Can't seem to get seedlings going :-(

[Chairhat]

I started with the ILGM starter pack of White Widow (WW), Bubble Gum (BG), and AK-47 (AK). This is my second grow, but my first time with official seeds—last year I had some random-ass seeds I got from a friend of a friend. I struggled with those, but eventually got 4 plants going (legal limit where I live) and all turned out okay. This year, I thought I had a better setup with legit seeds, better soil and peat pots, etc. But I’ve been struggling to get these babies to get going.

I started with 2 of each type using the water germination method as recommended in ILGM’s grow bible, got a few to pop that way (no WW popped at all) and put them in soil. After 3 days exactly, four came up. One had a helmet head and never recovered even though I got the seed casing off gently. Another came up with first leaves stuck together, I snipped the casing as gently as I could, but it doesn’t look good for that girl either. Two others sprouted okay (one BG, one AK), but now are not growing, looking either dry or overwatered (hard to tell but they seem dry to me??) and one is constantly leaning to the side. I have tried the light spraying recommended in the grow bible; tried doming with plastic cups and only spraying the dome as I read on these forums, but they just seem on the point of dying every day and I’m feeling pretty devastated about their chances

Started the rest of the seeds, 3 each of WW, BG, and AK, using the paper towel method this time. I also dug up a few of the seeds that never came up and tried to get them to pop using the paper towels too. I felt really successful—many more popped, including one of the “old” WW and two more of the “old” BG and AK (but none of the new WW popped—I’ll put in a ticket about that over at the seed selling side). I put the popped seeds in soil, excited for multiple germinated seeds, but so far it’s a big nothing. It’s been 4 days since I put most of them in soil and only one has come up. The rest look dry as heck though I’m trying to be cautious, now using a syringe and watering away from the stem as well as a couple of spritzes 2x per day. I keep thinking it’s my fault, but by this point last year I had much taller growth, using the same light setup and same watering method. My soil is different than last year, but I bought Coast of Maine Grower’s Mix, which I thought would be much higher quality than the random seed starting soil that I got from the hardware store last year. The local temps got cooler earlier this week, so I put the tray they’re sitting on on a warming mat. Sorry this is so long, I’m trying to describe as much as I can so that y’all can help me out! Please?

Could it be environmental? Not enough water, too much? Soil too hot?

-What strain, Seed bank, or bag seed (photo or auto): ILGM White Widow, Bubble Gum, AK-47
-Age of plant: Oldest seedlings went in soil 13 days ago, newer ones went in 4 days ago
-Method: Organic soil, Coast of Maine Grower’s Mix
-Vessels: Peat pots, small (about solo cup size)
-PH and TDS of Water, Solution, runoff: PH unknown, using filtered water from the fridge
-PPM/TDS or EC of nutrient solution if applicable: N/A (not adding nutes as of yet)
-Method used to measure PH and TDS: Don’t have a PH meter
-Indoor or Outdoor if indoor, size of grow space: Indoors, on a table in a room with two exterior walls, but insulated.
-Light system List brand and wattage/spectrum: CFLs, 2 Vivosun T5 24W/6500K
-Actual wattage draw of lights: unknown
-Current Light Schedule: 16.5 hours
-Temps; ambient temp 68°F/68°F, but sitting on a heated seedling mat
-Humidity; unknown, but most pots are domed and I’m spraying the domes 2x per day
-Ventilation system; None yet, plan to run a fan once the domes are off
-AC, Humidifier, De-humidifier: N/A
-Co2; No

[Myfriendis410]

Other than the peat pots I would say that you are doing everything correctly IMO. I use Solo cups with a gazillion holes in them, straight coco, domes and heat mat.

[plumbdand]

Get yourself a good ph meter Apera makes a good one. Your soil looks too wet but I cant tell from here. When I water seedlings I put a solo cup over the sprout and water around the outside of the cup. Then I remove the cup. Now days I only use a dome until the seed sprouts.

