Why is my seedling dying?

Hello,
I germinated Berberis julianae from seed. As you may know, it requires cold stratification, etc. so it isn't that easy to regerminate. I originally had 4 seedlings, but they all have died except this one. I don't know what the problem is. Recently, it sprouted the new green leaf and its most recent addition is the purple leaf on the left... However, all the older leaves seem to be "half dead". I am not sure what the problem is. I am new to growing things indoors. I do plan to plant it outside after the last frost so I am trying to make it as strong as possible until then.

I also attached a picture of my grow setup where I was keeping it. After I removed it from the box and put it in the windowsill it sprouted the new green leaf... so I am thinking it prefers the windowsill over the box. What am I doing wrong? I have 3 60W CFL lights in the box.

You are cooking it in a zip-lock bag with and E-Z bake oven.

Im willing to guess that this plant has fairly specific needs, and this thread would do better in the Gardening section. I too have started a bunch of seeds requiring scarification and stratification, but just because a particular seed will benefit from whatever technique doesnt make it any harder to start than anything else. Learn about the needs of the plant you want to grow and provide them, if you arent willing to do that then Im sorry for your last remaining Berberis julianae plant cause its doomed. If on the off chance you take this not as attack but as a opportunity to better your gardening knowledge and skills. best of luck.

your ills are in your soil choices

just_me said:

You are cooking it in a zip-lock bag with and E-Z bake oven.

Click to expand...

Those are different seeds that need light and 100% humidity to germinate. It is also not hot in the box.

chemphlegm said:

your ills are in your soil choices

Click to expand...

I am using a tree soil mix. It drains very quickly.

dynospec said:

Im willing to guess that this plant has fairly specific needs, and this thread would do better in the Gardening section. I too have started a bunch of seeds requiring scarification and stratification, but just because a particular seed will benefit from whatever technique doesnt make it any harder to start than anything else. Learn about the needs of the plant you want to grow and provide them, if you arent willing to do that then Im sorry for your last remaining Berberis julianae plant cause its doomed. If on the off chance you take this not as attack but as a opportunity to better your gardening knowledge and skills. best of luck.

Click to expand...

Well. my point was if it dies I have to restart all over again which takes another 3 months to regerminate. I read a lot online about it when it started to do poorly, but alas, I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong here.

Will it fit snugly into another container you have laying around? If so try putting another one below it trapping the bag as far up as possible making a better dome. Blow into the bag as you close it up to fill with co2. Try to make sure no leaf touches the plastic.

Maybe the dirt isnt making it happy but its too late to change that now.

CLT said:

I am using a tree soil mix. It drains very quickly.


.

Click to expand...

and you believe that tree soil mix has everything a tender young plant will need, not too little not too much? might be more to it than just good drainage maybe but I think your plant has chance

growingforfun said:

Will it fit snugly into another container you have laying around? If so try putting another one below it trapping the bag as far up as possible making a better dome. Blow into the bag as you close it up to fill with co2. Try to make sure no leaf touches the plastic.

Maybe the dirt isnt making it happy but its too late to change that now.

Click to expand...

Are you saying that I should put the container in a plastic bag under the light? You can ignore the plastic bag in the picture, that is totally unrelated to the plant with the dying leaves.

CLT said:

Are you saying that I should put the container in a plastic bag under the light? You can ignore the plastic bag in the picture, that is totally unrelated to the plant with the dying leaves.

Click to expand...

So you dont have any humidity dome over it? Im guessing it may benifit from SOMETHING to trap in high humidity (80+) but thats just an assumptiom.

growingforfun said:

So you dont have any humidity dome over it? Im guessing it may benifit from SOMETHING to trap in high humidity (80+) but thats just an assumptiom.

Click to expand...

No, I don't have anything to trap in humidity for this plant. I didn't realize I needed to have that? But say I put it in a large 1 gallon plastic bag under the lights. Won't that cause less air circulation and thus hurt it? I am more concerned about what is causing the leaves to die like that. That's really what I was asking about. Does that look like too much fertilization, disease, dessication, overwatering, etc? I am not experienced enough to diagnose it and correct it.

CLT said:

No, I don't have anything to trap in humidity for this plant. I didn't realize I needed to have that? But say I put it in a large 1 gallon plastic bag under the lights. Won't that cause less air circulation and thus hurt it? I am more concerned about what is causing the leaves to die like that. That's really what I was asking about. Does that look like too much fertilization, disease, dessication, overwatering, etc? I am not experienced enough to diagnose it and correct it.

Click to expand...

Generally the humidity and the breath you exhale into a small ziplock can last a plant for a week or 2 easily, in a 1 gallon longer.

growingforfun said:

Generally the humidity and the breath you exhale into a small ziplock can last a plant for a week or 2 easily, in a 1 gallon longer.

Click to expand...

Thank you so much. I will try it out. Hopefully it pulls through long enough to get planted!

Id also carefully cut the damaged portion on each leaf off with clean sharp scissors.

Have you considered using google to find a forum where people grow berberis julianae? I think you'd have more luck there than a cannabis growing site.

I searched for Indoor Growing forum and this is one of the first sites I found. I'll see what else I can do. Thanks

KryptoBud said:

Have you considered using google to find a forum where people grow berberis julianae? I think you'd have more luck there than a cannabis growing site.

Click to expand...

Was just thinking the same

CLT said:

Those are different seeds that need light and 100% humidity to germinate. It is also not hot in the box.


I am using a tree soil mix. It drains very quickly.


Well. my point was if it dies I have to restart all over again which takes another 3 months to regerminate. I read a lot online about it when it started to do poorly, but alas, I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong here.

Click to expand...

OK I`m no garden scientist and I`ll buy that.

Maybe you should lay clear plastic over the whole box top to keep the RH at 100% and the lights close to the top, kinda give it more space to breath. Just a suggestion, hoping to help.

CLT said:

I searched for Indoor Growing forum and this is one of the first sites I found. I'll see what else I can do. Thanks

Click to expand...

Try this site, I've got lots of good info on non cannabis plants here.

http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums