Young seedling problems

Beginner Seed, Propagation and Transplanting
#1

Hello everyone!

I have some seedlings that I have a couple of issues with and would like to ask for help.

I have sprouted them using the wet paper towel method between two plates and they sprouted very quickly! I think it was within 24 hours! Our minimum and maximum temperatures are quite far apart now so I placed them on a heating mat. I don’t have thermostat so have had to be careful as it gets quite hot and nearly dried them out one night.

They grew very quickly in the paper towel and the leaves actually shed the shell on several of the seedlings before I could transfer them in to jiffy pods. Which I did yesterday when they were around 4 days old.

The problem is that the leaves are quite pale and several have the leaves upside down (I will add photos). I have the jiffy pods in a small propagation chamber with the heat pad on but feel they don’t look as healthy as I would like them to.

Am I being too impatient and should I give them more time? I have them in a dark cupboard with no light and would like to know when I should introduce light? They will grow outside so is it ok to give them some gentle fluorescent light before they go outside? How much water should I give them at the current stage?

Thank you for your help!

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#2

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#3

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#4

@Leo23 you need to give them light right away. The reason they are pale is because they are dying and nitrogen deficient. After they leave the seed pod they need to photosynthesize to grow and process their stored nutrients. They also need photosynthesis to take water and nutrients from the air until the develop a root system and get big enough to need nutrients from the soil.

18 to 24 hours of light at roughly 200 ppfd.

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#5

Thank you for the reply and the tips to help with the issues I am having. Hopefully I can save these little guys to fight on but if not, I have learned some lessons!

I will let you know how I go!

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#6

They are looking much better thank you!

I think I waited too long after sprouting to transfer them to the light source. Two of them are quite stretched and 2 look quite good. 2 are just sprouting leaves but don’t look too healthy.

How long do you think befor I can transfer them to some shaded natural light? They are now a week old since I first placed them between the two plates.

Thanks again.

#7

If you have a DOME, cover and get under lights…temps less than 85°f
lights close (like 12 inch but not a full blast light…if adjustable, like 20%…if not,raise them to 18"
babies like Rh at around 80-85%…
when those TRUE leaves get a little bigger, UNDOME and start increasing light or moving it closer
If you got too much stretch, support them
I do not bury them deeper, I never had luck with that, they always die…I use crumpled leaves, paper (crumbled around the stem) to support the plant. I water the substrate, not the paper / leaves