What is this & how to prevent

[Puglover1]

Check out the 3rd photo. I dropped some seeds early on the 4th, my first purchased seeds. The NL auto cracked in 36 hours, it was a goner yesterday. The seed was cracked all the way around, empty. I'm soaking another NL auto and a Lemon something auto, waiting on the two Gelato autos to crack, one looks like it has started. I changed out the cages to longer ones and inserted new coco starters. I never had an issue starting the 3 Mag dispo bag seeds in the Aero-Garden. Only difference was I use distilled water and full A-G feed the first time. This time I used spring water and a drop of their feed. (When it ever stops raining I have a plan to clear the closet and clean.)

[SoOrbudgal]

I never used a seed starter thing like that? Looks like it rotted?

[crucialbunny]

I think the best way to prevent this from happening again is to find a shelf that's really high and hard to get to, set it up there, and forget all about it. Unless you're propagating seeds on the space station this looks far too complicated for my simple mind. I've been here on GWE for a minute or two now and one theme I've noticed is that when folks are having troubles the word coco is often involved. Moist paper towels are a tried and true method that couldn't be simpler. Don't get me wrong, I'm not thumbing my nose at new methods or technologies but sometimes you got know when to fold your hand and re-deal.

[Puglover1]

Originally they were spongy cage inserts but they started looking green on the bottom so I wet the new-style longer coco and switched them out yesterday. I did it this way again because if something comes up they can survive in the A-G for a bit, the light height adjusts. And because it worked perfectly last time.

[SoOrbudgal]

Well i just did'nt know how to explain it as well as crucialbunny but i do the paper towel in a zip baggie, blow some air in it seal it place in warm area no i don't use a seed heating mat.

[crucialbunny]

My favorite method has been to use a small opaque bowl and line the bottom with a few layers of paper towel. Wet them with purified water until they are saturated but no standing water. Place my seeds on top and cover with a few more layers of paper towel. I use some scotch tape on part of the edge so a tab is sticking out of the top layer so I can easily grab only the covering when I want to check progress. Wet the top layer and then pour off any excess water. I loosely cover the bowl with an opaque cover and set on a warm sunny window sill. I've been using this method since I grew lima beans in Miss Muth's 1st grade class.

[Puglover1]

Budgal - I didn't have a heating mat so I did it like the first time. I've never seen this before, empty seed but the embryo curled up and has 'greenage' on it.

[YYCannabis]

Light burn to the root. If you look at pics 1&2, you will see how the root was doing a rainbow curve. That curve looks like the rotted/dead part of it in pic 3.
Looks like she wasn’t able to pop her head out from the starter cube.

[Puglover1]

YYCannabis Thank you! I actually didn't put these in as deep as my first grow but that makes sense. I should have assisted the birth. I switched out the starters, the new ones are coco husks and they have a small shallow hole in the center.

I was keeping a good eye on them, they're in the kitchen. I'm high ATM, trying to remember if I take the humidity dome off as soon as I see the tap root

[SoOrbudgal]

LOL don't let them get too cold and wet. I've drown many from rushing myself. Hang in there Puglover1 were rooting for ya!!

[Puglover1]

Well, the new starters seem to work better, the NL and Sour Lemon popped fast. I'm still waiting on the Gelatos to crack, which are why I started this now in the first place.

SoOrbudgal Cute, and it's working. I raised the starters up higher out of the water and raised the lights. Went back to the aero-garden weed forums today. I bought the original Aero-Garden, pre-LED, probably ~ 2007. They grow stuff fast and easy. I bought the LED version on BF in 2019 but not for weed, that just happened as an experiment. It's nice to have fresh basil, cilantro, dill, mint, etc. in the kitchen right at your scissor tips, in my climate. It's my kitchen nightlight when I'm starting or growing something. And if this doesn't work the rain is supposed to be done, for now. I will bring my garden cart onto the deck, clean it, wheel it thru the patio door, thru the kitchen, down the hallway, right into the growing bedroom, get the pots out of the closet and outside to empty, and clean.

[Ellisk]

I never understood why people germinate seeds anyway. I just put one about 1/3 inch deep in loose, moist soil and cover up til it sprouts. This works 9 out of 10 times and the other one, I blame on the seed bank and poor genetics. But yea, that thing really would look cool on the ISS. lol, sorry.

[Puglover1]

Ellisk If the closet and soil were ready I would have. I'd rather get them started but it rained most of the week here, I couldn't get the closet ready. I'm an older female with physical challenges. I've started seeds in dirt, decades ago. I've used an Aero-Garden to grow non-cannabis herbs for over 12 years. It worked last year for germination of some dispo bag seeds, I was just messing around. The first seeds I ever bought are waiting until I can hopefully acquire some more/diverse inventory from these auto freebies. Then it's a long sativa photo grow that I need for pain medicine. Peace.

[SoOrbudgal]

Puglover1 my late sister-in-law used a aero-garden for alfalfa sprouts for many years. I never used one but she swore by it. I'm not sure she used it to sprout weed seeds as they were big outdoor growers 25yrs ago. I just remember seeing dozens of tiny soil pots under a 4 ft. 4 tube t-light. I say if it works for you use it, if it starts giving you issues check for fungis in the unit, i don't know how these get cleaned not even seen her take it apart so?

[Puglover1]

SoOrbudgal The original was oblong, no fun to clean and the lights were expensive. This one is easy, lift up the top 'plate', rest it on a kitchen bowl then remove the reservoir bowl to change the water, check the filters. I have another plate that doesn't hold cages, it holds like 25 or 50 of those coco starters, good for starting veggies and flowers. Sure wish these gelatos would crack. I got the garden cart out but while running water to clean it I noticed a dead rabbit next to my foundation, had to shovel it up and dispose. I ordered some fabric pots, just have to empty the closet and wipe it down, wash the shower curtain I used to cover the carpeting. So instead of doing laundry (did too much yardwork) I made some Betty Crocker salted caramel brownies with Jenny Kush FSHO (83%) blended into the oil for the recipe.

[SoOrbudgal]

My damn cats are bringing their dead around also. I was startled by a dead quail laying on a shelf in the garage. I hate that.
But i can't interfer with their hunting rats and mice, but don't like them killing birds. I watched one cat today stalk a damn pheasant i shoed it away. I had a cat long ago bring a 1/2 eaten baby bunny onto my porch man i was so pissed. It the circle of life, i change the channels when i see harm to animals even though it's how life is in the wild.

[Puglover1]

SoOrbudgal My cat doesn't go outside yet but he wants to. I can't imagine my two pugs killing a bunny, this was no baby, but it is instinct. Might be the SOB that tunneled under my back gate, the pugs watched and were running free around the 'hood. I blocked it with patio blocks and a brick, the brick was moved yesterday. It was under some dead leaves, creeping charlie had grown around him, but he looked well preserved, or fresh. The pugs would walk near it, sniff, and walk away. Maybe they are the murderers? I have mice poop in my shed, knocked down some cobwebs, I was looking around for something dead in there. I miss eating pheasant and quail; when I was young my dad liked to hunt, a lot. It's fun to watch wild turkeys. I see the basics: deer, ground hogs, raccoons, beaver, occasional fox, squirrels, turtles, frogs, rabbits ... hopefully no coyotes, though I hear them a few blocks away.

[Puglover1]

While the two Gelato seeds haven't yet cracked, the NL in front and Sour Lemon in back are growing. Those two starters have nice roots growing in the water underneath despite the sad appearance of the S Lemon, I looked a few hours ago. Whatever happens with that one I just threw a free seed in an empty hole. Waiting for cloth grow bags to arrive.