Seedling Problems At Home
Seed Starting Disasters Happen Once too Often Too Dark Too Cold Too Dry Too Wet Too Windy Cat Sat on Them You Name It
Do you have trouble starting seeds at home? I know how to start seeds, but this batch has seen nothing but one disaster after another. Is there a plot against me?
Seed starting is pretty straightforward once you understand the basics and have done it a few times. I have started thousands of seeds over the years and have grown countless nice healthy transplants at home. This year, though, things are off to a lousy start.
Mostly, I was impatient and rushed and I fudged it and did not do things right the way I should have, but that's not the whole story. I think the planets are aligned wrong, too. So far, the saga of the seeds:
I used slightly old seed, so the germination rate was a little low. I lost track of what I was doing and planted several rows of seeds too close together in the seed pan so they came up crowded. I experimented and used a berry box as my seed pan, but it is too shallow and so the soil dries out very fast.
I do not have my seed starting lights set up, so I thought I would raise these on a sunny window sill. Although I am in sunny California, the week I started my seeds was cloudy and cold so the baby plants are sun starved. I used a poor quality potting mix that does not drain well so I see a trace of damping off trying to start.
During the latest warm spell, I started setting them outside in a sheltered spot for some direct morning sun -- that helped with the legginess problem somewhat. Today, while I was out, we had 35 mile per hour winds and the seed pan got flipped over and the seedlings got tossed across the lawn. When I got home I brought them inside and stuffed them back into the pan as best I could. I am all out of soil mix so I can't replant them with good soil to root contact all around, but some might still be okay.
At that point, I thought I would take a photo to show seedling abuse with an upcoming article or two on seed starting. While I was looking for the camera the cat came and investigated. (Same cat as used to help me with my bonsai potatoes, she is good with plants and especially enjoys seed starting.) I had just laid out several already uprooted seedlings to show how long their roots can be on such a tiny plant and she sat on them. So yeah, I have a good selection of "What Not to Do" photos.
Just because you are paranoid doesn't mean they aren't out to get you. LOL
ps 12/29 Here is what I should have done -- real Seed Starting Directions.
