'Long Red' - photoblog (1st timer)

[JMorgan]

@Oldfella ^ a spread of some of the Long Reds. Without switching things up, it seemed they would all die off, except for that large one. It was a gun from the get go, so I will (if I can keep it alive haha) let it seed.

I experimented on a bunch (conditions of moisture, light, fertilisers etc), some of which are in that spread (the better looking ones) and think I have it sussed now.

 

[JMorgan]

The good news is, at the bottom of my coffee last thurs, there were a scattering of what looked like seeds. I have planted them and they have sprouted. So now I have a third type, 'Dubek' lit seems to say in the coffee. I know not much about the type but have bookmarked a few pages on this site to read up on. Very happy about this good fortune.

 

[JMorgan]

^ Some of the results, or causes of my experimentations.

 

[deluxestogie]

You planted coffee grounds?

Bob

 

[JMorgan]

You planted coffee grounds?

Bob

Dubek seeds. They just looked a lot like coffee grounds.

 

[JMorgan]

Here are some Orchids from when I was in Cuba (photo mine not flowers lol)






One key thing that really made the difference was the advice to use Orchid liquid fertiliser with the troubled seedlings. I think it was maybe @Knucklehead that numerous times suggested this in threads I had read. Either him or maybe @Cray Squirrel ? anyways.... great advice often from those guys in these threads, thx.

 

[Oldfella]

How did the tobacco seeds get In coffee grounds, never mind surviving the processing?
Are you sure you were drinking coffee?
Oldfella

 

[JMorgan]

How did the tobacco seeds get In coffee grounds, never mind surviving the processing?
Are you sure you were drinking coffee?
Oldfella

It would take greater minds than mine to figure that out - I just be thankful it worked out the way it did haha.

Hmmm there has been some indulgence this week of the old vino tho...

 

[smallwanderings]

View attachment 39985


^ Some of the results, or causes of my experimentations.

Is the soil always as wet as it appears in the pictures?

 

[JMorgan]

Is the soil always as wet as it appears in the pictures?

Short answer:
I tried to keep it 'damp but not wet'... You think it may be / have been too wet?

Longer Answer
I did try drying some out a bit, and in the end went with the water level that had produced the best results with the seedlings which were on the sides of the cell trays. Because the water trays bow in their centres a bit, it was touch deeper there than the centres. All were started in the small black 'cells', that have about 1.5 inch of soil, and I would put about 0.25 inch of water, as needed. Once I transferred a few to the larger peat and plastic pots the same depth was used. The difference in surface is noticeable, but also they are closer to the lights / heat. I tried to refill 'as needed' - once it was pretty much gone. I was paranoid of letting them dry too much tho, for sure.
The fungi in those pics did occur on those put into a different soil, which I then removed.

 

[smallwanderings]

Short answer:
I tried to keep it 'damp but not wet'... You think it may be / have been too wet?

Longer Answer
I did try drying some out a bit, and in the end went with the water level that had produced the best results with the seedlings which were on the sides of the cell trays. Because the water trays bow in their centres a bit, it was touch deeper there than the centres. All were started in the small black 'cells', that have about 1.5 inch of soil, and I would put about 0.25 inch of water, as needed. Once I transferred a few to the larger peat and plastic pots the same depth was used. The difference in surface is noticeable, but also they are closer to the lights / heat. I tried to refill 'as needed' - once it was pretty much gone. I was paranoid of letting them dry too much tho, for sure.
The fungi in those pics did occur on those put into a different soil, which I then removed.

If the soil is constantly wet it can cause the roots to rot.

 

[deluxestogie]

The seedlings in my 1020 trays are identified using a labeled wooden stick (a Popsicle stick). Because water wicks up into the wood of the stick, I can easily determine how damp the soil is. I add water only into the lower tray, and not into the individual cells. When the stick appears to be drying out, then I know it is time to add water to the tray again.

From April 2021

Bob

 

[JMorgan]

If the soil is constantly wet it can cause the roots to rot.

^ Thanks!, I will try to let them try out a little more for sure. Apart from being a first timer, and a person who grew up in a bad drought, I think I was seduced by those vids of floating seedlings from European tobacco farms.

The seedlings in my 1020 trays are identified using a labeled wooden stick (a Popsicle stick). Because water wicks up into the wood of the stick, I can easily determine how damp the soil is. I add water only into the lower tray, and not into the individual cells. When the stick appears to be drying out, then I know it is time to add water to the tray again.

From April 2021

Bob

Thanks Bob, this seems like a great technique. I will implement it. Those are some great looking seedlings. I had to google what a 1020 tray was haha, they look good .

 

[JMorgan]

So, I have said I will post my failures and successes - this post is kind of both. The Long Red seedlings that were doing the worst, I decided to try to bring back from the edge of death.

SO yes, I think 'too wet' was a problem for me, and in particular for the the Long Reds (the Rusticas seemed to tolerate it much better). These two pods were the worst affected, and were brought back to life with the same remedies: letting them dry out, and when they were watered, I used the liquid orchid fertiliser. However... when I bought the bottle of orchid liquid fertiliser, the was also a bottle of orchid 'spritzing' spray / mist which I also purchased. I was curious if it would help (it claimed to 'mist and feed', 'foliar feed'). Having plenty of other healthy seedlings, I had nothing to lose and decided to test it out on these, but only on one pod - the viewers right side pod. It really seemed to have an amazing effect.

 

[JMorgan]

^ The rest are going well, with the best being singled out into peat pots, the rest being used for more experiments.





^ The Dubek are all looking good, this is the best of them with the others picked and transplanted in to smaller lots to keep growing in different conditions.






^ The best Long Red seedling.






^ The best Rustica seedling. It is growing much 'taller' than the LR does.

 

[smallwanderings]

View attachment 40044


So, I have said I will post my failures and successes - this post is kind of both. The Long Red seedlings that were doing the worst, I decided to try to bring back from the edge of death.

SO yes, I think 'too wet' was a problem for me, and in particular for the the Long Reds (the Rusticas seemed to tolerate it much better). These two pods were the worst affected, and were brought back to life with the same remedies: letting them dry out, and when they were watered, I used the liquid orchid fertiliser. However... when I bought the bottle of orchid liquid fertiliser, the was also a bottle of orchid 'spritzing' spray / mist which I also purchased. I was curious if it would help (it claimed to 'mist and feed', 'foliar feed'). Having plenty of other healthy seedlings, I had nothing to lose and decided to test it out on these, but only on one pod - the viewers right side pod. It really seemed to have an amazing effect.

Wow, very nice.