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Lobelia seedlings aren’t growing 🤔🤔

christianrich94christianrich94 Posts: 20
in Problem solving
Hi all,
im trying to grow lobelia (Crystal Palace) for the first time but the seedlings are still tiny and don’t seem to be growing much. 

Background: located in central London. Seeds germinated in 4 days on a sunny SE facing window. They’re planted in coco coir and I water from the bottom, letting them slightly dry out before watering again. There doesn’t seem to be any sign of mould/fungus and none of them appear to have died off - they just don’t seem to be growing much. They’re about 5mm tall after 8 weeks and are just developing their 3rd leaves. The roots on the other hand seem to be growing well. 

I’ve attached pics in the hope that helps. Am I just being impatient or is something going wrong? 

Thanks in advance ❤️
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  • christianrich94christianrich94 Posts: 20
    ** just to add I didn’t amend the coco coir with any fertiliser or compost etc and haven’t given any fertiliser so far. I also use tepid/room temp tap water if that makes any difference 
  • FritillariaScotlandFritillariaScotland Posts: 67
    Hi, I've never grown anything in coco coir before, so I can't really comment on whether it could be an issue. I think you have put too many seeds in the tray, all those wee seedlings are competing for nutrients and don't have space to grow. I would get a couple more trays and plant on the strongest looking ones and see how you get on. You could try peat free multi-purpose compost to see if it makes a difference. 
  • InglezinhoInglezinho Posts: 568
    edited April 2021
    Jings, this is ambitious. I would say it is probably lack of water. Stick your coir in a bucket of water with some balanced liquid fertilizer for a couple of hours 2 or 3 times a week. This is the right way to grow xerophytic (drought loving) plants like orchids.
    Everyone likes butterflies. Nobody likes caterpillars.
  • hatty123hatty123 Posts: 125
    I'm growing crystal palace too, started a bit earlier than you but they do seem to take a long time to get going. Bit worried that the leaves look a little brown on some of yours, I think Fritillaria's right that they've run out of nutrients. Coir dries out very quickly and don't think it's got much nutrients in it. I'd be inclined to separate them into clumps and put into modules with compost. 
  • christianrich94christianrich94 Posts: 20
    Aye, Hatty, I agree. they got a little sunburnt when we had the 24 degree weather the other week 🙈
    I did separate some a couple weeks ago into smaller clumps, but I put them in coir again so I’ll try compost this time! 

    Thanks all for your suggestions. It’s been great to hear all of your opinions 
  • debs64debs64 Posts: 5,184
    @Inglezinho they are lobelia not orchids or have I missed something? 
  • AstroAstro Posts: 433
    I've grown lobelia crystal palace from seed a couple of years and they are a slow grower from experience. With that being said your seedlings as  suggested need moving so they have  space and  nutrients, into MPC for example. The bronzing on the foliage is common to this plant so I wouldn't worry about that too much. They look pretty healthy for the most part imo.
  • Nanny BeachNanny Beach Posts: 8,719
    Yes,too many for the space,lack of nutrients too hot,apart from that they are fine!!
  • KiliKili Posts: 1,104
    edited April 2021
    I grow my lobelia in the same way as you have. The only difference is I use MPC. When they grow to approx 3" I fork out small clumps and pot on. which I'm about to do tomorrow. The seed is so fine its almost impossible to sow individually. The simplest way I have found is to pot on small clumps, unless you can get pelleted seed to sow in individual plug trays.
    The reason for the poor growth could be any number of combinations of lack of water, light or heat/cold or to much.

    Good luck hope they come through to give you a nice display.


    'The power of accurate observation .... is commonly called cynicism by those that have not got it.

    George Bernard Shaw'

  • christianrich94christianrich94 Posts: 20
    Kili said:
    I grow my lobelia in the same way as you have. The only difference is I use MPC. When they grow to approx 3" I fork out small clumps and pot on. which I'm about to do tomorrow. The seed is so fine its almost impossible to sow individually. The simplest way I have found is to pot on small clumps, unless you can get pelleted seed to sow in individual plug trays.
    The reason for the poor growth could be any number of combinations of lack of water, light or heat/cold or to much.

    Good luck hope they come through to give you a nice display.


    Thanks so much - and for the picture too. They look great! I planted a trailing version in MPC last week and they’re already much bigger than the ones in question so I think it could be the coir and it’s lack of nutrients. Thanks so much for taking the time to respond. I really appreciate it. 

    Planting small clumps into MPC as we speak! 
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