I am growing alder seedlings in 5" pots at 30°C under continuous light
in the hope that they will produce catkins and cones this year for
cross-breeding next year. This is reported to work for birches, a
closely related species, grown naturally it would take 7 years to get
catkins and cones and they would be head-height. The seedlings are now
30" high.

I water daily.

3 of the seedlings have died, there is no obvious reason why, the
earth doesn't smell obviously oxygen-deficient, and another seedling
seems to be going the same way - the leaves are floppy but still green
and not obviously "dried out". When I put the water on them, it
doesn't flow through. They seem to be "ponded". (Is that a word?)

So, I look at the soil I put them in. It seems to be mostly "soil",
should I re-pot my sickly seedling (and others, if that works) with "J
Arthur Bower's General Purpose Compost" or with "Potting Compost" from
my local garden shop?

Or any other thoughts?

Michael Bell

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