[Jim T]

:shock: One of my seedlings is making a terrible smell in the greenhouse. :twisted:  :roll:  :oops:

It was given to me as a melon and I am growing it on to plant in my hot bed.

Has anyone any experience of such pongy plants :?:

I don't know if it might have got infected or mixed up in some mysterious way.
I dont want to ask the kind plotter who gave me it :roll:  
And i dont want to just dump it but I dont think I can stand the pong :arrow:

[Trillium]

This isn't an exact answer, Jim, but could that one plant have possibly put its roots into a small clump of fresh muck? If it smells that bad, I know I'd be digging it up carefully to see just where the roots have gone to as I suspect that's where the real problem lies. Can't imagine any melon with stinky top growth, otherwise we never grow them in the first place. AFter all, your hotbed is an experiment, and sometimes experiments aren't always 100% successful.  

[Jim T]

This isn't an exact answer, Jim, but could that one plant have possibly put its roots into a small clump of fresh muck? If it smells that bad, I know I'd be digging it up carefully to see just where the roots have gone to as I suspect that's where the real problem lies. Can't imagine any melon with stinky top growth, otherwise we never grow them in the first place. AFter all, your hotbed is an experiment, and sometimes experiments aren't always 100% successful.  

No Trillium :roll: I've mislead you.
The pongy thing is still in its peat pot - in the greenhouse. Waiting to grow a bit before going in the hot bed.
ost peculiar
Jim

[GrannieAnnie]

Sounds like its going rotten.  I've never had anything go smelly on me, dead yes, smelly no!!! lol

[Dan]

Did you say pete pot? or peat pot?

If you have planted the melon in the dead corpse of "old pete" it may explain your pong?

[Trillium]

Don't you just love some of the answers you get?  

If the melon is still in the peat pot, then I'd be wondering just what kind of soil your friend used in the pot. Separate the 2 carefully and have a sniff of each. I know there are a few plants which have horrid smells to the leaves but I can't recall which at the moment. Mostly they're floral, so possibly your melon really isn't one. Other than that, I'm stumped.  :?

[Jim T]

Don't you just love some of the answers you get?  

If the melon is still in the peat pot, then I'd be wondering just what kind of soil your friend used in the pot. Separate the 2 carefully and have a sniff of each. I know there are a few plants which have horrid smells to the leaves but I can't recall which at the moment. Mostly they're floral, so possibly your melon really isn't one. Other than that, I'm stumped.  :?

GOOD  :idea: I'll do that and let you know

[CJ]

Do let us know the outcome - sounds very mysterious and unpleasant. :roll:

[Jim T]

Do let us know the outcome - sounds very mysterious and unpleasant. :roll:

Well - I examined the stinker carefully, noticed the peat pot was very dry so I sat it in a water bath in a warm greenhouse. Next day it wasn't so stinky but it didn't look at all happy and today its almost dead.
Perhaps it knew it was doomed :roll:

[GrannieAnnie]

Oh poor little plant.  Must have know it wsn't loved!!!!  That's the only problem with other people giving you stuff, you don't know what's in it!!!!

[Trillium]

I've totally given up on peat pots, Jim T. Despite all the claims of it's versatility, I find they're the worst item in my garden tools. I've never had healthy thriving plants in them, mostly because the compressed peat soaks up all the water, and perhaps creates too much acidity. I've switched to large plastic slot trays with extra deep slots and grooves inside to prevent spiraling. The toms I put in didn't spiral at all and none of the plants died, in fact, the extras I planted just for that purpose thrived as well so now I'm giving away heirloom tom plants because the 37 I planted are already too many for our small household.  Because I was pressed for window space, I put 3 to a slot and they did very well also.

[Jim T]

I've totally given up on peat pots, Jim T. Despite all the claims of it's versatility, I find they're the worst item in my garden tools. I've never had healthy thriving plants in them, mostly because the compressed peat soaks up all the water, and perhaps creates too much acidity. I've switched to large plastic slot trays with extra deep slots and grooves inside to prevent spiraling. The toms I put in didn't spiral at all and none of the plants died, in fact, the extras I planted just for that purpose thrived as well so now I'm giving away heirloom tom plants because the 37 I planted are already too many for our small household.  Because I was pressed for window space, I put 3 to a slot and they did very well also.

Thanks for the warning against peat pots Trillium
In my ignorance starting last August I've tried many different types of pots, trays, cells etc trying to germinate seeds.
My favourite now is a bit like what I think you are describing. I call them Root Trainers.. They are very deep cells with slots as you describe to lead the roots straight down and they open out like a book in sets of four so you see all that's going on before you plant them.
Think I'll stick to them in future

[Aidy]

I started to use the root trainers on beans and corn and they are working a treat, not sure if the end result will be better but they seem to have established well quickly.

[diggerjoe]

Anyone else tried the wrap in newspaper method. I start all the big seed stuff off in small yoghurt posts then when they get a big enough to handle I wrap them in about 4 thicknesses of newspaper with plenty of fresh compost round the roots and pack them into old tomato trays. the beans love it and as long as you keep them damp they're fine - its easy then to just plant straight in the ground -mind you they do like a quality read so I scrounge next doors broadsheets.

[Trillium]

I have root trainers as well, Jim, but find them very flimsy for the high cost. I switched to a more solid tray that has 32 slots, 1.5" wide, 3" deep with vertical grooves inside. They cost about 3 quid each, pricey but they'll last much longer than the root trainers which I found would pop open on me when I didn't want them to or wasn't expecting it. This tray fits into the standard rectangular 'holder' for drainage but stands taller. I'm really very pleased with it.