Did you do any root damage when transplanting? Did you transplant into dry soil? Did you put them directly outdoors without hardening off? If the answer to all of these is 'no', then don't worry, they'll perk back up. And actually, even if you lost some root, they'll still be ok.

Oh, forgot to add, did you fertilize them or transplant them into soil with fertilizer in it?

Dear sleepy33

thanks for responding so quickly! OK, there are/were really spindly when i transplanted them into bigger peat pots.. There was not a lot of root to them. I transplanted them to a bigger pot to encourage root growth. I planted then in potting soil. I didn't wet the soil as it seemed to be moist already and i didn't to drown them. No, I didn't fertilize them, again because I was trying to avoid the transplant shock. Shows what i know, huh.

What do you think i should do? Most of them are lookin' dead. Help

Thanks!!

Dale

You were right in not fertilizing, sleepy wasn't suggestion you should. Water them!

Dearn Garden Folk

I'm thinking, again, that this just isn't going to happen. I went to water them and if i touched them, really lightly, they break. They are so spindly and have such a small root system that...i don't know. What do ya'all think.

Thanks!

Dale

I think you should have thoroughly watered the soil before putting it in the pots. I have a bucket that I dump my soil/seed starting mix in and then I run water in it until it is saturated. As I take it out of the bucket, I squeeze out any extra moisture. Your zinnias sound like they weren't likely to make it even prior to transplanting. I've never seen/had seedlings that broke when I touched them. I'm guessing you don't/haven't had them under lights?

It sounds like your seedlings were too weak to start with. Maybe they didn't receive enough light up to this point. Or maybe they are too young. Did you wait until the true leaves come out? The true leaves are the leaves *after* the first 2 small leaves.

But zinnias germinate very well and fast, so if this fails, just wait until your last frost date (doesn't seem to far away now) and sow directly outside. It takes 1 or 2 days for them to germinate.

the lights should have been ok. actually, some of you responded when i sent out 'why can't i grow from seed!" post. I bought fresh new lights the ones that were recomended to me). My seedlings are always super leggy. I don't know why. Anyway...thanks for your thoughts. Do 'you' think that they have a chance? Can i do anything to save these babies??

Thanks!

Dale

Oh yeah, I remember you. IIRC, your zinnias were very leggy and weak before you bought new bulbs, yeah? Once they begin to develop like that, it's very hard to fix. The whole structure of the plant is weakened and compromised. Your best bet is to start over with more seeds. Try a few under your new bulbs, see how that goes, and then direct sow some like dave suggested above. You could try deep transplanting the ones you have now, but doubt that will be successful.

You put them really close to the lights, right? Within inches?

Kim

yup, had the seedlings 2"-3" above the seedlings. Maybe sleep33 is right. It was too late when I got the lights. One thing that I don't get is why do some seedlings grow so tall and others, in the same tray do not? If you put the lights high enough to handle the tall ones don't the smaller one's suffer? I don't know...i'm athinkin' that i just can't grow from seed :(

Hi there. I don't remember your previous post, but from one newbie to another.....

My first attempt I used coir pots. I got a small amount of damping off, had watering problems, and my seedlings died.

My second attempt, I used the containers from the precooked chickens from the grocery store (friends saved them for me). Voila! I have some pretty handsome seedlings. I sprinkled with cinnamon, had no damp off, used a fan for a few hours per day to strengthen them and tomorrow I'm going to transplant. After all this they better not die.

If I were you, I'd try again, even if it is too late. You have another chance to figure it out before trying again next year =:)

If the lighting is right but the plants are still leggy, it could be the temperature was too high. I don't remember your other post. Was the temperature ok?

As for why some seedlings are taller/leggies than others even when they are in the same tray (and same type of seeds, I assume), I cannot understand either. It just happens.

As for whether they will come back, I think it depends on how big they are, if they are the size of plug plants like those you can buy from garden center, they might come back after initial shock. If we are talking about little seedlings that just have their first true leaves, once they wilt and shrivel, I think they are gone. But at this point just wait and see.

Meanwhile, start another set, and when the last frost date arrives, start another set directly outdoor. I found that gardening has some mystery in it. You improve by reading a lot, but it doesn't come with reading only. You do it once, twice, fails a few times, then you get a feel....

But I myself am relatively new too. I haven't had too much trouble with starting from seeds or transplant shock though.

