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seeds Problems with seedlings

klyth

klyth

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Ok guys, all of my seedlings are either:

1. fallen over (the back 2, you can see in the picture)
2. turning yellow (it looks like a flash-shine in the pic, but its actually yellow) or
3. leaves are curling and wilting

I don't know whats wrong at all. Many of my girlfriends vegetables are having the exact same problem. We water them every 36 hours or so, and they've been healthy up until a couple days ago. Too much light? I leave the light on like 20 hours a day, about an inch from them. They're on a warming pad, too.

I can't think of anything except maybe they're too hot?? I unplugged my warming lights and the pad for the time being...

Any suggestions??
 
Reason one for problems. Jiffy pots. They are horrible. The hold too much moisture. Too much water is probably the cause.

Cut little basil sprouts btw.
 
GrumpyBear said:
are they dry after 36 hours? could be too much heat but maybe too much water...
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Bone dry after 36 hours, yup. If I go 48 hours they start to go limp. Already made that mistake.

imaguitargod said:
Reason one for problems. Jiffy pots. They are horrible. The hold too much moisture. Too much water is probably the cause.

Cut little basil sprouts btw.
Click to expand...

The peat pots hold moisture? I don't see how!! Even if that's the case, I wait for them to get totally dry before I water them again.
 
Ok - for the time being I'm raising the lights about 1 1/2" (its about 2" over them now). I'm also turning off my heat lights, but I'm leaving the propagation mat plugged in.

Hopefully they'll survive till morning...
 
I'd turn the heat mat and the heat lamp off because you cooked them I think. How cold is it in the room where your plants are? The heat mat is for the germination process, after they pop the soil the heat is no longer really needed. Just keep your plants above maybe 50 degrees at night and you should be fine. There still time to save those plants!
 
i think the prop mat should be enough heat, that extra heat light is the reason i'd say maybe heat. i'm suprised they're so dry after so little time, but then again that might also be the extra heat.
 
Pepper Ridge Farm said:
I'd turn the heat mat and the heat lamp off because you cooked them I think. How cold is it in the room where your plants are? The heat mat is for the germination process, after they pop the soil the heat is no longer really needed. Just keep your plants above maybe 50 degrees at night and you should be fine. There still time to save those plants!
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Since the heat lights are on all the plants, and they're all burned (I guess), I don't think its the prop mat - that's just under the peppers. If I turn everything off it should get down to 58-60. If that's ok, then I'll do that. I'll try tonight. I dont suppose they can get much worse!
 
GrumpyBear said:
i think the prop mat should be enough heat, that extra heat light is the reason i'd say maybe heat. i'm suprised they're so dry after so little time, but then again that might also be the extra heat.
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I'm thinking that too. I'll try 1 night with it off.
 
klyth said:
Ok - for the time being I'm raising the lights about 1 1/2" (its about 2" over them now). I'm also turning off my heat lights, but I'm leaving the propagation mat plugged in.

Hopefully they'll survive till morning...
Click to expand...


Do you have a thermometer? Can you put it on the top of the soil by one of the seedlings? I suspect as fast as the peat is drying out that they were too hot, but it's always better to check and know for sure.

I agree with leaving the seed starting mat on, you don't want to over-correct and let them get chilled..
 
I forget, are they in an enclosed area?...if they are not, what ever room they are in has a built in humidifyer...and the heat lamp just eats the moisture up...
 
Pam said:
Do you have a thermometer? Can you put it on the top of the soil by one of the seedlings? I suspect as fast as the peat is drying out that they were too hot, but it's always better to check and know for sure.

I agree with leaving the seed starting mat on, you don't want to over-correct and let them get chilled..
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The thermometer is on top of the mat (not in or on the soil) and typically read about 67.

AlabamaJack said:
I forget, are they in an enclosed area?...if they are not, what ever room they are in has a built in humidifyer...and the heat lamp just eats the moisture up...
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Not enclosed, no. I don't have a humidifier :(

I'll put the prop mat back on.

I didn't really think about it, but until now I've never adjusted the temperatures for night time. The heat lights and prop mats have NEVER been turned off. Only the flourescent lights get turned off at night.
 
Ok. The prop mat is plugged in.

For the time being, should I leave the heat lights off until they get better? Or should I turn them back on during the day, but turn them off at night?
 
klyth said:
The peat pots hold moisture? I don't see how!! Even if that's the case, I wait for them to get totally dry before I water them again.
Click to expand...

Peat pots are made out of peat moss from peat bogs. Damn right they hold moisture ;)
 
imaguitargod said:
Peat pots are made out of peat moss from peat bogs. Damn right they hold moisture ;)
Click to expand...

Not when they have a nice little drain hole in the bottom. I hear more people complain about them getting too dry then retaining too much water.
 
klyth said:
Ok. The prop mat is plugged in.

For the time being, should I leave the heat lights off until they get better? Or should I turn them back on during the day, but turn them off at night?
Click to expand...

You need to know how hot it's getting at the soil surface, where the seedlings are. I would leave the heat lights off until I had a chance to check that out.
 
I agree with some others that they may be getting too hot as I've had this problem.

As for the peat pots, I have to water mine Everyday as they get bone dry very quickly. They do have 4 drain/air holes on the bottom though that helps drain water and circulate the air/heat.
 
You can use the heat lamps in your room just awy from your plants where you'll cook them. The heat mat was used to warm your soil and make the seed think it's warm outside and I better sprout. When the little plants come to life dry heat from any source is bad and will make your plants wilt. Make the plant think it's livin' in the shade under some palm tree in Trinidad.:)
 
I've had the same problem with a few seedings just falling over and dying on me but only certain ones did. A Safi and a lemon hab and they weren't treated any different from the rest. I assumed mine were because of over-watering but even when I let them dry out they didn't survive. I had a theory that the soil had become so compact from originally over-watering and the roots could not grow, a crap idea I know but it made me feel better.
 
Ok. So I shouldn't even use the heaters during the day anymore. Got it. Hopefully the little guys spring back! And my g/f's veggies!!

*edit* They look even worse this morning. The one that was yellowing and standing last night is now laying down.

Last question: Should I transplant these into plastic cups for bottom watering? Or would that be too traumatic at this point?
 
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