Seedlings not growing

[Kat68]

Hi all, I’ve got a seed tray, put seedling mix in it, sowed my seedlings as it was described on the packet, watered and waited, I’ve kept the mix moist, but not wet, I’ve got them in a sunny spot, and they just won’t grow. They are green but fall over and won’t grow. 
please help

[Adam_W]

Hi @Kat68 Okay, well that's not looking too flash...
The way those seedlings have stretched looks to me like they are in too much shade. Is it possible they are only getting good light for part of the day?

[Tugwellp]

Keeping moist not wet is good, need to have a sunny spot that get this all day, you might have to spray water a few times so they do not dry out, the mix you have is very woody, I like the seales seed raising mix better, you do not have to use slow release fertiliser, the first leaves will feed the plant itself then when the real leaves come use a weak concentration liquid fertilizer, (if the seed raising mix has fertiliser added then you should not have to use any liquid fertiliser) until the roots fill the cell. I have found if you use good quality seed and seed raising mix in the correct area you should have no problem. keep trying and good luck.

[Adam_W]

Agree on the seed raising mix @Tugwellp 
A seed raising mix should be fine textured, light & open, not have any large particle sizes. It should be free-draining while retaining moisture.
The mixes Bunnings previously had on the shelf were like this but I've found in the last couple of years they all seem to have gone to this type of consistency. No fault of Bunnings, it's all to do with the suppliers changing their recipes or the blending not being up to scratch. It's certainly not what I would call a true seed mix & my TAFE propagation & soil science teachers from way back when would be horrified by it...
I generally blend my own mix these days as many of the seeds I sow are hard to come by so I can't risk loosing them.
There are some solutions for this change in quality of the commercial products...
- Buy a basic garden sieve and sieve out the commercial product to remove the large particles. You should be left with a mix that looks like course sand and fine potting mix. To this you could add some sieved compost or well broken up coir.
- Use the coir blocks I linked to above and regularly but gently liquid feed with a seaweed tonic or a fortified organic product.

- Create your own mix from scratch. A popular blend is 2 parts coir, 2 parts compost, 1 part propagating sand, 1/2 part cow manure and make sure you sieve compost and manure and break up the coir well (after wetting it) before blending thoroughly.

[Kat68]

Yes, that’s what the problem is I recon too, I’ve now put them in a space where they should get more sun, when we see it again 😊

[Kat68]

I’m just learning about better mix and will make my own in future 😊

[Kat68]

I’ve sieved the medium and put them in a spot where they get more sun. These once all died and the new once are making a life, we’ll see what will happen, cheers 😊

[Kat68]

Us too, thank you 😊

[MikeM84]

How are the seedlings going?

I tend to use the the jiffy pest pellets, as the other members advise the seed starting consistency has changed, and I have to say the jiffy pellets work a treat.

here is what I do:

pour warm water to jiffy pellets to expand them.

wait few mins to cool down once expanded, then make small inserts to put in your seeds, then cover them up.

I also use a mini greenhouse methodology to cover it up, to create the warm, humid style environment, few days later you will notice condensation, and depending on what you grow the seeds will emerge.

once the seeds germinate, I open the greenhouse lid, and put in sunny spot, adding water to bottom.

once I see the true leaves, then I add very tiny amount of seaweed fertiliser, and I introduced them 1 he a day to outdoor weather, after week or so, I then put them out for 2 hours to harden the seedlings.

if you don’t introduce them to outdoors and sun they get woody and tall and will fall down.

when I say bottom, I have a tray where my seedlings sit on, so easy to water

jiffy pellets:

https://www.bunnings.com.au/mr-fothergill-s-36mm-jiffy-peat-pellets-36-pack_p2961316

greenhouse with jiffy pellets:

https://www.bunnings.com.au/mr-fothergill-s-jiffy-windowsill-greenhouse-with-12-peat-pellets_p296131...

or use this style greenhouse, if you make more seedlings:

https://www.bunnings.com.au/saxon-mini-green-house-with-seed-tray_p2960182

enjoy