Serious difficulty popping seeds recently.

Ok this has really got me perplexed. First let me start by saying I've popped 100s of seeds generally with no problems at all. I grow hydro ebb and flow in a 2x2 space under 200 watts of LED lighting. I'm 24 to 48 hours in tap water then moved onto a wet paper towel if needed until tails pop, and then into rockwool starter cubes. This has worked incredibly good for me over the years so I'm not looking to try something new. I will also add that I generally (always lately) move them right under my LEDs with never a problem. Lately for about the last month I've been having incredible difficulty bringing my seeds (different breeders) to veg. Most often the seeds pop without any problem, but then I'm getting too much stretch and the seedling seem to be stunted. By this I mean they seem to be a full week with no growth but at the same time look healthy. This has happened now for about 12 seeds in a row. ive tried less light, more light, no nutes, minimal, nutes. temeratures around 72 to 74 at lights on and 66 to 68 at night And still I'm on this horrible run. I can't figure it out. I've never had problems with stretching but seems I do now. Could this have something to do with humidity? Is there something going on with my water? Its been pretty dry and I never used a dome but thats really the only thing I havent tried yet. Please help this is driving me nuts!!

This is the progression:
1st) soaked two seeds in shot glass. After 24hours there was a strange fog in the glass but I stayed with it. These took forever to germinat but finally did and then stunted for well over a week in starter cubes. Abandoned grow.
2nd) same breeder popped two more seeds( normal schedule) moved to starter cubes and 8 days later seemed stunted. seedlings were stretchy. ditched grow
3rd) popped four more seeds (new breeder) pretty normal germ time. Again stetchy with very little leaf growth after over a week. Ditched that after about 10 days.
4th) with same breeder. Popped pretty quick again. same stretching problem and no leafs growing. This has been for about 8 days from germ. I moved them to full rockwool cubes in hope to get the humidity up in my tent. I'm about to ditch this grow.

Transplanting seedlings is a mistake
Start in the final medium
I never want to damage the tiny roots as it causes slow development

To be honest, even soaking 24 hours can be too long. I soak 12 hours max and always use a h202 solution to start things off right. You might consider shaking your seeds inside a tube of fine sand paper-light abrasion will help water penetrate the seed coat. I would also skip the paper towel method. Here is a good guide on germination with no pre-germing bro science https://www.mandalaseeds.com/Guides/Germination-Guide. Plant direct to media, keep at 78-80 degrees (important), uncovered, under a mild light 24/7. You won't have anymore problems.

I would never suggest using a humidity dome for starts/seedlings.

I use the same method you do, but I am using purified or distilled water for the soak and paper towel.

I then plant into Solo cups with 100% promix hp. I do pre-wet my medium with a very mild nute solution. Seedlings need food too, just not an excess of it.

I think you're doing everything right, but check your water source. And perhaps the breeder/seedbank/bad luck is part of it?

Hopefully you get it straightened out.

So you're about to ditch a 4th batch of seeds? It doesn't sound like your having any difficulty getting them to germinate. Seems to be your issue is that they're too stretchy so you ditch them and start over. It's not the seeds or germinating them. Something else is going on. Has anything changed? All you're doing now is wasting seeds. You need to go back and try and identify the root cause. Something's changed

"Most often the seeds pop without any problem, but then I'm getting too much stretch and the seedling seem to be stunted."

"These took forever to germinat but finally did and then stunted for well over a week in starter cubes. Abandoned grow."

"moved to starter cubes and 8 days later seemed stunted. seedlings were stretchy. ditched grow"

"Again stetchy with very little leaf growth after over a week. Ditched that after about 10 days"

"Popped pretty quick again. same stretching problem and no leafs growing. - I'm about to ditch this grow. "

Use a t5 fixture about 3" above the top of the plant and it won't stretch.

Temps are way off for led vegging. To veg with led properly you need 75-85 degrees really. If you can’t get that warm get some t5 tubes and keep ‘em 2-3 inches from your seedling

9 days from germination. Stretchy, otherwise look healthy but no other growth.

Set the temperature to "warm" and enjoy the better results. Baby plants do better when its 75+ in my experience. I had some clones just recently stunt super bad because my room was getting as cold as 62 °F lights off. Purpling n all. Some genetics can handle it some cant too though. Seedlings need to be kept warm for optimal results.

