Serious problems with seedlings dying, experienced growers needed, coco growers help!

MaintMan

Well-Known Member
Ok so here's the deal I have now killed almost 50 seedlings! From having almost a 100% seedling survival rate the last 5 grows I've done! I had 10 northern lights seeds and 5 white rhino seeds that sprouted and never got over an inch tall and fell over and died. The roots never developed and the first growth seems to fall off the lower stem/root portion. At this time I determined that my humidity was to low( arround 30) so I built a couple humidity domes out of 1/4 inch polycarbonate sheet with room for 15 seeds in 12oz cups to sit undr them and get started.
Since I had had probs with humidity and the seeds dying I scrounged up 15 or so unknowns and germinated them ( towel on plate method) and planted them in cups of coco/ perlite mix. This time not many sprouted3 actually, but they all seemed healthy ( and lasted the longest)

So I did this while waiting for my classic pack and thc bomb to come from marijuana seeds nl which is where I got all my other seeds.

So I have the 3 good looking seedlings growig along nicely, sprouted up tall showed roots low in the cup and I took humidity readings from in the dome and there at 60-65% soneverything is good it seems. So I start to germinate 7 of the 10 seeds per pack, same as before in plate method with 7.4 tap water. Of the 28 seeds 27 germinated and 26 made it n the ground. Again in 12 oz cups of coco perlite mix( and yes unwashed it and buffered in the ph at 5.9 and I make sure I have lots of holes and shake out the excess water gently to keep the bottom from having water standing.) so I've planted the 26 seeds and within a day/24 hrs I'm seeing seedlings sprout so I'm excited! Well I'd say 18 of the 26 sprouted befor what happens next.

So I have been monitoring the temps and humidity closely as well as recalibrating my ph meter each watering with test solution. I thought I had the cycle sown to where I could let it go for a half day without checking but for some reason when I woke to check them the temps were 96 and humidity was 85% in he dome. Now all my seedlings have died or are showing withering signs and the 3 best plants that had actually shown a new set of leaves fell over and the root pinched in below the veg growth again.

I need to know that this( the hight heat humidity) is what caused the death of my newest seedlings. I know that I'm asking a silly question and the answers are most unitedly going to be a yes the heat killed them.

But with all the other seeds iv lost and the time that I am behind now I need a few tried and true ways to get a seedlig through to the veg state that I should be well into bu now

I grow in coco and won't change that but I can start any way is best for switching to coco when potting up

please help I have 12 seeds germinating now and 60 more coming( hopefully) and I can't loose any more time or plants I've already lost my prize dc1 clones to this venture and have invested 300 in seeds of which 100$ is already dead!
 

MaintMan

Well-Known Member
Edit: where it says unwashed coco that should say washed.

All seedlings started in coco perlite mix

looking for tried and true ways from seed growing individuals that have good sucess with survival of seedlings

looking for setup: temps, humidity, medium, germination process ,light quantitys ect.
 

MaintMan

Well-Known Member
I was considering starting them that way, I used to start them in soil cups and then switch them to coco in the first transplant. I was going to go with scotts seed and turf started though bc I find it to have a more neutral ph than some of the bags of mg I've gotten but Ive also used mg for my first 2 grows. I only switched to coco cups to start because I did a test run 3 grows ago in which I started three seeds n soil and three in coco and the three in coco had much more rootmass when transplanted after an actually shorter time than the soil seedlings and overall produced more in same time veg so I made the switch but now I need a sure fire way to get my seedlings to where I can transplant them and get them vegging, I'm having to cut my veg time down dramatically and increase my plant numbers so i need all the help/ plants to survive I can get
 

MaintMan

Well-Known Member
looking for more suggestions, ive read alot of threads and alot of people are vague in this area please help a struggling grower
 

asaph

Well-Known Member
ive had problems with coco as well, i would advise to use different potting soil.
coco is a great medium, but you have to know what you're doing. this guy was probably not feeding his plants at all is why they died like that. coco sucks minerals from the plants when too low on EC. it must be fed from before planting that's for sure. if you do so and then have quickly upped your EC to about 500 after one week (not sure about the numbers yet), you can achieve a very nice grow like everyone says. i'm doing it right now hopefully and i'm very excited.
 

Sativus

Active Member
I am about to begin a grow on which I am seriously considering using coco coir and the coco nutes.
I would like to clarify the last post if I may. You are saying that the seedlings died because he did not pre-treat the coco with nutes?
I read that one should pre-treat the coco, and that is what I was thinking was creating his problem.
So, OP. Could you clarify wether or not you pre-treated the soil with nutes before you put your seeds or trans-plantings in it?
Hearing that a grower, that is not exactly new to it, is having issues with coco is not what I want to hear lol.
Hope all is going well, and wish you the best!
 

asaph

Well-Known Member
yep, that is my well based speculation. i've had the same problem and solved it by giving food.

i'd swear by coco any day, it doubled my yield.
 

mitch90

Member
I have killed 16 seedlings in coco mix between week 1 and 3. They usually grow the first set of leaves, then just die. I am told I overwater, however this time out of the 16 I sprouted, 1 died and it was extremely weak at the steam by the base. Mine are at day 6 and if you would like go checkout my pics of a thread I started saying I killed 14 seedlings. I am heading to walmart because I am going to get a ph tester (better one), and soil. I am going to transplant 8 of the seedlings into soil and see if they stay healthy. This is my third attempt with coco and each time its not looking so good. My ph could be off, its at about 6.5-6.8 so a tad high, maybe thats the reason. I wish I had more info for you about coco, but I will let you know how its going in about a week. (fingers crossed) and good luck to you.
 
For cocco I use around 5.5. But I'm having the same problem. They are not looking to good. I think he was right when adding nutes before hand. I started today. We will see in the a.m. If they don't look better by Friday I'll switch back to canna soil:) good luck
 

JohnDee

Well-Known Member
Coco sucks for seedlings. Google "dying seedlings coco" and you'll see that you are not alone. Choose a good mild starting mix...or rockwool (my choice) and let the plant grow to 4 or 5 nodes. Then transplant into coco. This has been an issue with coco for as long as ganja growers have been using it. (i'm an old timer)
JD
 

BeastGrow

Well-Known Member
make sure you flush the coco with some water mixed with cal/mag ph at 5.8 before you plant. then plant the seed right in the the coco 1/4 to 1/2" deep.

don't worry about runoff ph just the water ph right before the water hits soil.

don't overwater... the plant won't grow roots... balanced leaf and root growth is important.. if you overwater only leaf grows and then the roots struggle to keep up so the plant slows growth.

maybe use a mild grow nutrient at like 1/10 strength... just a few drops per gallon.
 
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