Help - Tomato Seedlings Sick!

CaptAndy · May 4, 2011

I have started my seedlings from a Gurney's seed starter kit. This consists of deep peat pots seated in a styrofoam tray which floats on water, hence wicking the water from below and the roots come through the bottom and bathe in the water tray.

It was recommended that i begin a feeding solution after the true leaves appear. I put a solution as suggested on the miracle gro plant food label for inside plants. I am now beginning to realize this solution might be over doing it and could be the cause of my plants demise. The leaves began turning yellow and their growth came to a stop. Now a lot of leaves are curling up and have begun shriveling and dying,while the entire plants are flopping over. They also have not received a lot of sun over the past week as its been cloudy.

My solution so far is to back off the water dump the solution and let the very wet peat pots breathe. I have moved them down to the basement and placed them under growlights as well in order to hopefully save them. Please offer any other comments suggestions in order to get some life back in these babies.

RayR · May 4, 2011

Sounds like a plan, lay off the water and the blue stuff.

**mdvpc** · May 4, 2011

I agree. Too much water, too much fert.

les matzek · May 4, 2011

how much do you water them ?, it looks
like over watering, if you use m.g. try to
use no more than 3/4 teaspoon per gal.
good luck, regards.

les

CaptAndy · May 4, 2011

They have been constantly soaking in a tray of water where as my other seedlings grown in seed mix in single cells do not have this problem. I use about a teaspoon of m.g. per gallon and was pouring that solution directly into the tray and they float in the water in the styrofoam tray which houses the seed pots. In the beginning the roots were more pronounced soaking in the water but i have noticed they are almost nonexistent now. So this morning I dumped the solution out and elevated them up so the seed pots can breathe and dry out, but they are still quite saturated. I also brought them down in the basement and have put a heater nearby to bring the temp up to around 75 near them so it will assist them drying out quicker and placed them under growlights as its been cool and cloudy of late.

**mdvpc** · May 4, 2011

1 tsp of mg for seedlings is way too much. You might try next time 1/4 tsp if its mg that a you want to use.

Once you have got germination, leaving them soaking in water in the styrofoam tray isnt something you want to do. You are doing the right thing now.

Do you have them covered with the plastic cover? If so, you should take that off so they can dry out.

May 4, 2011	#3
mdvpc Tomatoville® Moderator Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 4,386	I agree. Too much water, too much fert. __________________ Michael

May 4, 2011	#6
mdvpc Tomatoville® Moderator Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 4,386	1 tsp of mg for seedlings is way too much. You might try next time 1/4 tsp if its mg that a you want to use. Once you have got germination, leaving them soaking in water in the styrofoam tray isnt something you want to do. You are doing the right thing now. Do you have them covered with the plastic cover? If so, you should take that off so they can dry out. __________________ Michael

May 4, 2011	#2
RayR Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Cheektowaga, NY Posts: 2,466	Sounds like a plan, lay off the water and the blue stuff.

May 4, 2011	#4
les matzek Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Landers, CA Posts: 191	how much do you water them ?, it looks like over watering, if you use m.g. try to use no more than 3/4 teaspoon per gal. good luck, regards. les

May 4, 2011	#5
CaptAndy Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2011 Location: Jersey Shore Posts: 2	They have been constantly soaking in a tray of water where as my other seedlings grown in seed mix in single cells do not have this problem. I use about a teaspoon of m.g. per gallon and was pouring that solution directly into the tray and they float in the water in the styrofoam tray which houses the seed pots. In the beginning the roots were more pronounced soaking in the water but i have noticed they are almost nonexistent now. So this morning I dumped the solution out and elevated them up so the seed pots can breathe and dry out, but they are still quite saturated. I also brought them down in the basement and have put a heater nearby to bring the temp up to around 75 near them so it will assist them drying out quicker and placed them under growlights as its been cool and cloudy of late.