Your solution in the bottom may be weak, but the hydroton provides a surface for evaporation where nutrient rich water is being wicked up, and then evaporating along all the surface area of the hydroton under the light, turning into a salt flat without getting enough water to the roots, which the white on the hydroton might suggest. To better establish the roots, I'd actively pour the nutrients below over the hydroton once in the morning and make up the evaporation difference once in the afternoon with distilled water or rain. You could try starting in perlite, and when the roots got big enough tenderly transfer it in the hydroton with whatever perlite stuck to it; also check perlite or perlite/vermiculite mix out instead of hydroton while you're at it. But I think the general problem will be the same, as the fertilizer will crystalize out and less water get to the roots and the local root TDS too high.

Well, my watermelon plant has started growing...but my tomatoes aren't producing much yet. I have two large plants and only one has maybe 6 tomatoes on it. The other has been flowering, but not much (same with tomatillo). I have plenty of flowers nearby and plenty of bees visiting the area. Usually by this time of year the things are weighted down with tomatoes! My green beans are slow going as well. Haven't done anything different from years past....could it really still be from the wacky weather we had earlier in the season? Anyone else's veggies still coming along very slowly? Kristy :)

I had always heard that you should never put out transplants (without a wall of water or something else) until nighttime temperatures were stable above 50 degrees F. I thought that a temperature drop below 50 would stunt the growth. Definately some misunderstanding going on. The learning curve has been difficult for you as you started the plants so early and so have had to deal with issues most don't have. ;) Thus much of the confusion I think. In previous threads of yours you were advised that you could begin hardening off some time ago and told then that 40 degree nights would pose no problems. But I think you might be confusing soil temps and air temps. Totally different issue. Back in one of your earlier threads - the one where you were going to transplant them out on April 9th (3 weeks ago) it was suggested to you by one poster that soil temps in the 40's or lower could lead to stunted plants without a WOW or something similar. That may be true but it does not apply to air temps. That is a totally different issue. You mother's plants will be fine as already said and yours can easily go into the ground now. Hope this helps clarify the issues. Dave

Patience is what is most required. You may be struggling with a form of root rot. Regardless, the dahlia is under stress from some cause and the insects are simply demonstrating its vulnerability. At time of planting you should prep your site by adding a composted manure, plus some type of slow-release fertilizer. What I do is incorporate either fish bone meal or Jobe's Organic Bulb food beneath the tuber with the backfill having been amended with the manure and some additional fertilizer such as Jobe's Organic granular 4-4-4. Due to the slow release nature of the organic nutrients, I don't worry about over fertilization. I do know that once the tuber initiates its roots, it does very well when it happens upon the food I've added at time of planting. A huge plus associated with the Jobe's Organic product line is in the mycorrhizae package they have added to the fertilizer. Mycorrhizae congregates along the roots and contributes significantly to the transport of moisture, nutrients and serves as a disease antagonist helping thwart possible site infection by pathogenic soil fungi. Frankly, it's worth every penny you might pay for the fertilizer as I have used it extensively throughout my garden, landscape & potted plants. Competitive brands such as the Espoma & Dr. Earth product line rival the Jobe's products, but, I have found them to be more expensive. Jobe's relies upon its proprietary mycorrhizae package to accomplish its goal and I have found it to be highly effective.