seedlings keep stalling

[sonar]

So I've been growing for a'good 5 years now and have successfully cracked and grown at least 100 seedlings to maturity and can't recall losing more than one or two along the way. However, since December it seems like I can't get a single seedling to grow. It's extremely frustrating, embarrassing, and quite costly. I've lost over a dozen seedlings getting the same exact results each time. Seed cracks and throws the first set of leaves as you can see in the pics. Then, it just stops. These two have been like this for almost a week now and haven't grown since. Cotyledons start turning yellow, which is begining in one of them already, and eventually the entire seedling turns yellow and dies. I have no idea what the problem is since I haven't changed anything in years. Still use my T5 lights and 1 quart grow bags or solo cups of promix. I really think it is something humidity related.

Few things I've noticed:
The plants do not drink at all. I know for a fact I am not overwatering. The dampness from the initial planting does not go away. Temps are high 70's to low 80's. My house is pretty cold though. We only keep the thermostat at like 62.The last batch I was able to get two plants to limp along by covering the cup with a plastic bag creating a makeshift humidity dome, but that doesn't seem to work this time. As they age they get a yellow color and purple stems and veins in the leaves. They seem to have a perpetual deficiency.

Here are the current two. If these die I am going to wait until it gets a little warmer out to crack any more seeds as it is costing quite a bit of money.

 

[Wait, what?]

I was going to ask about temps. Maybe they're being exposed to freezing temps while in the mail?

Whatever it is, that's fucked up. Sounds frustrating as hell. Hope you figure it out

 

[jimmer6577]

I was going to ask about temps. Maybe they're being exposed to freezing temps while in the mail?

Whatever it is, that's fucked up. Sounds frustrating as hell. Hope you figure it out

I was always told the freezer was a good place to keep seeds. Have I been misinformed, they always germ for me.

Op, I know they say not to use nutes the 1st couple of weeks, but being promix has no nutritional value for the plants so to speak, maybe a shot of some nit will help it. What are they sitting on, I know sometimes even though the room temp is high the actual floor temp can be cold, causing the root zone to be to cold. I mention this because I had issues with this scenario this winter from the extreme cold we've had.

 

[Wait, what?]

I was just guessing that maybe it was bitter cold temps. I never store seeds, so I know very little about it

 

[jaybray]

So I've been growing for a'good 5 years now and have successfully cracked and grown at least 100 seedlings to maturity and can't recall losing more than one or two along the way. However, since December it seems like I can't get a single seedling to grow. It's extremely frustrations, embarrassing, and quite costly. I've long over a dozen seedlings getting the same exact results each time. Seed cracks and throws the first set of leaves as you can see in the pics. Then, it just stops. These two have been like this for almost a week down and haven't grown since. Cotyledons start turning yellow, which is begining in one of them already, and eventually the entire seedling turns yellow and dies. I have no idea what the problem is since I haven't changed anything in years. Still use my T5 lights and 1 quart grow bags or solo cups of promix. I really think it is something humidity related.

Few things I've noticed:
The plants do not drink at all. I know for a fact I am not overwatering. The dampness from the initial planting does not go away. Temps are high 70's to low 80's.
The last batch I was able to get two plants to limp along by covering the cup with a plastic bag creating a makeshift humidity dome. As they age they keep a yellow color and purple stems and veins in the leaves. They seem to have a perpetual deficiency.

Here are the current two. If these die I am going to wait until it gets a little warmer out to crack any more seeds as it is costing quite a bit of money.
View attachment 3032442
View attachment 3032443

Possibly the lumens from old bulbs are not giving the proper light resulting in poison. Don't know it does seem odd. I hope you figure it out.

 

[churchhaze]

What are you feeding with? The media is promix?