[Borderryan22]

Does your heat mat temperature adjust? The air directly above the mat can be a lot cooler than the mat itself. Touch the bottom of the peat cups and see how warm they are. Direct contact with the mat could be an issue. 64° is pretty cool for seedlings, also. Closer to 77-80° air temp is a littlr more comfy for seedlings.

Welcome aboard btw!!!

[Chairhat]

Thanks everyone!

Peat pots—was that a mistake, could they be too dry, letting out needed moisture? I know a lot of folks use solo cups, I thought that was due to convenience, is there something special about them? Should I switch to solo cups, or put the peat pots inside a slightly bigger plastic container to mimic that environment?

The mat doesn’t allow me to adjust the temp unfortunately. I tested the air above with my hand and it feels pretty comfy & warm. Thanks for the idea to check the bases of the peat pots, they seem warm but not overly so, there’s a thick plastic tray between the pots and the mat.

Maybe my domes are not good enough, I’ve seen some folks use baggies, maybe I should switch to that?

[Chairhat]

Thanks for the watering suggestion, tried it last night and the healthiest two seedlings seem a lil perkier this morning

[4204life]

I feel its the peat pots not letting enough oxygen to the roots.
Welcome to the forum!

[RileyRae]

I put mine in their forever pot after germination and use doller general salad bowls for domes. I water the spot where I plant the seed initially and then it’s a misting bottle until the domes come of. I keep the surface of the whole 5 gal. pot damp as well as the dome. PPFD 200-250.

[Chairhat]

Could be–but wouldn’t solo cups or plastic pots have the same issue? I thought peat was porous which is why I picked it…seems like it was a mistake

[Chairhat]

Your setup looks great! My forever pots are the same as yours, love the fabric pots with handles! Last year I germinated with my current small setup indoors to wait for it to get warm enough outside (mid-May where I live), then moved the girls to their forever pots outside. Planning to do the same again this year but we’ll see if enough babies survive until mid-May

If this round fails, I might spring for a tent setup and try again in the fall.

[DEEPDIVERDAVE]

@Chairhat

Peat pots—was that a mistake, could they be too dry, letting out needed moisture?

Peat pots can be lifted and bottom watered.
Seedling mini van, helps prevent spillage, I hope.

[Gl1tch]

I use seedling bags from amazon. think fabric pot but small and disposable.

[DEEPDIVERDAVE]

@Gl1tch

I use seedling bags from amazon.

Deliverable Wed, I just ordered some, thanks.
I like to try and get better methods, always.
Kudos to Forum Contributors, Too.

[Gl1tch]

only tricky part is transplanting. You have to cut the seedlings out with scissors. As soon as you see roots popping out of the bottom cut the bottom out of the bag and make a small slit in the bottom of one side. Put it in the hole. Complete the the slit from the top and gently pull the bag out. Pack the soil around seedling plug. This method helps keep everything held together till they are in the new pot. I hope that’s not too confusing.

[Bentstick]

@Gl1tch , I did not bother cutting the nursery bag off just stuck it in a solo cup sized hole and buried it, did not have a issue!

[Gl1tch]

good to know. I’ll try that next time. I usually start in a 3x4 and then go up to a 6x8 before the final pot. Seems like it helps keep seedlings roots happy while they are small and hard to water.

[Chairhat]

Continuing with the solo cup circular watering method (using a syringe now too) and all the seedlings are looking better, whew! I am still keeping the domes on too though, since the room they’re in is pretty dry. So it seems the problem was dryness and low humidity.

I started some of the 2nd round of seeds in solo cups instead of peat pots, and they definitely don’t need as much watering. The peat pots seem to require a syringe 3x per day whereas the solo cups only 1x per day.

[RileyRae]

It’s super easy to over water when in seedling stage. You want it slightly moist but the humidity is the key. I keep at 80% rh till the domes come off.

[Gl1tch]

Using syringes was a game changer for me. With peat pots you have to water the pot before you water the plant. In other words the pot will suck the water out of the soil if it isn’t good and moist.

[Blaze_Up_Ahab]

This approach works for me every time.