Can't get my germed seeds turn into seedlings

enzo808 said:

I can't seem to get past the germination' stage after I transplant the seed into the soil & I'm starting to get a lil annoyed! Can someone please tell me what I'm doing wrong? I soak the seed in a shot glass & let it sit til it sprouts a taproot. Then I transfered' it into da soil no less than a 1/2 inch deep in fox farm soil & do a 18/6 photoperiod. A month later, I found out it's dead & I only water it seldomly & sprinkle it with water sparingly to keep da soil moist. In desperate need of help as i'm about to order another set of seeds from Attitude soon. Thanks in advance guys!!

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Some swear by it, but I'm very much against sprouting your seed in water or paper towel.
The taproot hairs are so fragile and tiny that the slightest touch could shock the seed to death, imo. It's a good idea to soak the seed until they sink or until you can push them to the bottom of the glass (and they stay there). Soak them for 4-12 hours but no more than that. Some seeds sink immediately in water, that's ok, soak those too. After about 4-6 hours the seeds should sink, but there shouldn't be any taproot showing.
Plant your seed in whatever medium your using, no deeper that 2x the width of the seed. Place that in a dark, warm place, preferably in high humidity (or with plastic over the cup or in a propagator.
Some people say not to use a heat mat because new growers commonly forget to water. DON'T DO THAT. (Consequentially, you don't NEED a heat mat, but they help)
Put the planted seeds on heat mat set to low. Place a bath towel or a rag between the heat mat and the seeds so you don't cook them or until you get the hang of it.

As soon as the seeds break soil, take the plastic off or take them out of the propagator, and place them under your light source.
If you're using a HID lamp then keep it 2-4 ft above them (depending on the intensity), and slowly lower it as the plants get bigger and more accustomed to their new environment.

Hope that helps a little.

there are many ways to add moisture to a seed when trying to germ, I believe the main reason for a seed to not sprout from the soil is in the manner it was planted. I am unsure of your method of placing the seed in the soil but in my experiences soil compacting over the seedling has been the main culprit of a failed pop. When I plant a freshly sprouted bean in a party cup, I can normally see the top of the bean @ all times & never let it get completely buried when watering. Soil tends to move & sink the seedling deeper into the container when watering if you are not careful.

If you are using FF Ocean than it ha got too much nutes and burns the seedlings. Use FF Light Warrior and you will have amazing results if you don't over water
I wet my cocofibre once for seedlings right when i plant them after they sprout and place in a humidity dome with a small intake fan. I let them dry out 75% so the roots set in to search for water
You really have to make sure no bugs are present and your soil its sterilized. Fungus gnats kept eating my baby roots essentially killing all my seeds

seeds can be very easy to sprout but its another thing to keep it alive, don't give up and try different things
you will soon get a feel for it.

-CC

Yeah, what CC said. FFOF is too hot for seedlings, no doubt thats what the prob is fo sho.

Plenty of people are going to say they plant directly into OF without issue. It's not what I'd use for seedlings but I've heard it again and again.

What are they looking like after a month before they die? You say you seldom water or just sprinkle water on them sometimes, and that's very likely the problem. I've read lots of thread where people have issues and all they do is mist the soil surface because they're afraid to over-water.

Plants NEED water (seedlings don't require high humidity, though). The medium should be somewhat moist at all times, and saturated with water periodically. If you only sprinkle water on the surface, the rest of the soil underneath could be bone dry - and that's where roots need moisture the most. If it's too dry where the roots want to grow they'll just stunt and then turn yellow and dry out. Water to run-off.

enzo808 said:

I can't seem to get past the germination' stage after I transplant the seed into the soil & I'm starting to get a lil annoyed! Can someone please tell me what I'm doing wrong? I soak the seed in a shot glass & let it sit til it sprouts a taproot. Then I transfered' it into da soil no less than a 1/2 inch deep in fox farm soil & do a 18/6 photoperiod. A month later, I found out it's dead & I only water it seldomly & sprinkle it with water sparingly to keep da soil moist. In desperate need of help as i'm about to order another set of seeds from Attitude soon. Thanks in advance guys!!

Click to expand...

I soak my seeds for about eighteen hours. The shell just cracks and you see alittle white. I plant the seed about half an inch. I do sprinkle alittle water over the top to settle the soil. I'm using RO soil and it's comparable to FF and it has'nt been too hot for mine. Water it when it needs it and water it throughly. The tiny root hairs that absorb the water are delicate and will die if they dry out. I use an Icee lid as a humidity dome. It breathes and still keeps the moisture in. Don't sprinkle water on top. The roots are looking for water and if the bottom dries and the top soil is wet the roots will be shallow. Water throughly. Once the seed has popped the surface take the humidity dome off and I use 125 watt CFL set about a foot above the plant and a small fan. The light and the fan will dry the soil, especially a soil that drains well like FF and RO, so keep and eye on your soil. I've actually had to water mine about every other day but she doe'nt look the worse for wear.

This is three days old