Seedling 'Damping-off' trouble..

Hello guys~

For a month,
I have been struggling with seedling stage and have failed on all of them.
They are Sannie's Fem mix with some free seeds..

I am frustrated and really need a help on this problem for the next try.

Please correct me if I have been doing anything wrong..

1. Air circulation with 6" inline exhaust fan, Small Intake ducting fan with PC fan inside the tent.
2. Medium GH coco coir+perlite was sterilized in microwave.
3. 45W CFL (2ea) daylight cool white close enough with no heat
4. Never overwatering > only 10~20ml watering once 2~3days at ph 5.8 to soiless medium (coco)
5. Never underwatering > They died even more faster when I watered them 40~50ml to wet the dry surface..
5. Organic lecithin based solution sprayed..cinnamon dusted on the surface of pot to prevent fungal attacks.
6. Humidity is 45~55% always. Temp is always 23~26 C

Enough light, Enough air circulation, No overwatering, Clean tent, RH and Temp is normal.
Water is RO water with PH'd 5.8~6.0 with No nutes.

What Have i done wrong for the babies..Why do they keep falling off to the ground?



Symptoms were all the same for about 10~11 seeds.

1. Germination rate is 100% in papertowel.
2. Sprouting is very quick after planting in pot.
3. Growing continues with the first set of leaves for a week but it seems very slow.
4. Stem gets thin and it suddenly falls off to the surface and die before showing their second leaves.

I have tried everything I could do but keep failing on seedling stage...
I got panic...

Any advice for this poor newbie?..

Lights: 45W Flourescent 'Daylight cool white' x2 (Running 24/0)
RH: 45~55% (Humidifier inside tent)
Temp: 77~80 F (120mm PC Fan x3 blowing)
Medium: GH Coco Coir/Perlite (60/40)
Water PH: 5.9~6.1 (No nutes)

Are your bulbs 4100k bulbs? (I think cool whites ares 4100k im not sure thats why i ask)

I am having the same issues, on seeds 3 and 4 now. I was planting them straight into FFOF after they germinated but I think it was to hot for them or I overwatered. This time I germinated in jiffy pellets and then transplanted entire pellet after I removed the shit rapped around the peat pellet. Hopefully it works this time. Your conditions sound ideal to me so they should be growing. Your coco ph isn't off is it?

Also as your stem gets stretchy you can always add more soil to it and water it abit and it'll start to root

Damping off comes from too much water. A seedling in soil, while on a heating pad only needs about 15-20 ml of water every 48 hours. They barely have one taproot. It is too much water and the most common mistake..other than keeping them in a dome with cuttings that need way more humidity.

This is exactly whats happening...
Your soil mix is nice and fluffy.
Thus after every watering, gradually it sinks(physics).
And the bare week root/stem shows.. simple solution.. cover soil to the top, just below the leaves.

Also another very important thing.
Never start Seedlings in huge pots like that at first. Go get a 12 pack of party cups.

bamabudblazer said:

I am having the same issues, on seeds 3 and 4 now. I was planting them straight into FFOF after they germinated but I think it was to hot for them or I overwatered. This time I germinated in jiffy pellets and then transplanted entire pellet after I removed the shit rapped around the peat pellet. Hopefully it works this time. Your conditions sound ideal to me so they should be growing. Your coco ph isn't off is it?

Click to expand...

I think so..they must be growing..I have been putting all my efforts on this. T^T
I really can't find any reason for this..

Thank you for you comments anyway~
Goodluck on your seedling~

dgp said:

Damping off comes from too much water. A seedling in soil, while on a heating pad only needs about 15-20 ml of water every 48 hours. They barely have one taproot. It is too much water and the most common mistake..other than keeping them in a dome with cuttings that need way more humidity.

Click to expand...

After the first fail, I thought it was overwatering.
So i did watering once 3~4 days and it was like 10~20ml on the surface very gently using spoid..
and they fell off.. why?.. T^T

Nice Ol Bud said:

Also another very important thing.
Never start Seedlings in huge pots like that at first. Go get a 12 pack of party cups.

Click to expand...

At the first try, I used a dixie cup with holes at the bottom..
I removed them after damping off to destroy any infection..

I don't think it is the size of pot due to the same result..

psuedoscience said:

Also as your stem gets stretchy you can always add more soil to it and water it abit and it'll start to root

Click to expand...

I already tried that at the first but it did not work. it was not a stretchy stem trouble..

krisvein said:

At the first try, I used a dixie cup with holes at the bottom..
I removed them after damping off to destroy any infection..

