Yes, Alex, a long term growing project. My method in the nursery was to have one cold frame devoted to sprouting acid growing plants. The soil mix was 1/3 milled peat moss, 1/3 sand and 1/3 gently scooped up surface soil from areas where acid lovers grew naturally plus composted soil. No lime. Whenever available I would add 'stump dirt' from decaying woodland fallen trees/tree stumps to the mix. This combination is loaded with native Mycorrhizal fungus. Sow seeds in fall when ripe. Water well and close frame for winter. Uncover in spring. Keep moist through that growing season. Close frame and leave through another winter. The next early spring pot those that are ready. Leave the rest through another winter and growing season. Potting soil was mixture of peat moss, medium grind pine bark and a good compost type soil. Do not use Miracle Grow soil. I fertilized lightly throughout the growing process with liquid seaweed. I just found this the easiest way to handle acid growers including the two you are trying to grow. BTW...do a search on the Propagating Forum for my 'Toothpick Technique' which is an easy method to propagate Sourwood.

I have only grown these from cuttings. & from that aview I have found a soil mix in the correct pH range helped long term growth but had minimal affect when rooting.... look at other growth factors as light, temperature, water, etc.

The Real Problem is this: The Proof On The Ground In the forests of Northern California, bark is literally being scorched from trees. On many specimens, only a thin strip of bark remains on the shaded side of the tree. Foliage is being scorched with many trees having only a fraction of their normal leaf cover. Many native species of plants are not even sprouting any more. The organisms that do still manage to grow appear miniaturized in some cases. What are just some of the results of excessive UV exposure to plants? Can stop sprouting of seeds, Stunts growth, Limb die off, Reduced foliage, DNA damage, Changes nutrient distribution, Mutatins, Effects photosynthesis Greatly increased mortality SOME known effects of excessive UV exposure to aquatic life: All aquatic life is particularly vulnerable to high UV levels. Phytoplankton accounts for some 30% of the worlds' intake of animal protein. Phytoplankton and the microorganisms they consume are killed by excessive UV levels. (Global plankton populations have already been reduced by 40% to 50%. Much of the die off is likely due to increased UV radiation.) Less plankton = less carbon-dioxide absorption. Less plankton = less oxygen production. (Atmospheric oxygen content around the globe declining rapidly) Less plankton = less fish. Period. Continue: http://globalmarchagainstchemtrailsandgeoengineering.com/ Also view the evidence videos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZvtD_dizuDE and this one too: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48J6F4PLOlU Contact your local news channel and newspaper. Don't contact the government, they have the canned answers anyway. Here is a link that might be useful: Global March Against Chemtrails and Geo-Engineering

What I had forgotten in my original panic was that a few of the transplants had been transplanted into potting mix that had been outside over winter . I may have tossed the plants out of desperation as I had already checked for any types of bugs, couldnt find anything on the web that would explain the patchiness on the leaves and I knew did not get those plants wet, as I have heard often how bad it would be to get the leaves wet. In my OP I stated that one or two may have had a drop of water on the leaves, but that would have been from a drip or two that may have fallen off the watering can. The answer that was most forthcoming, and I wanted to believe the most was the water on the leaves, burning them in the light, theory, but honestly couldnt have been the answer, as happy as it would have made me. I knew that a few burned leaves wouldnt cause the widespread wilting I was experiencing . I was concerned about the fertilizer in the MG , but as a whole tray of plants has yet to be affected, I figured that couldnt be it...although I still could be wrong. The problem went from bad to worse and after essentially 95% of the tomato seedlings on one shelf ended up with the wilted leaves to one extent or another, I tried googling wilt, which was suggested to me at another site. The photo they showed of a seedling with wilt looked lmost exactly like some of my farther gone plants and the explanaition was a wilting of the oldest leaves first( I also read about the cutting thru the stem and placing it into water to look for discharge, but mainly the sites are refering to full grown plants and I wasnt sure how affective that would be on seedlings), asked hubby and DD to look and both agreed that the photos looked like what we had going on. I also recalled last night, as I made my decision to toss, that there was a problem back in the beginning as one particular variety was gaining its first true leaves...a few of those plants would wilt and die for no reason, I just picked those out and tossed them and put it out of my mind . So in my decision to toss was the thought that maybe the seed was tainted to start with and the disease was passed on thru those affected plants. I just didnt want to take the chance of introducing FW into my garden soil. I hope you are all right and that I tossed with no good reason, and the plants that I kept will flourish , as I dont want to deal with a bacterial problem ever...and luckily the ones I tossed were only my cherry types and paste types...as much as I loved them, they were not the most important to me. And from my limited experience, the cherry types pop up fast and grow fast as well, so I may be ok yet as there is still 4-5 weeks to go til plant out time. Thanks for all of the input...this is only my second seed starting season, and I hope to learn a lot and never feel as desperate as I did last night LOL...I figure in 10 or so years I will look back on this and laugh ...I hope LOL