Have had many daylily seedlings sprout,so exciting, but now some of the larger ones which i have transferred to larger cups the leaves are tilting over and one has shriveled up at the base and died
.My 3 Pumpkin Prince seem to have this problem where others are straight and strong and getting a second leaf.I suspected too much water but the seed starter mix is barely damp now.
I put them in the morning in a sunny window each day 8am-12 then in lower light skylight and energy effecient bulbs the rest of the day and evening
Is the direct sun too strong.? I am in southern Missouri .My impatients seems to do fine in the fall and winter months in this same morning East light.Its only harsh in summer here.
I dont know what to do.direct sun or indirect?
Oh and the last few days actually it has been cloudy no sun but i do put them in that window anyway.
I am watering with rain water.maybe i watered too often.I try and keep the soil damp.What to do?
Seedlings dying why?
Rirish,
"...some of the larger ones which i have transferred to larger cups the leaves are tilting over and one has shriveled up at the base and died."
That sounds like Damping-Off. It is an infection that can devastate seedlings if the conditions are right.
"I suspected too much water but the seed starter mix is barely damp now."
Which kinda implies it was damp before. There is that word again -- damp, damping-off. Some people direct a small fan at their seedlings to get good air circulation and to dry off the surface of the starting medium.
"I put them in the morning in a sunny window each day 8am-12 then in lower light skylight and energy efficient bulbs the rest of the day and evening"
The sunlight should be good. Can you give them more of it? What kind of "energy efficient" bulbs are you using? I start a variety of seedlings indoors, but no daylilies. So maybe somebody with DL experience can chime in here, soon. What kind of photoperiod do daylily seedlings need? Damping-off can be a disaster. Prevention is the only cure. Rirish, can you post pictures here?
ZM
When you say "some of the larger ones which i have transferred to larger cups", so you mean that they were growing in one container and you moved them to another?
It's been my experience with daylily seedlings, that if you move them when they are too small and you break or damage the initial "tap root" that they get, they will die. I wait until they are at least two months old before I move them out into the garden.
For seedlings, I got some great advise from a DG'er who can grow anything from seeds:
When a seedling needs to be in a larger container, take your scissors and cut the BOTTOM out of the pot it's growing in and sink it down in a larger pot, which you have filled with potting soil. When it has taken root in the new pot, gently cut the side of the pot and take it off.
Only have three or four and they seem to do better if there in the shade most of time until there larger.That has stayed a constant whether from seed or root, say more like four hours of direct light.
Oh, I forgot too add that dayllily roots not taking in nutrients look exactly like dampening off.Of three or four times I've grown them from seed, that has always been with a few of them.Think like growing potatoes,many of the same things can happen.Only potatoes are nowhere near as pretty as the daylillies.
I have a question,does anyone reading here remember a red leaf daylily with a off red bloom and a brown tongue?I saw one once during the 1960's and wondering where that idea might have gone.And yes my first reply was,' were they a canna? and came a 'no they're not'.
Losing seedlings can nearly make you cry-----I fussed all summer one year to get seed pods on Ed Murray from Saratoga Pinwheel' only five seeds ripened, then, I lost the only one that germinated (plant pulled off the roots when I tried to move it---damping off or peat gnats) and the others would not germinate. Finally did get some seeds and the first one that bloomed was an ugly dog--------why do I do this????? Probably because some minor or middendorf types that I planted outside in the fall of 09 appear to be forming a bud or two one a tiny plant about four inches tall---but what am I going to do with a daylily less than six inches tall???????!!!!!--------------------------Weedy
Maybe a potted plant like miniature roses?
Weedy HAHA... isnt it the way always the dogs make it? the good ones you baby are Gone
.But the PROS to that 6 "- er...you may have started a new species!!! For ppl with a tiny garden.area.
Thanks to all for all the advice and i will cut out the bottoms next time ..sounds like a VERY good idea
Seedling Update; out of 53 i have 25 left. all doing very well. My Get Jiggys seedings all died but i have a few that have the same pattern that made it ...Whales Tales seedling
Now it is close to planting outside time. Each is about 10 " tall now. and have been started to harden off in the mostly shade of my crab apple tree the last 3 days and spent their first nights outside and in rain.Then some sun will come next...
HOpe after all these months i get some that arent DOGS and dont loose too many more when the actually go in the ground.
I have a sunny area planned but now wonder if i should put them in mostly shade as i do think sometimes too much heat on the baby plants do kill them.