What I do when the seedlings grow unevenly is move one part of one light higher, and shift the taller seedlings under that part. Mine are just shoplights on chains, so I can adjust the height on either end. Are the seedlings that stayed short still in this fragile, shriveled state? Can you possibly take some pics of any of these? That might help a lot.

well the sad part is is that i'm not a newbie. I try to grow from seed every year and i have the same problem over and over...hence the post "why can't i grow from seed?". The temp is room temp. the lights are right. i think this last batch must be a sign that growing from seed just aint gonna work for me. Anyway, on a more positive note, I do have 6 of the 36 alive. I'm going to try to harden them off and maybe they'll even make it into the garden bed.
But still...I just don't get it

Again, pics of the seedlings & your setup could really help a lot... But understand if you don't have a way to get them. I do not accept "it's just not gonna work for me"; I just know you can do it!! :)

Did you buy your light fixtures new or used? If using the correct bulbs there's no reason for seedlings to be spindly. Is it possible you are using 40w T12s in a 32w T8 fixture?

I'm sorry. Is it possible you are using 20w T12s in a 15w T8 fixture?

No pics to be had. They just fell over, shriveled up and died. The Lights i bought were, i think, T12's 20 watt. My light table calls for 2 2' bulbs. The 2' bulbs came in 20 watt only. They were called fish and plant bulbs. I used what the folks on the 'i can't seed" post but i canÂt be sure.
Thanks for the confidence sleepy33.
I think i'll harden off my 6 and then plant them deep.
I'm so frustrated...

There are also 17w(not 15w) T8s that are 24". I'll ask again..Did you buy the fixture new or used?

i got the bulbs new. the light table i've had for several years...ok, found my old post and found that i used 4 (2') and (2') T12's each 20 watt. I had to get the 20's as the 2 ft come only in that wattage.

thoughts?

I asked if you bought the fixtures new (twice now)not how long you've had them. If you want to keep secrets I can't help.

Hi there. If I were you, I'd start all over again. And don't use peat or coir pots. Just follow all the advice you've read on this forum =:)

Were your fixtures new? I think Taz6122 may be wanting to suggest that if your fixtures, not just your tubes, are old, it may be your problem. If your fixtures are old, your ballasts may be affecting your final output, although ballasts last longer than your tubes. Are your fixtures old?? New tubes won't be effective if your ballasts are almost at the end of their life.

ohhhh. now i get it (knock on head)! the light table fixture is around 8 years old. Is that the culprit behind my failure to grow?

Dale
ps i still have the 6 (yeah)

That's not what I'm suggesting although a possibility.
If you bought the fixtures used then the previous owner could have put any bulbs in it possibly having the wrong bulbs all along.
24" 17w T8s may also fit that fixture. If the ballasts are electronic(which I doubt being 8 years old) you may still be able to use T8s even if they were designed for T12s.

If I were you ( I know, I've said that here before) I'd go out and buy new fixtures, and tubes to fit, and start all over.

Even though it's sort of too late, try again so you don't have to wonder until next year if you can have any luck with indoor planting =:)

I'm only on my second try. My first attempt ended with dead seedlings, my second attempt is doing great =:)

Hey Dale.

Sorry to hear about your frustrating experience with starting seeds :(

May I ask what soil medium you are using?

Keriann~

Taz6122, call me stupid (not literally please) but IÂm still not sure what you're asking.

My light table is around 8 years old and the T12 24" 20 watt bulbs are new.

I'd prefer to grow with sun light and/or shop light set up but IÂm in a condo so apace is limited

I'm thinking that nutsaboutflowers has got the right idea. Next year brand new whole shebang.

keriann_lakegeneva, I use Parks Biodome. I have a 99% germination rate. I think the mistake i made with these is that I thought bigger plugs would produce stronger plants but now i realize that a smaller plug would develop better roots as the space is limited

any thoughts?

Taz was asking if you bought your light table new from a store or did you buy it used from an individual. He was asking not because of the age of the light table, but to see if the bulbs originally placed in the fixture might have been of a lower wattage. But since you've said before that the old bulbs were 20W, which I assume you can read printed on the bulb, then...well...that's what was in there. Whew. I feel like this thread reads like 'Who's on First?' :)

Oh, and before you go buy new fixtures, just try starting a few seeds under these new bulbs from the get-go. I mean, like 5 seeds. Just to see. Because, like say, those old leggy zinnias were goners. You just can't 'fix' legginess once it's that bad.

Well you're on the right track sleepy but the thought was if the bulbs were higher wattage than the ballasts which would make them under powered. If the ballasts are electronic then putting a lower wattage bulb in them would overdrive the bulbs making them brighter.

And zinnia is considered a little difficult to transplant... not as difficult as poppies, but you still need to be a little careful when you transplant.

But it is near the time to plant zinnia directly outdoor! Yes, you will get it a little later, but you will still have plenty of zinnias this spring/summer. :)