So I've been growing for a'good 5 years now and have successfully cracked and grown at least 100 seedlings to maturity and can't recall losing more than one or two along the way. However, since December it seems like I can't get a single seedling to grow. It's extremely frustrations, embarrassing, and quite costly. I've long over a dozen seedlings getting the same exact results each time. Seed cracks and throws the first set of leaves as you can see in the pics. Then, it just stops. These two have been like this for almost a week down and haven't grown since. Cotyledons start turning yellow, which is begining in one of them already, and eventually the entire seedling turns yellow and dies. I have no idea what the problem is since I haven't changed anything in years. Still use my T5 lights and 1 quart grow bags or solo cups of promix. I really think it is something humidity related.

Few things I've noticed:
The plants do not drink at all. I know for a fact I am not overwatering. The dampness from the initial planting does not go away. Temps are high 70's to low 80's.
The last batch I was able to get two plants to limp along by covering the cup with a plastic bag creating a makeshift humidity dome. As they age they keep a yellow color and purple stems and veins in the leaves. They seem to have a perpetual deficiency.

Here are the current two. If these die I am going to wait until it gets a little warmer out to crack any more seeds as it is costing quite a bit of money.
View attachment 3032442
View attachment 3032443

 

[sonar]

The bulbs are actually pretty new I replaced them in the fall. I don't think it is anything to do with the way the seeds were handled, I believe it is something in my environment.

I'm not feeding them with anything at this point. I've been growing with promix for some time and generally they don't get their first extremely light feeding until the 2-3 week point. By then they have usually taken off and have at least 3 true nodes. Here's a little bit clearer picture. This seedling came up exactly 7 days ago. It hasn't done anything since then. Almost looks like overwatering, but I know that isn't the case I haven't watered them at all yet and the soil I planted them in was just damp.

 

[orellej]

could be something eating the roots. i have started to wet, then microwave my soil before planting. i have never had any problem after they open up like yours. as i posted above, mine germinate and before they open they die. j

 

[sonar]

could be something eating the roots. i have started to wet, then microwave my soil before planting. i have never had any problem after they open up like yours. as i posted above, mine germinate and before they open they die. j

I originally was thinking some kind of root rot but the last batch when I pulled them up the root system look good and surprisingly extensive considering how little vegetation there was.

I'm truly stumped at this point. It's still very cold around here for mid march, but if it ever warms up I'll try again. I had a pretty big outdoor planned for this summer if I can't get these plants started I don't know what I'm going to do. Ive never had trouble starting seeds before and it's really pissing me the hell off already.

 

[Wavels]

Got me stumped!
Wow that is most unfortunate, I have used ProMix for years and have never seen anything like that happen.
How far away are they from the bulbs... although this does not seem to be a cause of your lack of growth...if the little plants are not growing, they cannot stretch!
You temps cannot be a problem...

I use t-5s and or 4 foot floros or even sometimes CFLs to start my seedlings...

The only deduction I can come to is that something is wrong with your ProMix...I have no clue as to what it may be?? Cooties? Regardless, I would stop using it...

If you can, get a fresh bag of JiffyMix seed starter, or at least a fresh bag of something other than what you seem to be having problems with.

Good Luck.

 

[*BUDS]

For some reason this soil lacks nutes, has wrong ph or both, its crap. Don't waste anymore seeds, start them in coco or jiffy pots in future.
As for these ones stop watering until pots are light to lift, they are not drinking atm due to poor health and watering makes things worse. The soil is the issue.
Use this or similar and you will have no problems fast green growth till the end, feed nutes every watering -

 

[sonar]

Thanks guys. I've also been using Promix for years for starting seedlings as well as growing indoors and out. Never had any trouble. My usual Promix routine is I give them their first VERY light feeding after about 14 days since it is a peat based soiless mix and has zero nutes. I was using a local soil called gardenscape when all this started and thought that may have been the problem so I went and got a fresh bale of actual Promix. Still no improvement. I haven't watered them since I planted them.

