New Grower Heat mat question! Germing problems!

[Mr Piggy]

That's a lot of cfl power for something that hasn't even broke ground yet. They're not close enough to damage it but you're just paying to light up dirt. 88 F is way too high a temp, 72 is much better. Sounds like you don't need the seedling mat. The reason I advise pucks, especially for beginners, is you drop the seed in and it finds it's own way up. Once it does you just plunk the damn thing right into it's sexing pot and you're gold. I've used jiffy seedling mix before and find it meh. I know people crap on fox farms but I like light warrior with worm castings mixed in, works like a charm. If you can't get that I've found that black gold seedling mix works just fine by itself. A couple more dollars spent on soil mix or a few more mile traveled to get it can make a huge difference. I mean, we're talking soil for our babies here, it's not like I walked a few blocks to seven eleven for wine and told my gf it came from the health food store......

 

[Bikini Fettuccine]

I mean, we're talking soil for our babies here, it's not like I walked a few blocks to seven eleven for wine and told my gf it came from the health food store......

Haha hell ya mr piggy thats some funny shit

 

[fullauto]

Hey man nice pics, my cousin is straight808 I saw you posted on his thread he will help you out with his suggestions too. I would say you only need one cfl until it sprouts but I don't think the ones you have are burning it through the dome. You could be overwatering or its just the seed starter, Anyone else use this by jiffy??? His are so stunted they probably won't do anything anyways. Do you have any more seeds?

I use the jiffy seedstarter mix and have had great luck with it. I fill a coffee mug with spring water,throw the seeds in and place in inside the oven in my stove.I have one of the old types with the pilot light in the oven-which keeps the temp in oven perfect warmth-DON'T turn the oven on-just the heat from pilot light will do.Usually in 24 hours they crack and have a tiny taproot.I place them in the smallest jiffy cups they make filled with jiffy seedstarter that has been premoistened with spring water.From there they go under the humidity dome on top of the heatmat.My fastest sprouts were 24 hours above dirt and my longest 4 days.I don not use any light until they break soil and then i only use 1 26w cfl for a day or 2 until i think their ready for the T5 lighting.Hope that helps you!

 

[Bikini Fettuccine]

cool man I don't know what happened with those little seedlings, I thought I had seen people using it, and some liking it some liking the pucks. Good luck

 

[atpmixx]

Phew...ok, well then I DID put the tap root the correct way, DOWN! I had just read some articles where the say it should go up, to which it essentially curves back down, thus helping shed the seed shell. Seems to be an argument on which way is correct.

Ill go ahead and kill all the lights, maybe I can salvage this one with just the heat mat. If its a wash I think Ill try the pellet method. Why the hell not, tried every other method!

Piggy, do you germ the seed for the pellet? Or just drop it right in there? Haven't done alot of research on that method and obviously don't want to screw it up.

And if I do germ in paper towel, does it matter how long of a taproot you have going on? The first seed was longer, this current one tiny.

Thanks for all the helps peeps. Im gonna have to go decompress with some Orange Diesel now!

 

[Bikini Fettuccine]

Orange Diesel sounds good man I have some dank sour diesel right now and I'm loving it. I do the Pellet method as well, what i do is put my seeds in pH'd water for 24 hours or until they sink or crack. If they already have a tail I plant them then if they don't at 24 hours I throw them in a paper towel and check back in about 6 hours usually they will have a little tail by then, I plant them about 1/4 in down and in 2 days they have sprouted, I have had seeds get cold and not grow any past going in the soil. It is weird man just keep them warm and damp up top, not wet. Its the easiest way I have seen because I don't have to worry about overwatering at that stage. they just do their thing and sprout. When I plant I usually do it before they get too long, I try and keep them under 1/8 of an inch some like them a little longer. If they get too long the hairs coming off the taproot will stick to the paper towel and you will stress it ripping it off.

 

[Mellow Yellow]

I will tell you, I do not like Peat Pots or the heat mat. I did BAKE some seeds on mine. I can also tell you your Peat Pots will dry really fast sitting on a heat mat so you need to adjust the amount of heat it gets (In my opinion).

I have been having a bitch of a time getting seeds to germinate lately. I was going to wait until sexing to put my sprouts in to the tiered method, but with a 1 gallon smart pot, they hold the moisture better so I think I am going to put my beer cups into my 1 gallon smart pots filled with OF & HF and then water them. My grow area is very, very stealth and I cannot always get access to it everyday so I am going to do this so my soil won't dry out.

I am going to devise a way to keep my smart pots or beer cups warm next winter.. Thank the Bud God that summer is nearly here!

 

[atpmixx]

Well spank my bottom and call me hussy! There is some GROWTH happening as of today! :dance:

I killed the CFL's as of last night, keeping the heat mat going. And when I got home from work today I saw a small stem just below the soil surface, looks like she is fighting to break ground! Damn near made my year (other than winning the mega-millions tonight). Just pure speculation, but I think having the CFL's blazing on the humidity dome was drying out the jiffypot (or soil), and/or over heating it.

Ill keep my fingers crossed, the dome warm and moist and hopefully have some good news to post in a day or two. I appreciate ALL the help on this!

 

[atpmixx]

Looks like my little sprout popped up a little more overnight!

Since it appears that the CFL's may have been drying/over heating the soil/jiffypot, Im wondering when I should:

A-Bring some light into the picture? (I have 2x23W and 1x64W CFL's hanging)
B-Take it out of the humidity dome and transplant into my airpot?

 

[fullauto]

I take them out of the humidity dome as soon as they are standing upright and open their seed leaves. I usually use 1 26 w cfl avove them about 6" away for the first 2 days and then put them in the closet under the T5's.