6,340 Garden Web Discussions | Growing from Seed
Here is an affordable plant option. Hope this helps, Tony
Here is a link that might be useful: Honeycomb butterfly bush
Hi Tony. Thank you! I've added that to my ebay watch list and will bid on Friday. :D
Now to find a multi colored one. I've seen a pink/orange one before and loved it. I've got 2 different purples, 2 pinks and a white.
I was hooked the year my first one bloomed and was abundant with butterflies, moths, hummingbirds and those funny hummingbird moths.
It doesn't even have to be 'infected' potting soil for one of the ubiquitous 'damping off' disorders to take hold. A poorly drained, mucky potting mix is often part of the problem. So is too much moisture. If your seedlings are not getting enough light, the stems will be leggy and spindly, with weak cell walls.
As ifraser says, it will be very difficult for anyone to help you without knowing a lot more information. YOU have to help us before we can steer you in the right direction.
Why are there 3 postings of this same question, all dated the same day, yet no replies to any of the requests for more information?
If you can't see your post after you post it the first time then you need to refresh the page. There is no need to keep posting the same question over and over.
Dave
See: http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/load/seed/msg052019442057.html?1
http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/load/seed/msg0520143831049.html?1
Only you can determine how badly rootbound they are. Young plants can often be prised apart or even sliced in order to encourage branching of the root system. Don't be afraid to do that.
Just try not to rip the roots but cut them sharply instead. Young roots are extremely willing to grow a flush of new roots at the severed ends.
Small containers dry out a lot faster than the soil in your garden, and drought is one of the main reasons for seedling losses. This is the principal reason why most gardeners don't put container sowings in full sun. Do you remember those old-fashioned "Welcome" mats, made of jute fiber or what not? And how if they got wet they'd be like that for a week? If you stand your seed containers on top of something similar, they will not dry out so easily.
Hi,
is there any sign of fuzz on the dirt? Do the seedlings suddenly wilt and die? Is your soil very wet? These are things that all lead to damping off - a mold/fungus develops and wipes out seedlings.
There are a couple of things you can do today. Put a low fan on to circulate the air around your seedlings. Second do you have any cinnamon powder? It works as an antifungal naturally - just shake the cinnamon all over the seedling tray and leave the stuff on top of the soil. This might help. I can't see an image of your tray so I'm just guessing from experience.
Please let me know how things turn out.
Cheers,
Peggy
Set mine from my sunporch to the yard yesterday morning, Same here, 100% overcast and no wind to speak of. A light rain in the evening. They look fine with the exception of one leggy tomato seedling. Either it will stand back up or not, it's on it's own now. The other 200 seedlings were fine as of this morning.
All that being said, if I do notice they start to wilt or anything, I would bring them back in to recover a little and then once they did, bring them back out again.
They did have one half day out under the apple tree which provided dappled sun, so this wasn't thier first true foray out into the wilderness.
It's possible but not definite unless it is a real incline where they are planted. What is most likely is that it floated many of them into clusters and clumps. Once they sprout you can thin them out or transplant them as needed.
Of course you can always over seed the area again to be safe but will likely have to really thin them out then.
Dave
I did reseed the area that I planted up the day before the hard rains...it was one solid puddle. But I'm leaving the other beds alone. After those 2 rainy days we had 85 degree weather, and it will be 90 today. If those seeds don't start popping up soon, I guess I'll have my answer!
I frequently save zinnia seed in the "green seed" stage, when the petals still have come color but the seeds have fattened up. I either plant them immediately for a quick second generation, or dry them for storage.
There are at least two advantages to saving zinnia seeds in the green seed stage. First, you give birds much less chance to eat your zinnia seeds. Second, you avoid the danger of a wet spell pre-germinating your zinnia seeds in the seedhead. And, if you are trying to grow a second generation of zinnias, you get several weeks headstart by gathering the seeds in the green stage and planting them immediately.
ZM
White fuzz isn't damping off - it's just some external mould. You get it on peat pots too. Ignore it. If you really had damping off your seedlings would be falling over and dying.
True damping off is easily prevented by simply not over watering your sowing medium. I wouldn't worry about the potting soil at all as long as you water sensibly. It will never be truly sterile from the moment you open the bag. We are surrounded by fungal spores all the time but as long as you don't provide the conditions they need to grow they will cause you no problems.
Transplanting them into larger plastic cups will do them a world of good. In cell packs, you can bet that their roots are already hitting bottom. You dont have to wait for true leaves to transplant. Tomato seedlings are pretty tough little guys. At 5 weeks old they should be a lot bigger than 2". I started mine at least a week later than you and in 16oz. cups they are 5-6 " tall working on their 3rd set of true leaves. I started fertilizing after transplanting, but with a very weak solution.
Yeah, I would keep them under lights until they can stay outside.
I would check out there root system as mandolls said. If they are becoming root bound, transplanting them into larger containers, buried deeper would help. I would hold off fertilizing until they settle into all these changes. I use miracle grow at 1/4 strength and just bottom water with it once a week. I hope that helps! Happy gardening
Keriann~
certified organic~~~ Means the seeds came from plants the were grown without the use of chemical of any kind. Some guidlines are below.
# avoidance of synthetic chemical inputs "fertilizer, pesticides, antibiotics, food additives, etc>, genetically modified organisms, irradiation, and the use of Human sewage sludge.
# use of farmland that has been free from synthetic chemicals for a number of years (often, three or more);
Heirlooms~~~ Are cultivar's that were commonly grown during earlier periods in human history, but which are not used in modern large-scale agriculture. Many heirloom vegetables have kept their traits through open pollination, while fruit varieties such as apples have been propagated over the centuries through grafts and cuttings.
Hi y'all...I work with an organic seed company (All Good Things Organic Seeds) and thought I'd chime in to help clear up some seed terminology!
Heirloom: Yiorges, you're right...there is NO agreed-upon definition for 'heirloom.' My favorite so far is 'a variety with a name, a place, and a story.' Basically, a variety that has been saved for certain characteristics (color, shape, flavor) for some period of time...typically, for many generations.
Organic: Seeds labeled 'organic' ('certified organic,' 'usda organic,' or just 'organic') were produced from plants grown on certified organic farms. The main advantage of organic seeds is that they have been adapted to the growing conditions in which they were produced � organic conditions. The opposite is also true: non-organic seeds are adapted to the synthetic fertilizer/pesticide conditions in which they were produced. If you have an organic garden, you will typically have better results from organic seeds. The other bonus of buying organic seeds is that you are supporting organic agriculture.
Suggested companies selling organic seeds: http://www.seedalliance.org/Seed_Companies_Selling_Organic_Seed/
Hope this clears things up a little :)
Winston