OK Another Newbie Question

I started Morring Glory on March 1st they have gotten very tall I have now mover them from they cells to biger peat pot and have put in stick am I doing this right I will put them back on a heat Mat and with lites is that ok or did I blow it and they will all die
Dimmer(AKA) Kim

This is when I started the next will be what I have done
Dimmer

This is what I have done today March 11 2008 Sorry just learning how to use the Camera
Dimmer
PS Do you think I should tire them to the stick ?

This message was edited Mar 11, 2008 11:48 AM

Dimmer ~ howdy...I would wait until they have a second set of tru leaves before tying them to any stake, also, are you keeping them inside for how long? i would suggest not "staking them" til they were in the gound outside, as root damage is easier when the plants are older.
fernman23

One suggestion I would give also, is get the lights closer to the tray (if you can). You want only a 1-2" gap between the light and the top of the seedlings.

It looks like they aren`t getting enough light. They don`t need support until they begin to vine or send out little curlies trying to find support to climb. What you are doing is learning. Trial and error will get you going provided you don`t become discouraged. If one trial fails then try something else.

At this point you aren`t giving enough light to start your seeds. They should be forming first leaves just a day or so after the cotyledon shows. I recommend at least a 4" pot to start them because it is important for the roots to spread and go down into the soil to begin establishing a strong seedling.

Karen

I can't even bring my plants out until maybe after Mothers day in May I might have started them to early I have put them closer to a growlight soI guess we will have to see. The peat Moss potsare 3 inches high so I how that will be ok for now I won't put a string on yet. I am a bad speller so that is why I use smaller words thank for all the information that you have all scent Its a very good start for me Thanks again
Kim

Hi Kim,

Don`t worry about your spelling. You can practise on us and your true expertise and experience shared will prove to be of great value here on Daves garden.

Karen

See,

the correct spelling is practice. Thank goodness my imperfect spelling doesn`t affect my ability to garden and my artistic ability! I`m working on the spelling though and writing is the way to do just that.

Karen

Which do you think wood be better Natural lite or the growlites I have Bedroom that is empty and 3 nice windows but I do close it off and I don't use the rooms so I wood say its about 55 in the rooms do you think that wood be to cold
Kim

If it was me I would try a additional light side by side above the seedlings or position them closer to the tray along with a space heater. The morning glories need intense light and warmth. The 50`s isn`t what they like. The temps should be 65- 85 at all times if possible.

I don`t have a greenhouse and right now in my garden the temps are in the 70`s during the day so I carry mine outside and then if it will be cold at night I bring them back in. They are doing very well this way. That would be a bad idea for you and especially if your weather can be unpredictably frosty.

There are people like Byndeweed Beth and others who have successfully grown these plants,enjoyed flowers and then harvested seeds indoors.

Wait and see if they have anything to add that could be helpful.

Karen

Hi there, I was just looking at the photos... I don't use peat pots, it looks like they are really dry.. the peat pots usually wick out all the moisture, try to cut off the bottoms or even the sides after you rewet with WARM water, not cold. Then pot them up in something else..

Put them under the lights, mist them a couple of times a day.. if you have superthrive, put a couple of drops in the warm water, that will help them get thru the shock of transplanting..

Then, if you can, take them outside during the morning sun, bring them back in and mist them. I use a spray bottle, don't mist them outside because the sun will burn the leaves.

If you cannot get enough moisture, get some clear shower curtains (at the dollar store) and place them behind and on the sides of your growing rack. Don't put them back on the heat mat, cause they will dry out faster than you can count to 10. but, they do have to stay warm, so leave them under the lights. The lights should give them the heat they need, I even use a sheet at night to cover the front of my rack (mostly because Dh cannot sleep with so much light) and the sheets provide even more protection. Even though they are inside the house, the cold drafts get to them... during the day, remove the sheet but leave the plastic sheeting on. This allows circulation, which they really need otherwise you will get wilt.

Now, I usually don't grow them in the winter for winter blooms, so I don't know what to advise you there..

I hope I helped some.
Let me know if you need photos of my set up.

A.

This message was edited Mar 11, 2008 2:54 PM

Gourd, This sounds like morning glory E.R. :) Good advise too! Karen

The windows while giving light during the day can be a source of draftiness at night. The idea to cover them sounds really good.

P.S. I also tried the peat products and don`t like them for anything. The best result I get is with at least a 4" pot.

You should see the faces of the checkers at the dollar store, I buy more shower curtains than you can count.. I use them for alot of my concrete work too, so it is not unusual for me to get five or ten shower curtains at a time..lol

So far I've got three of these racks with mg seedlings and two more with herbs and tomatoes.. boy, do i hate plants inside the house though.. gosh, if it was spring all year long and I could have them outside, that would be great. good thing they have wheels, I wheel them out when the weather is good, I don't know how my husband stands this..lol

A.

Those plastic cups with holes in the bottom work the same or better than the 4 inch pots. They might be better since they are deep for the roots to sink in.

