Can you tell me where I am going wrong with my seedlings?

16 years ago

We just bought our house in November so this means I get to do whatever I want with my yard. I started some seeds indoors with the peat pellet trays. First I started Asters, sweet williams, and Bachelor Buttons on April 30. Probably a little bit of a late start. The bachelor buttons started beautifully. As soon as they started to get tall I took the lid off. I did notice however that it looked like there was a moldy type residue on some of the pellets. Some had it on the tops and others had it on the sides. I have kept the tray on my refrigerator at night and on my kitchen table right beside my large window for the sunlight during the day. I keep my ceiling fan on low majority of the time. Now the stems to the bachelor buttons seem so weak. Some have fallen compeletly over and others are just bending slightly.

That day I also planted some watermelon and cantaloupe seeds in peat pots and filled them with peat moss. Those started coming up finally about a week and a half ago and are staying stong. But they seem to be growing slower than the rest.

Next on May 7th I planted another pellet tray with onions, hot peppers, cayenne peppers, asters, and goditias. So far those seem to be holding up, but now I am worried about those going wrong like my first tray. The onions are growing tall, but are they suppose to be linky?

I am really excited about having a garden, but now I am getting worried that I cannot do this. What have I done wrong so far and what are some things I might be able to do to save my babies? Or keep from destroying my last batch? Should I start over?

Thank you

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Comments (3)

arjo_reich
16 years ago
those jiffy peat pots are notorious for containing active cobweb mold spores just waiting to get wet to start colonizing the pellet.

Take some H2O2 (Hydrogen Peroxide) and mix it with water at a ratio of about 3 parts H20 to 1 part H2O2 and give the mold a couple direct shots.

You'll want to mix this up fresh every time because H2O2 breaks down into water when exposed to light - now you know why the bottles are always brown... ;-p

As a fungus, cobweb mold is a very fast colonizer and will "lock-up" a substrate (your peat moss) in no time flat and your plants are literally drowning inside the moldy peat moss because the gas exchange has come to a standstill inside your little pots.

---
If you're plants down bounce back after that you'll have to either chaulk them up as a lost cause or - if you're really dedicated - you break them out of hte pots, remove as much "dirt" as you can from their roots and dip their roots directly in full-strength H2O2 and then planting them in a new medium.

But unless you're dealing with some really exotic plant that's a real pain to germinate from seed (i.e. gerbera daisies) I wouldn't go through the hassle. Considering seeds are only a couple dollars each, you have to weight the effort .vs. the opportunity cost of just starting over.

<shrug>

I should go back to school for mycology, heh.
kek19
16 years ago
Wow, so that's what happened to mine last year... interesting!
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I'm not sure I fully follow everything you've said, but let me try to answer your question. No, I don't think you're just looking for something to go wrong. I think it already has, from what you've told us. Some clarifications, though, please: You said you noticed he had called her a few times. Are you sure those calls were FROM his phone to her or could they be TO his phone from her? When you say he goes to his brother's house and always picks up the phone when you call, do you mean that you're calling his brother's land line or are you calling your husband's cell phone? Of course, if it's his cell phone, that certainly doesn't prove that he's at his brother's. I don't know what you're talking about regarding your stuff in his car and what that had to do with her. However, how would she know that there was stuff in his car if SHE hadn't been in his car? You mention that he was at his brother's this past Monday and you called him and he called you back 20 mins. later. Again, did you call his cell or his brother's land line? If the land line, don't you think that the brother might've heard your call, called him, and told him to call you (from wherever he was)? When he's "at his brother's", why not drive over there yourself just to say hi? Why would he go to his brother's house every day off? When he's got a day off, why wouldn't he spend it with his family - - - meaning you and his child? Do you work outside of the home or are you at home with the baby? Are you sure that he works 12 hours a night, 6 nights a week? How are you sure? Good luck - if everything you've posted is accurate, I think you've got a problem and that you know it. I'm not suggesting you snoop more, just that you keep your eyes open and become a realist. If there's nothing going on you'll figure it out. If there is, you'll figure it out. Suzieque
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I have used cinnamon extensively, and although I can’t say anything either way on the rooting issue, it works very well as a fungicide. I had to aggressively cut back a couple bulbs that had red blotch starting to get into their necks. I spread a layer of cinnamon on all exposed cut tissue, and they survived and are doing well now. I use the cheap stuff from Walmart. I had the same thing happen to me, Anja. I unfortunately lost the bulb. And of course, it was a rare one that I may not be able to replace! I’d do what Patel suggested - but don’t put it inside a bag where it will stay wet, because most likely the rot will continue if it is not allowed to dry out. I think it can still be saved at this point though, don’t give up!
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arjo_reich
16 years ago
Yea, I bought a couple of those mini-greenhouses this year - knowing better - and I still got burned. Three types of sunflowers, moon flowers (I. alba) and Scarlet-O'Hara morning glories. Only the moonflowers survived, the rest got infected with either cobweb mold or trichoderma (green mold)...didn't bother trying to save them, seeds were cheap.

Since then I've purchased this little ditty Pot Maker from burpee.com. So far, it's a pretty nifty little ditty... ;-p

Random trivia bits...

Cobweb Mold (Cladobotryum sp.)
{{gwi:240057}}

Green Mold (Trichoderma)
{{gwi:240058}}

Can you tell me where I am going wrong with my seedlings?

Comments (3)

arjo_reich

kek19

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