Already discarded seed...still viable?

Hush

Active Member
Unfortunately it looks like I left the seeds to germinate a day too long - when I opened the paper towel this afternoon, to my shock I found that half an inch long sprouts had already begun for the three seeds I've been germinating, with the seeds having been completely discarded. I quickly placed them in my potting soil, but I fear it may be too late.


Nothing is wrong with them - they are still green and even have fuzzy roots at the end...does this mean its already too late at this stage to bother trying to put them in dixie cups filled with soil?

Also - I poked a hole at the bottom of each cup...was that the right thing to do?
 

Hush

Active Member
The sprouts seems to have wilted even more since a few hours ago, SHIT...







What should I do? I was thinking maybe stick some toothpicks and tie the sprouts to them with some string - would that help any or is the damage done?
 

dknob

New Member
Damnit. Bury more of that stem and stand that fucker up. Your cups should have holes like any plant pot. You can bury that stem up to the green mouth lookin thing.

The sprouts seems to have wilted even more since a few hours ago, SHIT...







What should I do? I was thinking maybe stick some toothpicks and tie the sprouts to them with some string - would that help any or is the damage done?
 

dknob

New Member
Where are your lights distanced at and what type are you running? For seedlings I hang a 400w MH about 4.5-5 feet up.
 

Hush

Active Member
Ok I fixed the problem and re-potted the sprouts; HUGE improvement. After an hour spent of carefully taking the sprouts out of the soil in the first batch of cups, I noticed the ends that were deeply embedded into the soil mixture was extremely healthy and dense, while the parts up top that were exposed over the soil were getting even more wilted. So you speak the truth dknob - reburied up to the green "mouths" ASAP.

Even better, I found a small wood bore insert for a drill in my house which, with gentle but steady pressure, makes perfectly round holes in the bottom of Dixie cups. I switched all my plants over to the blue plastic cups because they have sway and thus its easier to drill holes, as opposed to the hard transparent ones which just crack if I apply the same amount of pressure.



Here are the updated pics:








Oh and regarding your question about lighting, since I live on the sunny west coast, I'm going to be growing it outdoors under the natural sunshine. That said though, to compensate for the shorter winter days, After sundown I've been sticking my plants under my desk lights which I've placed about 1.5 inches away from the top of the cups as per Widow Maker's instructions on his grow guide here in the Newb section. It's pretty ghetto, but I got one 23w CFL which puts out about 1600~ lumens, and also one of those "halo" ring lights, which puts out 22 watts - dunno about about luminosity for that one.
 

dknob

New Member
Fuck yeah good job dude. I might be wrong about this, but if the plant gets 14 or less hours of SUN light, and then you switch it to those significantly(I would assume) weaker lights, this may induce flowering. I totally don't know though, im sure someone on here knows for sure.

Ok I fixed the problem and re-potted the sprouts; HUGE improvement. After an hour spent of carefully taking the sprouts out of the soil in the first batch of cups, I noticed the ends that were deeply embedded into the soil mixture was extremely healthy and dense, while the parts up top that were exposed over the soil were getting even more wilted. So you speak the truth dknob - reburied up to the green "mouths" ASAP.

Even better, I found a small wood bore insert for a drill in my house which, with gentle but steady pressure, makes perfectly round holes in the bottom of Dixie cups. I switched all my plants over to the blue plastic cups because they have sway and thus its easier to drill holes, as opposed to the hard transparent ones which just crack if I apply the same amount of pressure.



Here are the updated pics:








Oh and regarding your question about lighting, since I live on the sunny west coast, I'm going to be growing it outdoors under the natural sunshine. That said though, to compensate for the shorter winter days, After sundown I've been sticking my plants under my desk lights which I've placed about 1.5 inches away from the top of the cups as per Widow Maker's instructions on his grow guide here in the Newb section. It's pretty ghetto, but I got one 23w CFL which puts out about 1600~ lumens, and also one of those "halo" ring lights, which puts out 22 watts - dunno about about luminosity for that one.
 

Hush

Active Member
No shit? Damn, I better do some research on that then; I want it to grow big and strong before it starts to flower :(.

And Thesandman, I don't think I can risk it - they were already pretty limp and fragile when I took them out of the first set of cups; I even accidentally tore one slightly when I was taking it out :O. I'm hoping it can make a full recovery (oddly enough I nicknamed that particular girl "Hope" lol).
 

oneandonly420

Well-Known Member
Roots hate light that is why when it was laying on top it kept wilting. while it was germinatng it had no light so it was only growing root thats why it needs to be almost completely buried so you dont kill the root. ROOT+LIGHT=DEATH
 

Hush

Active Member
Judging by the pics, do you guys think I should water more? I make sure the water is perfectly pH balanced at 6.5 before I give it to my sprouts.
 

NoDrama

Well-Known Member
Whatever you do don't give it any more water, too much water is BAD and will kill the plant just as much as no water will. let the soil dry out then rewater.
 

Hush

Active Member
Shit...they are still pretty limp and weak for fresh sprouts. One of them is still green and looking healthy, but the other two....not so much. Shit, I must've given too much water :(.

As much as it pains me to say this, I might just have to start anew (aside from the one sprout that looks healthy...ish).

How long can you go without watering generally? I've checked the GrowFAQ's but all it said about that topic is to tell me to buy a moisture meter.
 

dontsmokeweed69

Active Member
bury most of the stem and just leave a bit of it and the green popping out, give it a lot of light and try to get it to stand it'll be fine
 

Hush

Active Member
I did all that guys...and it's all still to no use.

I've decided to germinate three more of my seeds - a new start. I'll be keeping the original three; the way I see it, it's a "Win-Win" situation for me:

A.) I start over with the new seeds - If the original three wilt away, then I will already have three backups ready to take their place.

B.) I start over with the new seeds - the original three survive and recover, which combined with the new batch, leads me to have more plants. More plants, more chances of survival, more weed :)~.


Thanks for all your help guys. It'll be nice to be able to plant the seed once they germinated - I waited a day too late with the first batch and am now in this mess, so it'll be nice to get a fresh, clean slate again.
 
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