dieing seeds

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bluntz561

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so ive been putting newer seeds into he ground but they all seem to die in the ground before sprouting? im using 200watts for the sedlings
 
you don't germinate them? how do you feel they died?
 
we need way more info to help, what kinda seeds are they? did you order them or are they bag seeds? what kind of germination technique are you using? what sort of medium are you putting the seeds into?
answer these and maybe we can come up with an answer/solution.
 
im germinating them in a paper towel and zip lock bag. and they're bag seeds from some of my buddy's diesel plant. im watering with super thrive and soil is ocean floor. tropical humidity and in between 80 and 90 degree weather.
 
I suspect that you may be drowning them or burning them up before they can get going. I also use the paper towel method for germing my seeds. I move them from the towels to the soil as soon as I see the tap root get about 1/4"-1/2" long. I don't use standard soil, I use coco coir and I only keep it lightly moist and in air that is no more than 85f. I keep them under constant light once in the medium. I only bury my seeds about 1/4" deep in the soil. If you place them too deep and/or keep the medium/soil too wet then they will drown or "damp off" quite easily.

Also, when germing seeds, you don't want to be "feeding" them anything for the first 2-3 weeks of their lives. It is very easy to burn the new roots of seedlings. They don't need any food as the first 2 leaves that are round (known as cotyledons) are the food for the new seedling to get itself going. Once you see them begin to yellow, then it is time to begin feeding very lightly, or move to organic soil.
I am not sure if the ocean floor soil is "prenuted organic" or "unnuted", but if it has nutrients in it then you should get soil like Miracle Grow's "seed starter" or "light warrior" in small containers like 16oz cups for starting you seeds.
 
are you a newer grower the easiest method for me back in the day was germinating into a towel and putting them in a moist jiffy pellet i always would remove the screen around it so it wouldnt hinder anything but it worked like a gem for me.
 
I also suspect a combination of things--left in paper towels too long, too wet, damping off, and burning up from fertilizer. I never use the paper towel method for new seeds. Every time you handle a seed, you risk passing pathogens to the seedling and/or damaging the tap root. Fresh seeds (but not too fresh--they need several weeks to set after harvesting before planting) really do not need to be soaked.

I personally have had terrible luck with Jiffy pellets--they are quite acidic and they tend to keep the medium too wet, IME. If you are growing in soil, I would start in a seed starting soil with absolutely no added nutrients or moisture crystal things. Anything that says anything like "Feeds for 3 months" is not good. Water very lightly, but do not let the medium get dried out. There is no harm in putting something over the top of the pot like a piece of plastic until the seedling breaks ground to help keep the moisture in. But as soon as the seedling breaks ground you need to remove the plastic.

If you are using an actual 200W light and not equivalent wattage, it is too much light for small seedlings. They will do fine for a bit under a small CFL light. A smaller light kept closer will be better than a larger light kept further away.

You don't want to keep your seedlings too wet or you can develop a condition called damping off where the stem rots right at the soil line and the seedling keels over and dies. I generally water gently around the perimeter of the stem letting the water wich up to the stem area gently.

If these are simply bagseed from a plant selfing and not the result of seeds made the old fashioned way with a male and female getting together, then you will have to keep a very close eye out for hermies.
 

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