1st time grower having germinating problems!

[Jenjen]

Hey Arizonameds and seedback,

Thanks for your feedback. I agree that good seeds are critical. I initially started with generic bagseed, but then switched to Northern Lights that I purchased from buydutchseeds.com. Out of the 8 NL seeds that I attempted so far, only one germinated. I'm willing to take full responsibility for that.

Thanks for the diagnosis, seedback. I suspected it was damped off, and it's not surprising. My only defense is that we've been in extreme drought for 5+ years, so I'm accustomed to watering the hell out of everything every 2 days. I'm having trouble leaving the poor little bugger alone. (I'm not so good with cacti, either.) Your suggestion that the soil should be just barely moist enough to hold together helps a lot. I saturated this dirt, then misted it every day.

I leave my potting soil outside, in the Deep South humidity. Should I buy fresh potting soil and keep it somewhere drier (on the chance that it might have fungi or mold in it)? That being said, it will be very difficult to find potting soil that's unaffected by the climate down here. What if I let the soil dry out completely before I used it?

Thanks to everyone for your help. If I ever pull this off, it will be "with a little help from my friends."

 

[s1ingblade]

you'll pull it off this next attempt, we won't let ya give up
Don't feel bad I have grown hundreds of plants to harvest and had some issues this week! Im thinking its gotta be bogus seeds, that or someones picking on it when I'm not home, doubt it though.

 

[Jenjen]

Thanks, Arizonameds! BTW: your tag line made me smile (cannabis can only grow as fast as the limiting factor allows).

Time to check the newest germination attempts . . .

 

[starryeyed]

Hey another method of watering is to set your cup, with holes in the bottom, down into a larger dish of warm solution and let the water wick up into the soil. I try to keep the top of the medium\soil dry until the darlings get their third set of leaves. That stupid damping off attacks the plant just above the soil. I lost 3 crops one year because of it. If i could I would send you some of my hybrid seeds. Most of them will sprout over night or within 2 days.

This is what they turn out like with a bit of TLC. I wont send any into the US if that is where you are. Because of what happened to Marc Emery.

 

[Jenjen]

For those of you who are still following this sad tale, I planted four germinated seeds today. So, the good news is that I seemed to have figured out how to germinate. (Thank goodness, because I really didn't want to re-assume the title of Germinator Terminator.)

I put the seeds in drier soil and put them under the CFLs. Fortunately I'm leaving town for the weekend, so I won't be able to check the little dears for 3 days. I'm sure that will work in their benefit.

I'll probably set them in a little bit of water so they won't get thoroughly parched.

 

[Amsterdam28]

Haha, sounds like you are implementing my strategy of skipping town so you don't break anything

 

[starryeyed]

For those of you who are still following this sad tale, I planted four germinated seeds today. So, the good news is that I seemed to have figured out how to germinate. (Thank goodness, because I really didn't want to re-assume the title of Germinator Terminator.)

I put the seeds in drier soil and put them under the CFLs. Fortunately I'm leaving town for the weekend, so I won't be able to check the little dears for 3 days. I'm sure that will work in their benefit.

I'll probably set them in a little bit of water so they won't get thoroughly parched.

Yah just wet the bottoms dont leave em in all weekend. I only use that method to water them without wetting the top of the soil. I am sure that is what you meant anyhow. Good luck and keep us posted. Very interested to see what haps.

Grow forth and prosper

 

[s1ingblade]

Hey Jen as long as your soil was well watered and able to drain you won't have to water those babes at all while your gone. I am assuming there not in super tiny lil pots are they? Did you say a six pack type starter pack from the nursery? If so just make sure the have a lil water weight to them and check em when you return.
Cant wait to hear how it goes when you return. Once they sprout don't water then until your container feels noticeably lighter
Have fun and be safe