HELP! seedlings seem to be dying.

Hi everyone I'm starting my first grow and tried to research everything I could before jumping on here. So I have 6 seedlings I germinated using the paper towel method. They sprouted and grew fast the first week. But after I took the sandwich bag humidors off they started looking like this after week two. I got a humidifier now but before I did they were sitting in 45% rh. Now sitting around 60 to 70. I may have over watered them but now waiting for cups to get light. Can anyone tell me why they are wilting? I moved the light up more thinking I was burning them too.

What's going on with your dirt mix? I don't think rh is your issue, I think you need more aeration in your soil and possibly a better soil mix. Were you able to get a ph reading on your dirt?

Over-watering is likely your issue here. Seedlings don't need to be watered more than a week and light mists to keep top soil would be ok.Also how much wattage do you have there? You may want to move that light closer

Bugeye said:

What's going on with your dirt mix? I don't think rh is your issue, I think you need more aeration in your soil and possibly a better soil mix. Were you able to get a ph reading on your dirt?

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I agree how is your soil? it looks a bit woody and could use some aeration.

That RH is not gonna help too much. I can see the problem from your picture. I have had seedlings die when I was just starting out. I suggest you get some perlite in those cups and bury your stalks up to the leaves, and let that soil dry out between waterings.

Definitely agree with above comments, don't change your soil now you may damage it. Don't water until
It dries out and just water a bit every few days or weekly. Less is more

My suggestion is next time plant them in the pots they'll grow up in. For now I agree with Trippi Hippy, they are over watered.

SM0KING JACKAL said:

Hi everyone I'm starting my first grow and tried to research everything I could before jumping on here. So I have 6 seedlings I germinated using the paper towel method. They sprouted and grew fast the first week. But after I took the sandwich bag humidors off they started looking like this after week two. I got a humidifier now but before I did they were sitting in 45% rh. Now sitting around 60 to 70. I may have over watered them but now waiting for cups to get light. Can anyone tell me why they are wilting? I moved the light up more thinking I was burning them too.

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hopefully, your medium has no nutes. if you're overwatered, get a couple tooth-picks and till the top of the soil to speed up the drying. perlite is a good thing. also, i'd transplant soon, if not immediately. you'd be surprised how quickly those little seedlings grow a large root system. keeping them cooped up can stunt them. i'd throw them into something larger, and begin feeding at 1/4 strength. 60-70 rh is fine for veg.

Ok, wow thanks for the fast replies guys I appreciate it really. So, I used organic potting soil for the medium. No nutes and I just had a gallon of tap water sitting out a couple days to evap the chlorine. I don't have PH testers or balancing agents yet. I just bought all 3 foxfarm nutes and ocean forest soil. I have 2 gallon pots for transplant and I have 4 23w (100w replacement) 5000k CFL's on them right now about 3 inch away ( was about an inch before) with a 18/6 schedule. I moved the light up thinking that it was causing the wilting. I have another set of the same 4 CFL's but think that would be to much light at this point. I'm at 75-80 degrees F and at 60% RH. So I guess at this point I need to know which ones are worth saving if not all and if I should transplant or not. Just give me the word and I'll do it tonight.

I would not transplant, but add just perlite. Looks like really soggy media with little aeration.

I agree with above but I didn't see anything about drainage holes in the bottom of those cups? Even if there is they really need to be on the sides and I don't see any. Next start in flat and move to 1 gallon container before getting root bound.

Transplant and get the lights closer so they don't stretch so much

GOLDBERG71 said:

I agree with above but I didn't see anything about drainage holes in the bottom of those cups? Even if there is they really need to be on the sides and I don't see any. Next start in flat and move to 1 gallon container before getting root bound.

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Good point. Make sure there's a minimum of 5 quarter to half inch holes in the bottom of the solo cup, and make sure there to wipe up or drain any standing water that runs off out of them. Keep that pyrex dish CLEAN!

don't even need to put my 10cents on this one, these guys know there stuff!!

roll it up, light it, smoke it up, inhale, coff!?* COUGH?** exhale...

did you cut holes in the bottom of your plastic cups?

dabhe4d said:

did you cut holes in the bottom of your plastic cups?

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Good Point!!

i dont see any in the pic.

making it hard for the medium to dry up.

woops
(i didnt see that it was already mentioned)