Seedling troubles

gryffin · May 10, 2016

Hi all:

Any thoughts on what might be happening to this seedling? See the wilting leaves on the right side.

ContainerTed · May 10, 2016

I've seen something similar on "sun burn" and on "frost damage". The sagging wilted look and the fact that the damage seems to be on the edges might suggest light frost damage.

gryffin · May 10, 2016

I should have included more information.

The seedlings haven't been outside yet- just under lights. There are 13 others that look ok and one that looks a bit stressed but has no wilting. All of the seedlings are of different varieties. They were potted up about 10 days ago and started the first week of April.

oakley · May 10, 2016

Pinch those off if not already...get a fan on them, light wind. Sometimes when the leaves touch a cold window even on a warm day, overnight temps get cold. Leaves don't like touching cold glass....

Just a guess having gone through that look-isn recently. Mine was cold on the dead drooping leaves.

If not that issue it could be your potting up mix having an uneven 'cluster' of fert that burns being absorbed in one root structure. And if those are peat pots they can be a difficult mess keeping seedlings properly moist and evenly moist.

Any healthy ones keep elsewhere if possible and segregate the sick ones. Someone might have a better idea what is wrong....

ContainerTed · May 10, 2016

Agree with Oakley. Leaves touching lights for a short period can also produce similar symptoms. If in contact with the light bulbs for too long, the plant material will dehydrate and then exhibit browning out.

If not a disease, then I side with the cold surface contact possibility.

gryffin · May 11, 2016

The pots are dot (fertil) pots. No peat, but I think they suffer from similar problems. I'll probably go all plastic next year.

No possibility of touching cold glass- they are in my basement along a wall. Uneven fertilization, uneven moisture, or touching a light when I shifted the light to water the seedlings are all possibilities.

I have two other unhappy seedlings- one is a Matt's Wild Cherry that has all of its leaves curled down and in, the other is a Brandywine that lost its cotyledons but otherwise looks healthy- this last one I think got too much fertilizer too soon.

Starlight · May 11, 2016

I somewhat agree with Oakley and Container Ted. I think not enough light, and too cool in the basement with too much watering. Those type of pots dry out fast on the top, but they hold alot of moisture in the bottom and rot the roots.

If they were mine, I would do as suggested. Take off all the bad leaves, put a little bamboo stake to hold the plant up and transplant into some solo cups if you don't have any plastic pots. I'm not sure what the size solo plastic cups most of the folks use, but maybe somebody will chime in about that.

May 10, 2016	#2
ContainerTed Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: 6a - NE Tennessee Posts: 4,538	I've seen something similar on "sun burn" and on "frost damage". The sagging wilted look and the fact that the damage seems to be on the edges might suggest light frost damage. __________________ Ted ________________________ Owner & Sole Operator Of The Muddy Bucket Farm and Tomato Ranch

May 10, 2016	#5
ContainerTed Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: 6a - NE Tennessee Posts: 4,538	Agree with Oakley. Leaves touching lights for a short period can also produce similar symptoms. If in contact with the light bulbs for too long, the plant material will dehydrate and then exhibit browning out. If not a disease, then I side with the cold surface contact possibility. __________________ Ted ________________________ Owner & Sole Operator Of The Muddy Bucket Farm and Tomato Ranch

May 10, 2016	#3
gryffin Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: New Hampshire Posts: 229	I should have included more information. The seedlings haven't been outside yet- just under lights. There are 13 others that look ok and one that looks a bit stressed but has no wilting. All of the seedlings are of different varieties. They were potted up about 10 days ago and started the first week of April.

May 10, 2016	#4
oakley Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: NewYork 5a Posts: 2,303	Pinch those off if not already...get a fan on them, light wind. Sometimes when the leaves touch a cold window even on a warm day, overnight temps get cold. Leaves don't like touching cold glass.... Just a guess having gone through that look-isn recently. Mine was cold on the dead drooping leaves. If not that issue it could be your potting up mix having an uneven 'cluster' of fert that burns being absorbed in one root structure. And if those are peat pots they can be a difficult mess keeping seedlings properly moist and evenly moist. Any healthy ones keep elsewhere if possible and segregate the sick ones. Someone might have a better idea what is wrong....

May 11, 2016	#6
gryffin Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: New Hampshire Posts: 229	The pots are dot (fertil) pots. No peat, but I think they suffer from similar problems. I'll probably go all plastic next year. No possibility of touching cold glass- they are in my basement along a wall. Uneven fertilization, uneven moisture, or touching a light when I shifted the light to water the seedlings are all possibilities. I have two other unhappy seedlings- one is a Matt's Wild Cherry that has all of its leaves curled down and in, the other is a Brandywine that lost its cotyledons but otherwise looks healthy- this last one I think got too much fertilizer too soon.

May 11, 2016	#7
Starlight Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: AL Posts: 1,993	I somewhat agree with Oakley and Container Ted. I think not enough light, and too cool in the basement with too much watering. Those type of pots dry out fast on the top, but they hold alot of moisture in the bottom and rot the roots. If they were mine, I would do as suggested. Take off all the bad leaves, put a little bamboo stake to hold the plant up and transplant into some solo cups if you don't have any plastic pots. I'm not sure what the size solo plastic cups most of the folks use, but maybe somebody will chime in about that.