Baby Seedlings

RwhideSmith · February 28, 2016

Im starting with seed for the very first time this year. I have 9 Cowlicks BW and 9 Black Krim seedlings. They are one week old. They look ok but the first baby leaves have some whiteish tint near the stem and don't look to green until the leaf gets out near the tip. Is this usual at this stage?

RwhideSmith · March 3, 2016

Most of them died. Thanks for the input.

PureHarvest · March 3, 2016

Quote:

Originally Posted by RwhideSmith

Most of them died. Thanks for the input.

Sorry your post went unanswered.

Posting a picture would be a big help.

Do you have good airflow?
Are they sitting in water?
What is your potting mix?
Did you fertilize (not that you should have)?
Lighting?
Source water?

RwhideSmith · March 3, 2016

Quote:

Originally Posted by PureHarvest

Sorry your post went unanswered.

Posting a picture would be a big help.

Do you have good airflow?
Are they sitting in water?
What is your potting mix?
Did you fertilize (not that you should have)?
Lighting?
Source water?

No air flow.
Water...ok
Jiffy seed starting mix.
No fertilizer.
Poor lighting for the first four days, Unprepared!
Well water

PureHarvest · March 3, 2016

Quote:

Originally Posted by RwhideSmith

No air flow.
Water...ok
Jiffy seed starting mix.
No fertilizer.
Poor lighting for the first four days, Unprepared!
Well water

I think well water is totally fine depending on your hardness/softness.

Get the light right down to above 1" of the top of the seedlings (assuming you have flourescent tube lights.

Don't have water sit in the bottom of the tray. Chances are you should not even have watered after you had germination assuming you seeded into fully moist mix.

Consider a fan a few feet away on oscillate to move air around.

Put the light on a timer so u have 16 hours of light, 8 hrs of dark.

Use a 1/2 strength solution of a soluble fert if your seedling mix is plain/no fert added when the seedlings are 3-7 days old (assuming your cells are not still soaking wet).

PureHarvest · March 3, 2016

Look at the light height in this link:

http://tomatoville.com/showpost.php?...0&postcount=79

KarenO · March 3, 2016

Don't be discouraged. start again there's plenty of time. I too am sorry your post went unanswered.
I'm a good gardener but if I had a dollar for every plant that ever died on me..well I would have a lot of dollars....
Seed starting takes practice and we all learned from trial and lots of errors.
Sow your seeds as above. kepp moist, not wet, remove any cover and under light immediately when you see the first seedling emerge. (the rest can come up under lights) as PureHarvest advises.
Some well water can have too much soluble salts like sodium for example. To be safe with tiny seedlings, perhaps consider filtered water or distilled at the beginning. Or you can collect some rainwater if that is an option.
Best of luck and we would love to hear how it goes this time.
Never give up

KarenO

bower · March 3, 2016

I didn't see your post either!

KarenO is right, don't be discouraged. In my experience, I have blamed the death of seedlings on the nasty little fungus or disease rot that came in the potting mix.
Get another brand, and try again. When I found one that worked I have stuck with it, dead seedlings no more.
Lack of light is not enough to kill the seedlings unless they're really in the dark. At this time of year (more than 11 hours of daylight for me, more for you I'd say) there is enough light in a south window they will be fine for light. They may grow lanky if light is not enough, but they won't die from it.
I'm on well water too, mineral imbalances do affect plants but not so much as little seedlings, usually when you have mature and rootbound plants in pots they start to show symptoms of nutrient imbalance from the water inputs. It would take a lot to build up to toxic levels in one week even if watered every day.
One thing, if you are going to re-use the seed trays, wash them well and soak them at least 5 minutes in scalding soapy water or use a little bleach, to be on the safe side, that nothing nasty survived to cause you more grief.
Better luck with the next batch!

RwhideSmith · March 3, 2016

Thanks for the responses. I have more trays coming on and now have installed a fan and a four foot four tube T8 florescent light on a table with a pvc stand. My Pink Brandywines and Neves Azorian are coming on, but my Sudduth BW is not coming up yet. I have four 72 cell flats planted. Only one is up waiting on 3 to germinate. Many different varieties.

PureHarvest · March 3, 2016

Nicely done!

Bulldog · March 3, 2016

Don't feel too bad. Something ate my first tomato seedlings, and I will be staring over as well.

February 28, 2016	#1
RwhideSmith Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: Burke County, Georgia Posts: 16	Baby Seedlings Im starting with seed for the very first time this year. I have 9 Cowlicks BW and 9 Black Krim seedlings. They are one week old. They look ok but the first baby leaves have some whiteish tint near the stem and don't look to green until the leaf gets out near the tip. Is this usual at this stage?

March 3, 2016	#2
RwhideSmith Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: Burke County, Georgia Posts: 16	Most of them died. Thanks for the input.

March 3, 2016	#6
PureHarvest Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Mid-Atlantic right on the line of Zone 7a and 7b Posts: 1,369	Look at the light height in this link: http://tomatoville.com/showpost.php?...0&postcount=79

March 3, 2016	#7
KarenO Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Vancouver Island Posts: 5,922	Don't be discouraged. start again there's plenty of time. I too am sorry your post went unanswered. I'm a good gardener but if I had a dollar for every plant that ever died on me..well I would have a lot of dollars.... Seed starting takes practice and we all learned from trial and lots of errors. Sow your seeds as above. kepp moist, not wet, remove any cover and under light immediately when you see the first seedling emerge. (the rest can come up under lights) as PureHarvest advises. Some well water can have too much soluble salts like sodium for example. To be safe with tiny seedlings, perhaps consider filtered water or distilled at the beginning. Or you can collect some rainwater if that is an option. Best of luck and we would love to hear how it goes this time. Never give up KarenO

March 3, 2016	#8
bower Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Newfoundland, Canada Posts: 6,793	I didn't see your post either! KarenO is right, don't be discouraged. In my experience, I have blamed the death of seedlings on the nasty little fungus or disease rot that came in the potting mix. Get another brand, and try again. When I found one that worked I have stuck with it, dead seedlings no more. Lack of light is not enough to kill the seedlings unless they're really in the dark. At this time of year (more than 11 hours of daylight for me, more for you I'd say) there is enough light in a south window they will be fine for light. They may grow lanky if light is not enough, but they won't die from it. I'm on well water too, mineral imbalances do affect plants but not so much as little seedlings, usually when you have mature and rootbound plants in pots they start to show symptoms of nutrient imbalance from the water inputs. It would take a lot to build up to toxic levels in one week even if watered every day. One thing, if you are going to re-use the seed trays, wash them well and soak them at least 5 minutes in scalding soapy water or use a little bleach, to be on the safe side, that nothing nasty survived to cause you more grief. Better luck with the next batch!

March 3, 2016	#11
Bulldog Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Georgia Posts: 126	Don't feel too bad. Something ate my first tomato seedlings, and I will be staring over as well.