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Location

Message

Date Posted

Watlington, UK

Most of us start quite a few seeds and end up growing just a few. I'm interested in the failures and why they failed.
For instance, my 1911 Urena hasn't developed any main leaves, in fact it's still alive, just sat there looking happy enough with just 2 cotyledons. Meanwhile my 2416 Haist is growing very slowly, and has 3 cotyledons. These should be great seeds, but they're failing. Is this because of too much inbreeding perhaps? Or maybe there's some uranium in our water supply I didn't know about.

4/29/2021 6:13:20 AM

On top of Brush Mountain, Pa.

Not warm enough? Too much water? Not enough light. Lack of nutrients in the soil.

4/29/2021 7:05:48 AM

Georgia

Were these the seeds that were accidentally cooked?

4/29/2021 8:27:00 AM

President - GPC

What nutrients were in the germ soil? I had weird ones when I put too much something something in the soil when they germed. Like humic acid.... I stopped doing that and it went a way, save the something something till it gets in a bigger pot. IMHO

4/29/2021 9:37:19 AM

Nova Scotia

A bad batch of soil mix sometimes can be the problem. Many years ago we had pretty much a disaster starting seeds in the same brand of mix we had been purchasing for years...poor germ. those that did make it all distorted etc. Other operators run into the same problem as well. Needless to say that brand is no longer on the market as many greenhouse operators suffered great losses.

4/29/2021 10:58:02 AM

Upa Creek, Mo

I used outside dirt as part of my germination medium one year - big mistake. Corn seed maggots emerged and took out my plant one day when I was at work and under grow lights inside.

4/29/2021 11:51:49 AM

Grittyville, WA

Some sprouts start weak and would grow out of their early development issues if given a chance but I wouldnt be surprised if they are a bit inbred too. The effect is you might get a mix of runts (off-types) and only a few good genetic combos. Getting consistent results with the seed starting mixes is strangely difficult. I have tomatoes all started at the same time in the same mix that grew well for my mom but for me it grew runty plants. The main difference was the ph of the water used to water them??? I should probably be using rain water or something.

4/29/2021 1:07:01 PM

Colorado

Three cots usually means a flat vine mutant. No first leaf node means no vine( shows over) not even a flat one.Environment(water levels nutrients) prob. contributes to some of that phenomenon, genetics prob. the rest.

4/29/2021 6:55:04 PM

Colorado

Corn seed maggots caused me to finally quit using dirt in my starting pots. Im still getting over loseing my 1005 mombert seedling back in the 1800's i think it was.

4/29/2021 6:57:52 PM

Central Illinois

wouldn't adding imidacloprid to your starting mix eliminate the corn seed maggot

4/30/2021 6:54:26 AM

Colorado

I used triazide to save a few seedlings in grow bags.

4/30/2021 10:14:34 AM

Torrance, Ca.

I’ve done that Luke but it was fusarium I brought in the potting mix! Lol

I didn’t stand a chance!

Never again and I even microwave my potting mix

5/1/2021 2:47:17 PM