Raising the dead

Oh dear.  I went on a skiing holiday, only to find the mountains were suffering from climate change, and there was no snow.  When I returned, I discovered that my chilli seedlings had been trying desperately to survive through their own little climate change that I had thoughtlessly created for them in the heated propagator.

I had been in two minds about what to do - I could leave the lids off so they wouldn't succumb to damping off but might perish from drought, or I could keep the lids propped up, and risk creating ideal conditions for the damping off fungus to develop.  I decided to take off the lids, as it was so cold and damp outside I didn't think they would dry out. 

It was a game of chance, and unfortunately Lady Luck was not with me.  She was probably skiing somewhere exclusive and high altitude like Meribel, where there was plenty of snow. 

I admire how efficiently those seedlings must have adapted to the dryness, somehow clinging on to the remaining moisture for as long as they could.  It was a sorry sight that greeted me - seedlings draped over the sides of their trays, or prone on the earth, like dying soldiers in the desert.  I think one day later and I wouldn't have been able to revive them.  It was remarkable how quick their recovery was; in a day many that had seemingly expired were literally rising up from the dead as the water once more pumped through their cells.  I've had to resow the chilli willy variety though.

Anyway, it has taught me a lesson.  I've now bought some very glamorous propagators with vents in the lids, and plan to buy a heated mat to put underneath, so I can vary temperature according to their and my needs. 

So here they are in their new home, a little the worse for wear, but surviving nevertheless.