Has this happened to anyone? We have wicked Frosts' here. I've seem them set-back tulips, Daffadils, Roses.

However, it could be bacteria in the soil. I did put seaweed, in a few containers, for testers. (ditto)

First thought maybe root rot if it is to wet??

2nd thought is that the frost got it, the lupine was the only plant that didn't survive that week long of below freezing temps that I had. It took some time to get hit with it though but it slowly just went from a green to brown to black stage.

I was reading in the faq's and trudi had mentioned about the soil diseases and fungus that usually that is pretty low when winter sowing because of the cold temps seem to kill any bacteria or fungus in the soil. So how long before you sowed your lupine did you sow the seaweed?? Where the containers out in the snow and freezing temps before germination??

I personally have never used captan, as a matter of fact I am truly clueless on what this product is. I figured it was a typo when reading your post and you were saying something like Quick Captain... Help!! LOL oh me, so much that we learn on these forums!! LOL

Sorry I am not much help!!

You said you used seaweed - what form? If an emulsion, it's possible to burn seedlings with an organic fertilizer just as with a synthetic product and the usual recommendation there is 1/4 label strength after 2 sets true leaves. Did you mean actual seaweed as harvested for compost? Pathogens that cause damp-off survive on dead organic matter....

Overly wet soil can lead to root rot expecially if compacted in your container (one reason we don't recommend actual soil or top soil in WS containers), and of course cold could zap your seedlings as can too limited air circulation.

What does the top of your soil in your containers look like, is white or webby, green with algae or moss? Did you temps drop sharply one night or day in the last few?

I'm not trying to sound critical of your choice, I'm not completely anti-chemical when circumstances warrant but neither am I sure what you have is damp-off, or that a few immature lupin seedlings would be worth its use.

When I started seeds inside under lights, if there was a problem with damping off, I used a dilute solution of a product called "Soap-shield" which is a liquid copper fungicide from Gardens Alive. That worked pretty well. Some people use a layer of vermiculite on top of the potting mix.

Carolyn, I mixed pure seaweed from the store into the soil of some containers. Microbes from seaweed are very good for the soil and plants. I put it in my garden in the past; being curious, I decided, on a whim, to put it on some containers. To see if I get healthier plants vs. the non-seaweed containers.

Morz, I do have mold in my coke bottles. However, they don't have any seaweed in them. I gave them a little squeeze, to give them more air circulation.

I let more air in that particular container. I believe too much water. I looked again, today, I think seedling rot. (There is one really nice sprout coming thru from this container).

If you care for a story that is way off topic but need a laugh here it is.

I was spraying (pest control) this restaurant well it was chinese, well we had to always go late at night. They would feed their kids while we were there. My co worker and I just kind of looked dumbfounded at what was being served. We asked "what is that??" The little lady said "seaweed, it is good for the brain. You must try some", lol. My co worker took a little bite, me not being scared took a big honking bite. The woman and kids just laughed and laughed at me cause I could barely get it down. She said "that good it make you smart!!" LOL, maybe I need to order some more cause it didn't work, lol!!

Well, I guess I won't be making you any 'Seaweed Soup'!?
It is an acquired Taste, but I testify, it is good for the skin. It will, along with exercise, reduce cellulite. Cook it with a lot of fresh garlic and Ginger.

Ladyrose, I wished you were there to see this little womans eyes. They were big round and with an excited gleam when she said "that good, it make you smart", LOL.

By the way the kids were straight A students!! They were from hong kong!!

But I found out that Cornmeal, is a natural fungicide and will prevent damping off. Google Cornmeal Juice. At least, it's organic in comparison to the Captan.

I've had really good results using chamomile tea for damp off prevention on my indoor seedlings, never had damp off on those,either. But I sterilize everything, including soil, for indoors.

Karen

I have also had wet containers and even had mold/moss/algae inside some but the seedlings did not die off. Opening the container helped dry out the mold. Some of my 2nd year containers have had seedlings coming up through moss.

Lupine seedlings have been iffy for me. Sometimes they grow well and then later after being potted up and grown on for some time some might just die. Boom, dead! Others in pots right next to them and treated the same will be fine. What works the best for me is to get them planted out when very small. I need to protect the planted seedlings as the rabbits find them very tasty.

Karen

Karen

I plant some expecting the foliage to die back and make room for another plant to use that space.

Pippi I remember that year, it was horrible, trees all over the place here were dieing, I am not talking about saplings I mean some 20 to 30 year old trees.

You can also be prepared to cover them overnight, with sheets, blankets, etc. if that unexpected frost decides to come your way.

Up her in MA, we've had crazy weather extremes since I started WS back in 2003.

Many times we've had a frost hit when one would never expect it, and even temps that have gone down well below freezing, into the mid 20's in mid May and even had snow flakes falling on May 19-20 in 2005, when my daughter graduated college.

I cover my annual seedlings if the temps are going to fall over night, and then get the covers off in the morning when the temps warm up. If I don't do that with the annuals, I know from experience, that I will lose all of them.

I still follow the "old farmers time frame" in New England, nothing get's planted that could be lost to a frost or freeze before the original Memorial day, which was May 30th.

I've never lost a seedling or plant that was planted from that date on, whether it was WS or store bought, but sure have if they where planted before that date, either WS or store bought.

Karen, I've never pulled my lupines when they started to get "ratty looking". I just cut off the ratty looking part and all new growth comes in and many times they will give me a smaller rebloom about a month later, not anywhere near as lush as the first bloom, but it a bloom.

Been doing that for quite a few years now and even if the lupin doesn't bloom a second time, it is still lush green foliage that is there all summer.

Fran

I don't have any of the conditions they want. And I don't want plants that don't do well in my yard. It's much easier to change plants to match my soil than to change my soil to what plants want.

Karen

I agree. What works for one doesn't always work for another.

Especially with WS, it is so easy to yank out one plant and put in another. There's always a container waiting for us to plant.

Fran

Anywho, I was messing with that third lupine seedling and just trying to see what was up with it. Well it totally came up, like root rot was the problem (yes the same container as the 2 healthy ones). Well part of the stem still looked healthy, so I just buried the plant a little deeper and crossed my fingers. It has been a week, and it is growing!! I be dern that little guy is growing!! The true leaves are starting to come out and have progressed since I found the problem. I am tickled pink over here!!

I had to share with you and I hope it isn't to late for yours!!