I don't think it is the size of pot due to the same result..

Click to expand...

Oh no that's not the problem I was referring too.
That's just a bit of advice.
Boom, seedling dies... goodbye 3 gallons of FFoF ($30 a fucking bag).
That's just one seedling you know?
Add's up number one.
and few other reasons...
Just isn't good idea..

As nice said, cover it up till seed leaves. Move the light closer and get a gentle breeze blowing around the room, so the stem gets thicker.

When preping your coco did you soak in a cal/mag mixture?

Your medium has no minerals nor does the RO water. Try 8ml/gal cal/mag.

Coco has an affinity for cal/mag. You have to have it to grow in it.

Nice Ol Bud said:

Oh no that's not the problem I was referring too.
That's just a bit of advice.
Boom, seedling dies... goodbye 3 gallons of FFoF ($30 a fucking bag).
That's just one seedling you know?
Add's up number one.
and few other reasons...
Just isn't good idea..

Click to expand...

why would you use three gallons for a seedling..too much media until they are through the seedling phase. And i doubt there is an infection...just drowned. im sure your soil is fine to reuse. Also you are paying too much for FFOF. Should be 20-24 at most. Sales I pick it up for 17.99.

did you use sterile soil? damping-off, is caused by bad microbes in soil. Seems to like seedlings not older stuff

WattSaver said:

When preping your coco did you soak in a cal/mag mixture?

Your medium has no minerals nor does the RO water. Try 8ml/gal cal/mag.

Coco has an affinity for cal/mag. You have to have it to grow in it.

Click to expand...

I am confused by different opinions about adding nutes like Cal+Mag..
I did not add anything to the Coco, and PPM was very low like below 30ppm itself.
Maybe I should go for a Cal/Mag mix for the next try.

Thank you for your comments~

dc4 said:

As nice said, cover it up till seed leaves. Move the light closer and get a gentle breeze blowing around the room, so the stem gets thicker.

Click to expand...

I will try it for the next grow. Thanx~

Hey man I have the same dramas. Have just replanted into much smaller pots as mine were huge anf we'll see what happens. Every thing rlse is in check and its frustrating

"
I have tried everything I could do but keep failing on seedling stage...
I got panic...

Any advice for this poor newbie?..

Lights: 45W Flourescent 'Daylight cool white' x2 (Running 24/0)
RH: 45~55% (Humidifier inside tent)
Temp: 77~80 F (120mm PC Fan x3 blowing)
Medium: GH Coco Coir/Perlite (60/40)
Water PH: 5.9~6.1 (No nutes)[/QUOTE]"



Same Same here in lower Michigan- thought it was the promix (Pro-MIX-ORGANIC MIX) i was using first was too hot for the seedlings - when i open the bag(promix) it smells a little mildew like- so i call the folks at pro mix to let them know about the damping off- they never heard such a thing... because they are safe because of mycorrhizal fungi............( i dont believe what they say i believe what my nose says) so i kindly say good day.
im using R.O water from the store(so contamination is not water born)-
virgin- 72 space starter trays -
new seed packs from 3 different stores-
same issue! and it is not with all crops- so i went out and bought some virgin Coir-(to test my theory) I pre rinsed and mixed till moist light and fluffy-i planted new seeds a week 1/2 back-decent germination (80-90%) we had sprouts upright until a few days ago certain crops fine -my beans peas cucumbers and sunflowers did the worst- complete flop- lettuce seems fine as well as a few others- started out on front porch good airflow not over watered- awoke one morning to find a wilted mess- i think the (mold/mildew/blight)it is in the air, and temperature trigger it- because blight hit the zuchini and pumpkins that same week (hot and humid out doors) today is the same and we have more wilt on a few other crops- canna seeds never even germinated- they rotted - we have been growing on and off since the 80s- there is definitely a mildew spore issue these days- maybe its solar related? too much nitrogen in the air? global ppm for Co2 rates is climbing as well...mycorrhizal fungi are supposed to be the cure to this... its why we pay a premium for these substances- even buying containers of viable powder from the grow store (35$) just to make sure- and we still get damping off...... trees in the area all suffer from blight and mold on their leaves- (maples are the worst) i think it is in the air and we are at the mercys of nature because we cannot afford to build a labratory clean room just to sprout off some seeds.............unless it becomes completely necessary

friggin farmers have been doing it *without* clean rooms forever............................................. were bumming here too fall winter crops dying off in the trays .......................