Today i was planting my seedlings into buckets after being rooted in rockwool cubes. Just before i was going to plant them in the soil a small florescent light fell and snapped 2 of the seedlings stems. It wasnt so bad to where they broke off it just snapped them to where they hang down. I immediatly got some wire and propped them up. Is there anything i can do to try and help them "heal" themselves or is there just no hope because seedlings are to fragile?
I'd prop em up and see if they recover. This sounds like a good start to the bend and snap method I read about last night (I think that's about what it was called). The theory is that the plants become hardier due to the recovery and formation of knots which theoretically draw up more water and nutrients into the plant.....
Your best bet is to keep them propped up and hopefully get a bandage of some kind (tape) or piece of plastic to keep the broken part together until it heals
I've found that if you jack something up like that, if it wilts right away, then you killed it, if it sits there half bent over like it broke it's back but didn't fall over, then it will knot right there in the stem and presson. Just don't keep jacking with it while you worry about whether it heals, you will keep it from healing, And if your vegging them right now with 24 hours of light maybe back it off to 18/6 while they heal, that darkness promotes healing. I think.. ehehe.. So to answer you yes, they should be tough enough to push through it, and If they're not dead yet, they already did..
Thank You. I guess all i can do right now is cross my fingers and hope it works out. Those damn seeds were expensive!!
Trog, Just some words of encouragement, my light fell on one of my seedlings and burned the crap out of her. With a little love and care they will make it and most likely turn out to be the best plant you get Show them some love
yeah thats good to know. but the bad thing is... the 2 that got fucked up look like they are starting to dry out At least 1 of them i am almost positive wont make it. I hope the other one does. The seeds cost me too much.
just keep watering it every couple days man, chances are it will recover. it may take FOREVER but have hope, nurse that baby back to life
The stem needs to be able to transport water and nutrients up to the top of the plant. Wrap the wound in a band-aid or duct tape, then prop the top up with a toothpick, drinking straw, body of a Bic pen, anything that will work as a stake. You need to wrap the wound so the top of the plant isn't cut off -- literally -- from the roots. Do not overwater as defrag suggested, you don't need to be suffocating the roots and encouraging root rot while the plant is trying to recover.