Sprouts falling over

mrdiff

Member
Hi, I am currently in the last week flower of my hashberry grow. But I have been trying to germ new plants to take over next week when I harvest. I have actually been having this problem since I moved into my new place, I had three successful grows without any issue at my old apartment.

So each time, the seeds sprout with no issue. I watered them once when I planted, and not since then. Each seedling stretches a bit, and then falls over within a day or two. I tried putting the light closer, watering less, watering more, added a fan blowing over them, researched damping off, tried multiple soils, reading dozens of other threads... NOTHING. Im not even trying hard. Since I have a plant in flower, I just planted the seed and forgot about it. But each time I put them under lights, they stretch and fall over, and then die shortly after. The stems have a very white look to them and putting them under a fan doesnt seem to strengthen them. Each one that falls over, I have been putting outside just in case it is a fungus. My last sprouts I put in a mix of 50% seed starting mix and 50% Fox Farm. I just dont get it... Every thread on this matter says too much watering, but I am definite that my problem is not that. I should also note, that each time a seedling bends downwards, it NEVER comes back upright.

Like I previously said, I am an experienced growing having three successful harvests. But, I'm about to give up for good. I wasted almost all my seeds I bought through attitude.

Any new ideas? I have pics, but I mean the condition is pretty well explained.

Thanks for the help guys.
 

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mrdiff

Member
Ive gone through about 15 seeds that have died this way. I have supported them with toothpicks to no avail. I know those seedlings are not dead yet, but they are showing the same signs that my others did. When they finally do die, the base of the stem turns a dark color sometimes. Other times I pull out the stem and see that there was not much of a root system at all. Sounds like signs of damping off, yet I had not even had a chance to water them since they sprouted, so how is this possible?
 

max316420

Well-Known Member
can you put them under a flo light? sorry didn't read what you wrote but if your germin them in the direct sun that is way to intense
 

Metasynth

Well-Known Member
Are you watering heavily when you plant the seeds? Enough drainage holes in those cups? Couldn't you just replant them and fill soil in around the stem all the way up to the leaves? Like replant them lower in the pot and bury them up to about an inch from the top.
 

max316420

Well-Known Member
get a straw and cut it long wise so you can slide the stem in there and then gently push down into soil, NOT FAR INTO SOIL
 

Metasynth

Well-Known Member
can you put them under a flo light? sorry didn't read what you wrote but if your germin them in the direct sun that is way to intense
I wonder how marijuana grows wild then?? Haha, I don't think that statement is completely accurate, sir.
 

max316420

Well-Known Member
and get them under a cfl light or flo light until they get a little bigger but the straw should work just fine too
 

max316420

Well-Known Member
I'm not saying it's impossible but they don't like that intense of light when they are that small so I'd say i'm like 90% right lol
 

mrdiff

Member
I omitted another detail. I just been throwing them in my flowering cab. So they are under 12/12 lighting about 4.5-5 feet under a 400watt HPS. Does this change anybody's opinion?

That straw idea sounds good Max, but Im concerned that since every single one of my sprouts are falling over like this, that I am not treating the cause of the problem?
 

Metasynth

Well-Known Member
Dude, you're depriving them of a lengthy light schedule, and they're like 5 feet away from the light? YOu ask why they stretch and fall over? Come on man, use some common sense...lol

Not to say you cant sucessfully grow from seed under 12/12, but they're stretching or light and then cant hold themselves up, or at least thats what it sounds like to me.
 

Thurgood jenkin$

Active Member
I had the same problem, its due to lack of light. The plants are trying to stretch and get as close to the light source as they can. I just buried mine a bit deeper and then took a pencil and a paper clip, wrapped the paper around the top of the pencil and made a little loop to hold the plant upward. Worked for me, after a week or so my plant beefed up and could hold itself up.

Hope this helps! Nothing to worry about.
 

mrdiff

Member
Yeah, but like other people said, sprouts dont need a lot of light. I had a sprout grow to 8 inches without any light source what so ever. I had it on a shelf in my bedroom, with only indirect light. Plus I have a 400 watt HPS bulb, these things a powerful!

But Im taking your advice, I currently have three sprouts, I put one closer and will watch what happens.
 

Metasynth

Well-Known Member
mrdiff, you said it yourself, you're not trying that hard...try a little harder man, there are sober kids in China who'd kill for those seeds that keep dying!
 

mrdiff

Member
The real question is though, would a seedling die just because its not close enough to the light source? Each of my seedlings are dying after they fall over.
 

mrdiff

Member
Its a plant man. Nobody should have to put much effort into getting it started. I have the experience, three successful grows behind me now. Im a horticulturist in general, been growing palms and propagating a variety tropical plants for years now. Anyway, Im trying the ideas, but I dont think that any of these things should KILL the plant.
 

Metasynth

Well-Known Member
Haha, ok boss...don't put any effort into getting started...Keep killing seeds and waiting for someone to give you the answer you would like to hear...Happy growing :)
 
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