You might of answerd this,, but are you buffering your rockwool?

xtsho said:

So you're about to ditch a 4th batch of seeds? It doesn't sound like your having any difficulty getting them to germinate. Seems to be your issue is that they're too stretchy so you ditch them and start over. It's not the seeds or germinating them. Something else is going on. Has anything changed? All you're doing now is wasting seeds. You need to go back and try and identify the root cause. Something's changed

"Most often the seeds pop without any problem, but then I'm getting too much stretch and the seedling seem to be stunted."

"These took forever to germinat but finally did and then stunted for well over a week in starter cubes. Abandoned grow."

"moved to starter cubes and 8 days later seemed stunted. seedlings were stretchy. ditched grow"

"Again stetchy with very little leaf growth after over a week. Ditched that after about 10 days"

"Popped pretty quick again. same stretching problem and no leafs growing. - I'm about to ditch this grow. "

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Well...exactly......they pop, open up and then nothing. Its the strangest thing. Very frustating. I've tried various light levels, adding small amouts of nutes, even tried 24 hours of light for a couple of days. Crazy because I've noticed in the past none of that really matters. usually they just want to start growing.

farmerfischer said:

You might of answerd this,, but are you buffering your rockwool?

Click to expand...

Yes always give them a soak. I have been on top of the PH as well the whole time.

Sanding with my GLG Seed Sander until white lines are visible on the seam on sides of seeds makes a huge difference on problem seeds. From here I go directly to very wet Viva Towel in a 1oz Ziplock with a few squirts of water with plenty of air. I keep it on top of a tent and 36 to 46 hours I most often have seeds with tails for planting. Usually get good results and have for a long time.

pegboy said:

Well...exactly......they pop, open up and then nothing. Its the strangest thing. Very frustating. I've tried various light levels, adding small amouts of nutes, even tried 24 hours of light for a couple of days. Crazy because I've noticed in the past none of that really matters. usually they just want to start growing.

Click to expand...

Too wet
Not enough root development as they are being drowned without aeration

A heat mat under a tray and direct sowing in the Rockwood is what I would recommend for the lower temps you have. Get those temps up!

Seedlings are stretching due to low light. Also you can add a couple drops of bloom food to the water you soak the cubes in so that the seedlings have a little something when they start. Phosphorus will keep them from stretching so much.

So as it turns out (I'm pretty sure anyhow) the humidity was WAY too low for the temps. Boosted it up and looks like everything is growing again. problem is now I've got 8 seedlings in a 2x2 tent a couple of weeks apart. Looks like I'll be running my first SOG in about 30 years. Ha.

I never pre-soak, the seeds just get put on a few layers of paper towel, in the dark and I make sure it's wet but not sat in a pool of water.
I have a 100% germination rate within 36hrs for good quality seeds. I've bought some cheapos previously that took another day or so to pop.

Keep it simple.

futurebanjo said:

I never pre-soak, the seeds just get put on a few layers of paper towel, in the dark and I make sure it's wet but not sat in a pool of water.
I have a 100% germination rate within 36hrs for good quality seeds. I've bought some cheapos previously that took another day or so to pop.

Keep it simple.

Click to expand...

Title was a bit misleading. Popping goes well for the most part, but it was after the pop to seedling stage I was struggling with recently.

pegboy said:

Title was a bit misleading. Popping goes well for the most part, but it was after the pop to seedling stage I was struggling with recently.

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Ahh ok, sorry I misunderstood. I've had good sucess with 'root riot' cubes.. basicaly very carfully put the popped seeds into a little hole in the cube

I still leave them on the paper towels to stop them drying out, until they are more established. The cubes have no fert and I dont add any fert at this point.

futurebanjo said:

Ahh ok, sorry I misunderstood. I've had good sucess with 'root riot' cubes.. basicaly very carfully put the popped seeds into a little hole in the cube

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I still leave them on the paper towels to stop them drying out, until they are more established. The cubes have no fert and I dont add any fert at this point.

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Why u just dont put seeds in riot cubes and let it pop inside? I think thats the point of these cubes. Seeds to cubes and in dome for couple of days, works everytime.