So... I popped 3 seeds with the water cup/paper towel method. Planted them in moist jiffy pellets. Sat on heating mat in jiffy humidity tray 35w LED above them. 1 sprouted, and growing great. 2 have not sprouted after 10 days. I gently removed the top soil above the non sprouted seeds. One seed had grown a tap root but the root was severed and had 2 or 3 tiny little white maggots or something similar crawling on it The second seed had fully sprouted its water leaves, and had a first set of true leaves starting to sprout, but had no tap root at all, which is why it hadn't pushed to the surface... no crawlies in this one. Any ideas what is going on here. Seems really strange???
maggots? i think over watered or you got some weird medium your using. shouldn't have maggots in your medium in general 2nd one im guess dampening off. i had a seedling like that grew it's cotyledon leaves but didn't grow for a week. tried to brush the soil off check what was going on no tap root. it HAD a tap root when i put it in. thus i assume dampening off due to over watering. i just germinated 3 seeds later last week on the 7th. i only use the paper towel method and put in ziploc. 1st day all 3 popped 2nd day they had decent tap roots to plant. they been in solo cups for 2 days now 1 sprouted 2 didn't. they should sprout in 1-2 more days imo. I did water the entire cup but im letting them dry out how was your watering? if i had to guy it's either 1. over watered 2. your medium got bugs in em. i used to vermicompost i've seen bugs before roaches, centipedes, millipedes, grubs, BSFL, but NEVER maggots
So these were all planted in jiffy pellets. Nothing more. I have given them 3 sprays each every 2 days. All 3 were in the jiffy humidity dome side by sitlde. One sprouted and is growing strong so I'm at a loss
i am guessing you got fungus gnats? try looking up fungus gnat larvae and see if that is what you got.
Try just planting them - it eliminates extra handling. Put in rapid rooters - and put in drawer - no heat mats and no humidity domes. 10 out of 10 sprouted within four days. I rarely have one not pop.
Were they definitely maggots and not springtails ? It sounds like they're probably fungus gnat larvae. These can do some damage. Sticky traps help but I find this stuff worth buying if you get them often. It's expensive but will practically last a lifetime because once the soil has had treatment it's good for several grows