Buds, I read your mind. I just mixed up some coir had this morning. I never worked with it before I had it left over from when I used to run boomers. If it isn't humidity, I guess it is possible I over moistened the soil when I planted them, but that i doubtful. I gone through every possible variable. I've been growing for almost 5 year and I'm fairly systematic in my routine. Been using promix in either solo cups or 1 quart growbags almost since the beginning under my T5. The only thing that has changed is that I don't recall trying to start seeds in the dead of winter before. I keep my house pretty cool. Thermostat is only at 62. So I was thinking maybe since the house is so cold, the air is extremely dry. Even though it is nice and warm in the closet, the house is still so cold it can't hold any moisture in the air.

Thanks for the help guys. Here are some pics. Seems like it is getting worse with the one. The other one isn't getting any yellow yet, just not growing.

 

[Squidbilly]

I was just dealing with this exact same thing. They need nutes bro. I don't know if it's the newer strains or what, but if your in promix(or perlite like I am) I give them a light feed(250-300ppm) as soon as they break soil. If I don't the same exact thing happens to me. I just killed a bunch of seedlings this way. If the coytolons are turning yellow, they need feed. It doesn't matter how many nodes or weeks. Listen to your seedlings. The no feed for x amount of weeks or nodes doesn't make sense to me. In nature seeds don't land in a nice cup of starter mix, they fall right into fertile soil. In my experiecne with the exact same thing this has worked for me.

 

[sonar]

I'll give it a try guess I don't got much to lose at thise point.

 

[dannyboy602]

I'd love to throw one of those dieing seedlings under a microscope and have a look at the roots. I'd be looking for nematodes. If the root system looks good then there has to be something in the vascular tissue in the stem thats blocking the flow. I'm betting it might be a viral or bacterial problem. Sterilize everything to be sure. Use a different batch of soil. Toss some tomato and other vegetable seeds into the same soil mix and see if the same thing happens.

 

[Wavels]

I'd love to throw one of those dieing seedlings under a microscope and have a look at the roots. I'd be looking for nematodes. If the root system looks good then there has to be something in the vascular tissue in the stem thats blocking the flow. I'm betting it might be a viral or bacterial problem. Sterilize everything to be sure. Use a different batch of soil. Toss some tomato and other vegetable seeds into the same soil mix and see if the same thing happens.

That is great advice, I was going to suggest the testing of some basil or tomato seeds in your suspect ProMix, as well.
The microscope idea is great...

I have never had any problems with ProMix, after hundreds of seed startings of all types of plants. Indoors and out.

 

[hellraizer30]

Hey sonar i started having the same issue although i got it figured out!
im in coco but eitherway they both have very little to feed the seedling!
my 2 cents: from the moment they break the ground i start foiler feeding
kelp.... At 1/8 the listed dosage Every other day. Theres no need to ph the
water you foiler spray. Do not spray during lights on, only during dark time.

Now after a week from breaking ground i start feeding
x2 things canna start and rhyzotonic at 1ml per gal. And feed only when the
medium gets dry and only use enough water to get the medium moist again.

as time goes by i start uping the dosage by 1ml per gal

 

[aknight3]

hey sonar, i saw your call to arms and though i would say a word or two, I saw you mention youhadbeen using promix without problems, can I askwhy you stopped using it? i personally use promix to not only start seeds but to grow entire huge plants out, of course with nutrients added but i feel promix is really PERFECT for starting seeds since it contains nothing but hygrozime and some perlite, i get huge bails at my local stores for around 30 bucks and i could probabyl start two hundred seeds with one bail. hitme back either here or via PM, later

 

[endpro]

put a space heater in there and keep it around 80.

