Sounds like you left the cover on far too long and damp-off developed. The cover should be removed as soon as the first signs of germination. I assume you also took them off the heat mat as soon as the germinated. If not that too is part of the problem and probably too late to save them.

You can find all details about these issues over on the Growing from Seed forum - which is very active this time of year. It also provides a great set of FAQs which cover all the how-to basics.

1. No it isn't and the lights are too high too.

2. Not normally.

3. Can't say as there might be some chances for saving some of them. Otherwise, after learning about proper methods I'd start over.

Dave

Here is a link that might be useful: Growing from Seed forum

-keep the light as close as possible to the seedling, as soon as they sprout
-put a fan on the seedlings as soon as they sprout
-keep the fan/light on for at least 12-14 hours daily
-keep the soil moist like a rung out sponge, not soggy like a saturated sponge..
-get a bright enough light(I have 12,000 lumens per 4 sq ft), normally a 2/4 light shoplight is sufficient, no need to waste money on special grow fixtures..

Good luck,
Joe

and as soon as the seedling leaves are flat out, start fertilizing w/ quarter strength fertilizer (the kind you dissolve in water)

I am assuming that a 72 cell tray has too small of cells for your kind of seedling program. It might be alright for starting seedling plugs that are soon transplanted to larger pots.

And the mesculin mix, lettuces etc like cooler air and soil temps then do the peppers and tomatos.
So, you might want to start them separately. Might even want to just put all the lettuce type things right directly in the ground.

Wayne raises a good point. Those 72 cell flats aren't for growing things in, just germinating them. The cells are way to small for much growth so if these are already a month old they would need to be moved to pots a couple of weeks back.

Dave

I didn't even cover container size.. I personally don't like transplanting seedling more than once,which is in the garden.. Transplanting or potting up seedlings stresses them out... I start my seedlings in big enough containers so there's no need for transplanting, no need for stressing the plants..

Joe

Thank you everyone for all the great advice and links to different forums. I thought I had done a fair amount of research before I got started but I'm definitely learning from some mistakes. I tossed most of the seedlings but did transplant a few to bigger pots just to see if they could make it. I have another question:
I would like to give it another whirl and plant some more seeds and I was thinking that this time I would give them more space to grow but given that where I live I should be able to direct sow in the next couple of weeks, should I just wait and put them in the ground? Also, if I started them in the seedling tray could I transplant them after just a couple of weeks? Thanks so much for all the help!

Whens your last frost date? If yours is around may 15 like me, I would start up a batch, that 6-7 weeks of growing indoors, is 6-7 weeks longer than it would be direct sowing.. If your last frost is in 2 weeks, I wouldn't bother.. It's just preference..

You asked "If a Start them in a seedlings tray could I transplant after just a couple of weeks"

Yes, I can't see why not.. Transplant them to what the garden, or to a bigger container indoors? By seedling tray, do you mean the 72 small flats you
germinate in, if so ibadvise you to use something bigger.. Use a container big enough where you wont have to pot them up to a bigger container,leave them sit in the pot that you sowed them in, until planting in the garden.. Once you see them germinating, you can take the cover off, but keep them
moist, but NOT saturated wet.. When they sprout, put a light as close to the seedling as possible without harm.. Also put on a fan directly blowing on the seedlings.. Keep the light and fan on 12-14 hours.. Keep the soil moistto
the touch but not wet, or your seedling are going to die.. Seedling are not that hard to grow as long as you keep the soil moist, sufficient light very close to seedlings, provide a fan blowing on them.. Most people kill plants by over care.. Remember your growing a plant, provide water and light and
it grows itself.. You don't need to baby your plants and overwater them.. They know how to survive just fine, given the rough growing parameters..

Best Of luck,
Joe