Gah!!!

[Aurora]

Ok I need alil help here. **shakes her green thumb**
I planted lemon balm and mint earlier and started them inside like the goofy lil package said to do. Everything was going fine till a week ago when I planted them outside and...... well it seems my green thumb is broke. They died on me 8O . I watered them every week and had given them food right when I transplanted them outside. Any suggestions on what I did wrong?
**holds her broken thumb and waits for the doctor**:rolleyes:

[Lavender]

Hmmm...(thinking on this one)...

Mint & Lemon Balm are usually very hardy & easy to grow. Although, I don't think mint grows true from seeds.

Did the tops turn brown? I was growing chamomile & noticed the plants have all turned brown. I dug down & found that something ate ALL the roots! You might want to check that too & see if anything's eating the roots.

Has it been very hot where you are? Are the plants getting too much or not enough water?

Also, before transplanting young seedlings outside, you should acclimatize them first by putting them outside in the shade for a short time & increasing the exposure each day.

[EasternPriest]

If the plants turned yellow..it may have been a combination of too much water and/or too little iron in the soil.

[idusty88]

Originally posted by Aurora
Ok I need alil help here. **shakes her green thumb**
I planted lemon balm and mint earlier and started them inside like the goofy lil package said to do. Everything was going fine till a week ago when I planted them outside and...... well it seems my green thumb is broke. They died on me 8O . I watered them every week and had given them food right when I transplanted them outside. Any suggestions on what I did wrong?
**holds her broken thumb and waits for the doctor**:rolleyes:
The shock of going from inside, with filtered light and moderated temperatures, to outside, with the full sun and temperature extremes, may have been enough to kill them by itself. Normally a plant should be 'hardened off' or acclimated to the new environment, by taking incremental steps. Say, being planted late in the day (this is to protect from the heat of the day, since this is hardening off for summertime, springtime would need a morning start to avoid the cool of night) and provided a shade from direct sun for about a week. Also, a new planting should be watered daily for the first week and every other day for the second week, until it is established.
After transplanting, it takes most herbaceous plants a couple weeks to establish themselves. During this time no fertilizer should be applied, because it will burn the new roots the plant is putting out. Growing a root system capable of sustaining the plant is what getting establised means.
Personally, I wouldn't start seeds indoors unless outside was just too cold for them to germinate. I like to start my seeds in a tray on the patio, where they get morning sun only. They get the protection they need to get started, but don't require too much coddling to adjust to the garden.

[Aurora]

Oops.... forgot to acclimate them ..... and yes it's been very warm here in St. Louis..... don't think I over watered them..... the turned that yellow brown color ..... so I'm going to try it again.
**crosses fingers** and see what happens