Tina
On The Way Up
Joined: 07 Feb 2007
Location: Seattle,WA
Posts: 210
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| Posted: Wed Apr 04, 2007 9:46 pm Post subject: Why are my sunflower seedlings all lying down? |
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I had sown sunflower from seeds in the last week of Feb. They are all germinated(remind me not to plant so many next year), tall and lying down close to the ground.I have not replanted them and they are still in the container where they germinated as they don't have have any real leaves yet.I don't know what to do with so many of them. Will planting them in containers - I have to plant more than one in each - make them stand up?
The label in the seed covers said that they are a tall variety. any tips on how to get them to grow nice, big flowers?
thans.
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toni
Mistress of Garden Junque
 Moderator
Joined: 07 Jan 2006
Location: North Texas (Map)
Posts: 5509
PlantStew: 521 |
| Posted: Wed Apr 04, 2007 10:12 pm Post subject: |
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Did you thin them out when they were about 2 inches tall, most seed packets tell you to thin or transplant at that stage. To thin or transplant you gently pull out everyone one or as many as it takes to put an inch or more between seedlings. If you have some that just aren't doing as well as others, then definitely pull those out.
Having as many as you say, they are all fighting to live and none of them is getting very much nourishment since they have so much competition.
Even tho it doesn't seem right, you can thin them and throw the extras away. Or you can put them in individual pots and let them continue to grow - give away any you don't have room for.
At this stage, they really should be one to a container so they can grow properly. If at all possible, start giving them real sunlight for a little while each day too.
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EJ
Allotmenteer Extraordinaire
Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Location: Essex
Posts: 1500
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| Posted: Wed Apr 04, 2007 10:17 pm Post subject: |
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Where do you have them? Are they leaning to get to the light so growing long and lank? I grow mine in the coolest part of my greenhouse so they grow stocky and strong. I also get them potted on quite quickly and plant them a little deeper than they were originally growing.
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cajunbelle
Daylily Diva
Joined: 04 Jun 2006
Location: zone 8b Louisiana (Map)
Posts: 3036
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| Posted: Wed Apr 04, 2007 11:45 pm Post subject: |
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Do the stems look shriveled up toward the bottom. If so this could be a disease called damping off. It is caused by crowded conditions and too much water. There is a fine line when it comes to watering seedlings. The soil needs to stay consistently moist, but not soggy. When you first start your seeds make sure the soil is throughly moistened, after that it is best to use a mister to water them with.
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Sharon
Phil. 4:13
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