Testudo seed mix from tortoise supply

Prize007

New Member
Joined
Oct 15, 2020
Messages
17
Location (City and/or State)
Alexandria
I have the same mix and am having a bear of a time. I learned that fish fertilizer and humidity help but not too much humidity.

Here is my experience in the event you can learn from my mistakes lol:
I tried using a mix of the same soil/cocoa coir mix that my hatchling hermann's lives in, in a planter on the window sill and it didn't take. Read on here about organic fish fertilizer so I put some of that in the soil of my next 2 simultaneous attempts, and I put a jar over the planters for humidity. Much better success but one of the jars got moldy and I trashed it. (Too much humidity?) The sprouts in the other planter grew tall so I took jar off. This made them a bit sad looking and they haven't gone leafy yet. I think the lack of constant humidity damaged some of the sprouts. But sprouts are progress!

While the sprouts sit on the window sill and mock me by not leafing, I am starting my third attempt and plan to use less seeds and take jar off once the sprouts are 2-3 inches.

As far as wheat grass goes, because I saw it mentioned above, I grow it for my cat and it is super easy! I soak seeds for 12-24 hours. Then put them in jar with a mesh lid, swish with water, drain and store upside down daily by window until seeds start to sprout. Once they sprout I tap the jar so they collect on mesh and put a wet paper towel ball under the mesh, while keep the jar stored upside down to keep humidity in. In a about a week you get full grown wheat grass.

I attached pics for reference. If you figure out how to successfully grow the testudo mix indoors let us know plz! I normally have a lite green thumb but this mix in winter is proving to be quite a challenge!

sprout cat.jpghappy sprouts.jpgsad sprouts.jpg
 
Joined
Dec 16, 2019
Messages
35
Location (City and/or State)
Fresno
I have the same mix and am having a bear of a time. I learned that fish fertilizer and humidity help but not too much humidity.

Here is my experience in the event you can learn from my mistakes lol:
I tried using a mix of the same soil/cocoa coir mix that my hatchling hermann's lives in, in a planter on the window sill and it didn't take. Read on here about organic fish fertilizer so I put some of that in the soil of my next 2 simultaneous attempts, and I put a jar over the planters for humidity. Much better success but one of the jars got moldy and I trashed it. (Too much humidity?) The sprouts in the other planter grew tall so I took jar off. This made them a bit sad looking and they haven't gone leafy yet. I think the lack of constant humidity damaged some of the sprouts. But sprouts are progress!

While the sprouts sit on the window sill and mock me by not leafing, I am starting my third attempt and plan to use less seeds and take jar off once the sprouts are 2-3 inches.

As far as wheat grass goes, because I saw it mentioned above, I grow it for my cat and it is super easy! I soak seeds for 12-24 hours. Then put them in jar with a mesh lid, swish with water, drain and store upside down daily by window until seeds start to sprout. Once they sprout I tap the jar so they collect on mesh and put a wet paper towel ball under the mesh, while keep the jar stored upside down to keep humidity in. In a about a week you get full grown wheat grass.

I attached pics for reference. If you figure out how to successfully grow the testudo mix indoors let us know plz! I normally have a lite green thumb but this mix in winter is proving to be quite a challenge!

View attachment 314383View attachment 314384View attachment 314385
This looks like "damping off", a fungal disease that is favored by cool and moist conditions. Most seeds don't require 100% humidity to germinate, and the jar is probably causing more harm than good. They would probably benefit from a heat mat, but take care not to let the soil dry out. The plants in that seed mix are meant to be grown outdoors and need high light. Light intensity falls off rapidly with distance from a light fixture. If the plants are pale colored and elongated, they aren't getting enough light. If they look wilted, thin, pinched, thread-like or rotten, they are probably "damping off".

M.
 
Joined
Dec 16, 2019
Messages
35
Location (City and/or State)
Fresno
This looks like "damping off", a fungal disease that is favored by cool and moist conditions. Most seeds don't require 100% humidity to germinate, and the jar is probably causing more harm than good. They would probably benefit from a heat mat, but take care not to let the soil dry out. The plants in that seed mix are meant to be grown outdoors and need high light. Light intensity falls off rapidly with distance from a light fixture. If the plants are pale colored and elongated, they aren't getting enough light. If they look wilted, thin, pinched, thread-like or rotten, they are probably "damping off".

M.
I forgot to add that seedlings don't need fertilizer for germination or early growth. Adding some at that stage may do more harm than good and is a waste of fertilizer.

M.
 

Prize007

New Member
Joined
Oct 15, 2020
Messages
17
Location (City and/or State)
Alexandria
I forgot to add that seedlings don't need fertilizer for germination or early growth. Adding some at that stage may do more harm than good and is a waste of fertilizer.

M.
Thanks, Matt! It sounds like you hit the nail on the head. I probably would have stubbornly gone through a few more fails before I would have figured this out, if I ever did! I will change thing up accordingly. ?
 

Sue Ann

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 19, 2019
Messages
436
Location (City and/or State)
chapin , South Carolina
I grew sulcata food seed mix outside last summer and it grew like crazy! No fertilizer.. just threw the seeds down in the outdoor enclosure and threw some peat over the seeds to cover them. And im the blackest thumb ull ever meet lol
I live in SC and my Sully lives outside full time now. In September I spread about 3 cups of testudo seed on the existing grass in his enclosure. It sprouted and is growing well despite a cold winter in the 30 and 40’s at night.
Dexter goes out and grazes and back to his heat box as he chooses. He is 8+ lbs and 10 1/2 in long. He is 18 mo old.
 

Sue Ann

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 19, 2019
Messages
436
Location (City and/or State)
chapin , South Carolina
I have the same mix and am having a bear of a time. I learned that fish fertilizer and humidity help but not too much humidity.

Here is my experience in the event you can learn from my mistakes lol:
I tried using a mix of the same soil/cocoa coir mix that my hatchling hermann's lives in, in a planter on the window sill and it didn't take. Read on here about organic fish fertilizer so I put some of that in the soil of my next 2 simultaneous attempts, and I put a jar over the planters for humidity. Much better success but one of the jars got moldy and I trashed it. (Too much humidity?) The sprouts in the other planter grew tall so I took jar off. This made them a bit sad looking and they haven't gone leafy yet. I think the lack of constant humidity damaged some of the sprouts. But sprouts are progress!

While the sprouts sit on the window sill and mock me by not leafing, I am starting my third attempt and plan to use less seeds and take jar off once the sprouts are 2-3 inches.

As far as wheat grass goes, because I saw it mentioned above, I grow it for my cat and it is super easy! I soak seeds for 12-24 hours. Then put them in jar with a mesh lid, swish with water, drain and store upside down daily by window until seeds start to sprout. Once they sprout I tap the jar so they collect on mesh and put a wet paper towel ball under the mesh, while keep the jar stored upside down to keep humidity in. In a about a week you get full grown wheat grass.

I attached pics for reference. If you figure out how to successfully grow the testudo mix indoors let us know plz! I normally have a lite green thumb but this mix in winter is proving to be quite a challenge!

View attachment 314383View attachment 314384View attachment 314385
Go to hardware store and get a seed starter system. It needs to be shallow not deep pots and a grow light makes the difference
 
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