Tiny bugs attacking my seeds

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UniquityBSD Kelowna, Canada Apr 13, 2010

Hi everyone,

Unfortunatly I don't have a picture (would be difficult to get one of these tiny critters) but I'm not sure if I should be worried or not..

I ordered two giant pumpkin and two giant squash seeds, and planted them about three weeks ago. I put them in high quality pro mix dirt, under 1000 watt bulbs.. At the same time we had planted several other vegetables and flowers, including other pumpkins and squash we got from elsewhere. Well everything bloomed beautifully except these two giant pumpkin and two squash seeds.. So just a few days ago (about 2.5 weeks after pIanting) I pulled them out of the dirt. Three of the seeds had cracked (but no sprouts still), and one had not changed at all. I placed them in wet paper towel (this is how we did it when I was a kid), hoping that they would sprout. It's been a few days and still nothing. I emailed the company and they are graciously sending me more seeds, which I really appreciate.
However, this is now my issue; I took a closer look at them today. I pulled one apart at the crack, and the seed was infested with tiny white and grey bugs.. very tiny and FAST. They kind of remind me of silverfish, the way that they move and they way they are shaped, but you can't see any legs or antenna. Pulled apart another seed and the same thing. These seeds are infested with bugs.

Is this because the seeds are rotting? Or did these bugs come with the seeds, and maybe that is why they never germinated? I am concerned that these are a parasite that will be transferred to my other vegetables. Either way, everything else was planted in the same dirt (different pots), under the same lights, alot of it on the same day, and everything else has had no germination issues and is doing just fine.

Thanks in advance for any advice!

Jordan

Post #7704172
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suunto Sinks Grove, WV Apr 14, 2010

These sound like something that attacked the seeds after they cracked rather than anything that came with the seeds. If you try the soil method again, I suggest that you heat-treat it beforehand to sterilize it. For whatever it's worth, I've sometimes had problems starting large pumpkin or squash seeds using the damp paper towel method.

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