All I have is (2) 4 gallon and (6) one gallon with a assortment of goodies I singled out to plant first. I have volunteer seedlings everywhere in the yard but they are getting nipped by the cold.

Karen

Hopefully Dimmer's (Kim's) plants are okay.. and that she will post soon.

I think I may be overdoing it with all these seedlings, but wanted to grow out all the Dracula crosses... I am thinking that none of them took.. I guess time will tell.

You are so lucky to be able to plant in the ground too.

A.

WOW There is so much information that is really great well lets see what is going too happen I planted in peat Moss IN 3 inch cups I have water but it looks dry I am afraid that I will over water them and I put closer to the lite Now I have at least 2 months before they can go outside and I do have more seeds there is only 13 seeds that I started this way All this infor is so much for my little brain to handle, But I am so Happy that you all have given me this information and I will see what will happen Will I live or will I die only time will tell thanks so much I hope that I done alright one more picture with the lites the ones with the sticks are my Morning Glories

You may need to pot them up.... use the 16 or 20 oz styrofoam cups to do that, you can get them really cheap at Sams, or Costco, they will last for years.. make holes on the bottom, you can also stake them right in those cups.. they will last that way till you get them into the ground, some people have had them even bloom in these cups. This is a photo from last year, I haven't potted up this year yet.. but will if I have to.

I started mine a month later this year to hopefully save me one step..lol

Oh My Gosh I have a long way to go. They look great I tought that mind were to big to fast how long have yours been growing?

I forgot to mention, water from the bottom, put the water in the tray and let the roots take it up, don't water from the top down. when they get about three leaves, then make sure you start to fertilize with some diluted fish emulsion or kelp (seaweed) that gives them the micronutrients they need.

I did that five years ago to a hollyhock and the darned thing grew 12 feet tall and lived all year round for about three years in Southern Cal. So these are good nutrients ...and won't burn those new roots.

That photo was from last year..

right now, mine are only a month old.. and I'm only growing the smaller vines (platycodons) they grow really slow, so I'll be able to keep them contained till I can get them outside. The I nils grow alot faster, so they need transplanting quicker than the species and platycodons. The ones I have now have two to three leaves and are still very small in 8 oz cups still and can stay there another two to three weeks I hope.

Thanks Dimmer for starting this thread! I have the same issues. And thanks everyone for all the answers in detail with photos! Really helps!

I didn't realize that I had started my seeds too early--I was actually surprised when they germinated so soon--I thought it would be three weeks--and now I have all of these baby plants to watch over. Very nerve wracking!

And I used those darn peat pots too so now I have to do something about them!

On their first couple of days outside, make sure they are in a dappled shaded area, then into full sun when they acclimate. There are so many people here each with knowledge in their own area of growing, I really like that we can all share and give input together.

Gourd~ Well Said!
fernman23

sometimes when I soak seeds, I notice a tiny brown spot on the tip of the radicle or embryotic root. Just want to know is that affects germination.

Just make sure you don't cut into that dot when you nick your seeds, you will kill the embryo. You are talking about the end of the seed? before you soak or after you soak, it could appear bigger and more visable because it is swollen if it is after you soak, but all the seeds have this at the end. If it is what I think you are talking about.

I could be full of hot air too.. and not know what the heck I'm saying.

I'm refering to the white tip at the end of the seed which will eventually be the root.

Oh, that is the beginning of a root.

MGMan, do you soak in regular tap/faucet water? that may cuse the brown spot? We have such horrid water here I use distilled on everything inside!...and on my overnite soak sessions with the seeds. Sometimes I put a few pellets of Osmocote or drop of liquid fertilizer, I heard that the seed gets a jumpstart from that, dunno~!?
fernman23

here is some of the terminology on Dr. Yoneda's site.. I don't know enough to answer your questions but, there is a ton of information here, I think I'll print some of the pages for myself. I love his site.

http://protist.i.hosei.ac.jp/Asagao/Yoneda_DB/E/Introduction/htmls/06.html

Gourd, thanks for that link! Lots of good answers to many of my questions!

Sanna

OK, that pictur of the vine moving in slo-mo looking for a perch is cool as hell~
its like watching a fiddlehead unfurl. GREAT Stuff.
:Darren

The very tip of the radicle can be a bit brown and that is okay as long as the brown at the tip does not increase substantially in size and remains relatively 'hard'...but if the brown coloration increases and becomes soft then it means there is a pathogenic process taking place,sampling the suspect tissue with a pintip to extract a small biopsy sample may yield a bad smelling very soft matter and if so,you can sometimes salvage an infected root by very carefully removing the very soft infected portion and applying a fungicide to the affected tissue...

The hilium and the center of the back of the seed should be avoided when nicking the seedcoat as the radicle base is at the hilium and the length of the radicle extends to some degree along the back ridge...

Seedcoat nicking to allow water to penetrate are best performed at the tip of the seed distal to the hilium and/or along the edges most distal to the hilium...

TTY,...

Ron