Re: Lupines? Help!

 

WhtRos2@aol.com wrote:

Good Day to You All!!
20° here and little snow.
"Little" is good!    Here we have only BIG.    This is going to be the snowiest winter since 1878 (not sure of the exact date, but it's somewhere in the 1800s.
 
But I am trying to think spring and start a few seeds.
One that I always fail is Lupines, Russell hybrid.
I soak them overnite and sprinkle milled sphagnum over the top.
My growing room is around 65°.
They germinate just fine but I always lose them to damping off.

Please suggest what I can do different?
 

You say you put sphagnum moss on top but is the remainder of the tray also sphagnum moss?    If not, that could be the answer.   Being sure, of course, that the moss is protected from exposure to the world at large (i.e., all of the things that float around in the air) until you use it.    I used to have regular trouble with damping off, but once I started using sphagnum moss I had no further trouble.
I've read they need darkness for gemination.
Can't see that that would make any difference with the damping off.
I'm not good at keeping a fan running.  Would that help?
Probably not necessary   I never used a fan.
 
I've also read lower temps; 55° maybe?
 
Can't hurt, but may not be necessary.
 
Or is my potting mix too wet?
Once again, less wet is probably better, but the pure moss may be the only answer you need.

Incidentally, did I tell you that we moved?    In November, to an apt. (condo) where I have only a space about 10 x 30 to garden.    Only about 10 miles from where we lived before.  My daughter is moving into the "old" house, after a certain amount of remodeling, which is now taking place.

Art

Thanx for your help.
Best Wishes as always, Barbara
USDA z5a, Rock Island, IL
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