 

[aknight3]

hey sonar and everyone, I wanted to stop by in this thread and say a few more things about this. After looking this thread over I think I have found out what the problem is here. I dont think it has anythign to do with the cold temperatures, i dont think it has anythingto do with sonars growing ability, I think it has to do with the tremendously horrible soil that is being used here. its frustrating to me to watch someone such as sonar, who I personally know to be a very good and capable grower, sit here and rack his brain after losing 100s of dollars in seeds, doubting himself and his abilities when he is to me, if not a veteran a VERY good capable grower. His frustration and embaressment over something like this is what frustrates ME. The soil companies in a bid to make a quickbuck off of not only MJ growers but regular novice gardeners alike, will get this soil that is not that good but not that bad either, they will then throw tons of fucking wood chips and other terrible fucking things to make more weight and to basically ''fluff their soil so that plants not only do not need half the shit but end up hurting them in the long run causing ph imbalances and leaching the soil of precious water and other essentials. Then on top of that all they will bag this shit up by the fucking tons and tons and let it sit wet out in the sun for ages and ages before it finally reaches your store shelves so by the time you get it home and open it it smells like a dead fucking animal is inside the bag....THIS is what frustrates me, and to be honest, it pisses me the fuck off, allow me to share a short story.

my mother, bless her heart, is an aging, but very very wonderful person, i love her very much, not only because shes my mom, but becasue shes my friend, theres not many people who will care for you like your mother will, and that shit is for life, but enough of that. my mom, she likes to garden, she likes to plant flowers, she likes to plant tomatoes, corn. zuchinni, fucking carrots and all that type of shit you know, shes no farmer, she nevergrows alot, shes luckyif shehas a 5by5 garden and harvests more than a few lbs of any veg.....regardless, she does it because she enjoys it,it occupies her time and in her growing old age i feel anything that keeps her busy and sane and not getting dementia like my grandmother only makes me happy...but anyways enough about that. my mom does not grow MJ. shes not for it nor against it, she chooses not to partake and thats OK. One day i decdided last spring i would head over to visit my mom and see how her garden veggies were coming along...see how she was doing and maybe give her a hand if she would let me or needed it. When I got there and started looking over her plants I was seriously mortified. Not only were most of them fucking dead and diseased, but even alot of the soil actually CAME with bugs she told me,she wasnt sure waht they were, they sort of looked like fungus gnats to me. i couldnt tell, i was pissed and immediatley dug up all of her plants, took ALL of the dirt and put it into my pickup and then proceeded to bring it to the river to fucking dump it where it belongs, somewhere where NO plant will ever have to suffer in it. She told me she had gone to the garden store or walmart or whatever and got this dirt and not only that paid a decent amount for it to....my mom is almost 60 years old people...she can grow a fucking vegetable or two...well because of this soil she seriously compromised most of her plants last growing season, luckily I was angry about it and decided not only was I going to go get her the right kind of Soil, but I was going to get her new plants and put them all in the ground for her to make sure she could have her fucking summer hobby....I doubt my mother could of sat there and gone through ALL of that work again on her own, she is getting fucking old you know. But that sure as fuck doesnt stop for one second soil companies slinging nasty, smelly, dirty ass fucking dirt on unsuspecting people who are to trusting to think someone running a fucking DIRT company would fuck them over.

now i know maybe some would say, ''well your mom should have known better and should have looked at the soil when she got it or blah blah blah''...to this i say...fucking rubbish...shes a 55 year old woman with a fucking half assed gardening hobby, she shouldnt HAVE to check fucking dirt, to MAKE SURE its going to work, IT SHOULD JUST FUCKING WORK. Am I the only one who thinks this?? Am i fucking out of my mind?. if i am PLEASE someone say something i will go fucking to the shrink ASAP....Sometimes i feel like we are in this world and we are all fucking walking backwards, speaking gibberish, making NO sense and watching fucking paint dry all day long while everyone around me huffs it or something. Like, what the fuck, am I out of my mind? is it me? I wish i knew cause it seems that everyday that goes by everything I have ever beentaught about, morality, respect, better judgement, BEING A GOOD PERSON is just relegated to fucking HOW-TO's for dummies and then sold to those same EXACT fucking dummies. do we need help sonar?

no...I dont think so....MAYBE IM THE CRAZY ONE confused: