Seedlings fail to thrive
 

When I grow vegetables from seed, they nearly always germinate quickly,
but stop growing once they've produced their first true leaves. They
sit like this (no matter how long I wait) until I plant them out,
whereupon they rush forward again. I'm sure this isn't right.

I had been wondering whether my use of peat-free compost was at fault,
as it doesn't seem to hold water at all, so this year I mixed in some
perlite. However, it didn't seem to have much effect.

The only plants that don't seem to be affected in this way are peas and
beans, though they don't generally get left for very long in the pot in
any case. Since they are nitrogen-fixing, does this mean that the
compost is not nutritious enough for other seedlings? They don't seem
to get big enough to be using much of it though.

I don't want to use peat if I can avoid it. Once I tried mixing the
compost with rotted manure (got a 25kg bag from the garden centre), but
that didn't seem to help either.

What do people recommend?


Rhiannon

"Rhiannon Macfie Miller" wrote in message
...
When I grow vegetables from seed, they nearly always germinate quickly,
but stop growing once they've produced their first true leaves. They
sit like this (no matter how long I wait) until I plant them out,
whereupon they rush forward again. I'm sure this isn't right.

I had been wondering whether my use of peat-free compost was at fault,
as it doesn't seem to hold water at all, so this year I mixed in some
perlite. However, it didn't seem to have much effect.

The only plants that don't seem to be affected in this way are peas and
beans, though they don't generally get left for very long in the pot in
any case. Since they are nitrogen-fixing, does this mean that the
compost is not nutritious enough for other seedlings? They don't seem
to get big enough to be using much of it though.

I don't want to use peat if I can avoid it. Once I tried mixing the
compost with rotted manure (got a 25kg bag from the garden centre), but
that didn't seem to help either.

What do people recommend?


Rhiannon
Switch to a John Innes seed compost (soil based) we use peat free compost,
but not for seed, and there are some perennials that don't like it either
(e.g. geraniums) but fortunately all the climbers and especially the
clematis love it, we do however put in a lot of slow release fertilizer!

--
Charlie, gardening in Cornwall.
http://www.roselandhouse.co.uk
Holders of National Plant Collection of Clematis viticella (cvs)

"Rhiannon Macfie Miller" wrote in message
...
When I grow vegetables from seed, they nearly always germinate quickly,
but stop growing once they've produced their first true leaves. They sit
like this (no matter how long I wait) until I plant them out, whereupon
they rush forward again. I'm sure this isn't right.

I had been wondering whether my use of peat-free compost was at fault, as
it doesn't seem to hold water at all, so this year I mixed in some
perlite. However, it didn't seem to have much effect.

The only plants that don't seem to be affected in this way are peas and
beans, though they don't generally get left for very long in the pot in
any case. Since they are nitrogen-fixing, does this mean that the compost
is not nutritious enough for other seedlings? They don't seem to get big
enough to be using much of it though.

I don't want to use peat if I can avoid it. Once I tried mixing the
compost with rotted manure (got a 25kg bag from the garden centre), but
that didn't seem to help either.

What do people recommend?


Rhiannon
Rather than "recommend" will tell what I do with great success.....I use a
commercial seed starting medium which basically has very little food value
but is sterile and germination could not be better....from the very first
watering after germination I water with a weak solution of Miracle Grow and
thereafter include the weak solution whenever watering until the seedling
are about three weeks old. Then I increase the strength of the solution
slowly. Example...Miracle Grow suggests watering at the rate of one
tablespoon per gallon of water with it being used every two weeks or
so.....do we feed ourselves every day or so....in the beginning mix 1/4
teaspoon per gallon and use with every watering....in about three weeks when
the seedling are reasonably well established increase the strenght to 1/2
teaspoon per gallon and continue with this strength and with every watering
for another couple of weeks or so and then go to 1 teaspon per gallon and
continue at this strenght until planting out time..HW

Charlie Pridham wrote:
"Rhiannon Macfie Miller" wrote in message
...

When I grow vegetables from seed, they nearly always germinate quickly,
but stop growing once they've produced their first true leaves. They
sit like this (no matter how long I wait) until I plant them out,
whereupon they rush forward again. I'm sure this isn't right.

Switch to a John Innes seed compost (soil based) we use peat free compost,
but not for seed, and there are some perennials that don't like it either
(e.g. geraniums) but fortunately all the climbers and especially the
clematis love it, we do however put in a lot of slow release fertilizer!


Thanks for this. John Innes compost plus fertilizer seems to be the way
to go. I'll try it out at the start of next year.

Rhiannon

I disagree. I do use (peat based) seed compost for delicate flowers and
the like but I find veg seed are pretty strong and just sow it into
peat free compost - or even old recycled compost. I think the secret is
probably a continual supply of water - without waterlogging. This year
i sowed two module trays of brassicas. One did really well - and i
have planted them out. The others are all short and slow growing. There
is one difference - the ones that did well were sitting in a tray with
no drainage holes, the poorly ones were in a tray with drainage holes.

wrote in message
oups.com...
I disagree. I do use (peat based) seed compost for delicate flowers and
the like but I find veg seed are pretty strong and just sow it into
peat free compost - or even old recycled compost. I think the secret is
probably a continual supply of water - without waterlogging. This year
i sowed two module trays of brassicas. One did really well - and i
have planted them out. The others are all short and slow growing. There
is one difference - the ones that did well were sitting in a tray with
no drainage holes, the poorly ones were in a tray with drainage holes.

I've had similar experience of potted-on seedlings of Salvia and Chinese
Lantern sitting for ages in peat-free compost without growing, and looking a
bit pale. I fed them with an organic pot-plant fertiliser earlier this week
and they've all sprung into life again. I've also noticed that the water
running through peat-free composts is VERY brown, it's obviously washing
something out very quickly.

Duncan