I need "Growing from Seed for Dummies", please.

[Papa Deuce]

Can anybody tell me why I can always get my seeds to sprout and grow til they reach about 2" tall, and then have them wilt away to nothing?

I pretty much only try to grow tomatoes and peppers. Specifically the heirloom varietes since I can buy so many types that way... if I could get them to stay alive.

It is so hard to find heirloom veggies as plants but fairly easy to buy the seeds.

 

[Snowwark]

Welcome ,to the F&G board, Papa Deuce.

I don't grow anything from seed, simply don't have the space, so, I don't know what's wrong with your seedlings. I have read though, that tomato seedlings can 'collapse' from over fertilizing, and that fertilizer should be half-strength when applied. Since you've tried this many times before, you may already know that. I might also add that you're very patient, I would have given up if that kept happening to mine!

Luckily for me, my local garden centres have started carrying more heirloom plants in the spring, so I can just go from there.

We do have some Buds who grow veggies from seed, and hopefully they can give you some hands on advice!

 

[Papa Deuce]

Welcome ,to the F&G board, Papa Deuce.

I don't grow anything from seed, simply don't have the space, so, I don't know what's wrong with your seedlings. I have read though, that tomato seedlings can 'collapse' from over fertilizing, and that fertilizer should be half-strength when applied. Since you've tried this many times before, you may already know that. I might also add that you're very patient, I would have given up if that kept happening to mine!

Luckily for me, my local garden centres have started carrying more heirloom plants in the spring, so I can just go from there.

We do have some Buds who grow veggies from seed, and hopefully they can give you some hands on advice!

Thanks for the welcome. I hope somebody can help me. I am getting depressed! Herloom vegetables don't have tons of fruit anyway, so you need even more plants.

My garden stores have "more" variety, but not nearly enough. I usually buy plants after the seelings die. And they cost about $3 per plant, and I have to drive 50 miles to get them if I want a really good variety.

 

[FroggyinArk]

heirloom veggies, especially the tomatoes are very ahrd to grow from seed, theya re succeptible to over and under watering, heat changes, sun light , can burn them, and if you smoke or use tobbacco, always wash your hands with alchol before handling the plants

try starting them in seed cups indoors in a window, about 5 times the number of cups as you want plants, several seeds in each cup, use good sterile soil, water at the same time each day and just enough to moisten the soil, rotate the cups every couple days to keep the sun exposuure even, and let them grow till around 10 inches tall, weed out the weaker plants and pamper the strongest, then when transplanting be very careful notto disturb the roots or shock them with fertilizer, best of luck.

 

[mommytotwo]

Chuck welcome to this board. Do you plant your seedlings when the sun is still out? That will make your plants wilt and you need to remember to water them when they go into the ground.
During each of my plantings, I do have a few plants that wilt away, and the rest will survive. Maybe you could try a different type of seed or give them some shade during the starting of their planting.

 

[Papa Deuce]

I never get to actually plant them in the garden. But after they are 2" tall I try to give them 10 -30 minutes of sun each day to harden them. I keep the planting soil barely moist.

It may be what Froggy said, heilrooms are just harder to grow.

 

[FroggyinArk]

Papa D try leaving them in a window sill and just turning the plANTS INSETAD OF MOVING THEM INTO THE SUN AND OUT,,,

 

[DebºoºS]

All seeds are hard for me to start. Late last spring I was given some heirloom seeds. I planted them directly in the pots outside and it worked! No fungus, wilt, sunburn or anything.

 

[Mamu]

Starting veggies seeds indoors and actually getting them into the garden can be difficult.

1. You need sterilized planting soil. They sell seed starter soil. You need to cover the newly planted seeds with plastic until they sprout. Remove the plastic once sprouted.

2. Do not over water the new sprouts. Use a spray bottle. Keep them warm and in a sunny location. Over wastering will cause damping off. I mix a weak-weak solution of fertilizer when plants have 4 leaves, and water with this solution every 3rd day.

3. Plants from the indoors need to be hardened-off. Do not put them in the direct sun outdoors at first. Keep them shaded and out of the wind, gradually add direct sun. Half hour for a few days gradually increasing. Early morning sun is the best it doesn't burn the tender plants. It usually takes 2-3 weeks to harden-off. Thats why so many gardeners use a cold frame.