Seedlings are Dead... Again...

So I transplanted my seedlings again to 2 1/4" trays last week, I then was called to go out of town on business for about four days. I left specific instructions for my wife on how to care for the  little guys and reserved to loosing 1/2 of them.

When I returned on last Sunday, everything was dead, except the miscanthus sinesis go figure. So the lesson I learned was to not start perrenials in the heat of summer. I will attempt again next year for spring with better results hopefully. I was forced to place the plants outside in the garage for those days I was gone, and I think the heat was what ultimately did them in.

The Bio-Dome from Park Seed did, ultimately do as designed and I suspect I would have had viable plants if a series of errors on my part had been avoided.

• First I had planted way too early, and honestly should not have even attempted this until the winter time.
• Second, I left the Bio-Dome cover in place for too long. It is supposed to be removed the moment the seeds have sprouted and green leafs are visible. I did not understand my mistake with this until I talked to a staff herbologist at Park Seed. This is done to reduce humidity and the chance of a fungal infection, I left mine in place for almost a week too long, and every sponge was coated in a white fungus which I imagine ultimately helped to do in the plants.
• Last, I moved the seedlings outside too soon. Being the heat of August in East Texas the temperatures can exceed three digits, and the little guys were just not ready for such a difference in temperature.

So I think that the seed growing from here out on perennials  will be done only in the winter, when I can use nature to help maintain a viable temperature.