What have I done ?

[JimmyWu]

Hi all... I was planning to start a new thread on a Camp garden today. But will have to take care of this little problem while I still have a garden to start.

Here's a pic of my plants less than a month old.

The cotyledons are yellowing and falling off, is that normal ? Also, some of the true leaves have dry patches. Looks like they're dying off.

I've had them outside in the shade a few times, and in a sunny window for short periods. I water with a sprayer when the the soil looks dry. I did have my daughter water this past weekend while I was at work, she may have over done it.

I keep them under lights ( T8bulbs ) 1-2", for about 12-14 hrs.

Are they to wet and maybe getting a little burned ? I'm also using Ferry Morse starting mix.

-Jimmy

[Alberta]

From what I can see of the pictures, they need to be repotted individually.
Alberta

[jcmorse33]

The dry patches look like either sunburn, or cold damage (after the damaged tissue has had a chance to dry out). I had cold damage last year that looked similar when I put my seedlings out on a cool day with a stiff breeze that created some windchill that I forgot to take into account.

I also agree with the comment that they look ready to be repotted to individual containers.

[bcday]

The brown spots on the true leaves look like sunburn, possibly from the sun shining on the leaves while they are wet. Try using something besides a sprayer to water the plants so the leaves don't get wet. Young seedlings are susceptible to burning.

[annecros]

Oh my James! I am here to commiserate - I use a different method for seed starting - but trust me, I understand. I've murdelized more than one innocent little tomato seedling in my day! I think you will be surprised at how well they bounce back, though. I have also transplanted into the ground seedlings as young as 5 to 6 weeks, just because they "looked" like they were ready, and have seen them thrive. It's an art, not a science.

They do seem to be screaming for their own pots. It seems to me, and speaking from limited experience, I do sense that seedlings grow at different rates depending upon soil temp, conditions, a gazillion other things, etc. You can't just depend upon strict timing, you have to let the little buggers tell you what's up. Bottom watering is great. Just let them soak the water up from the bottom, then empty the bottom tray after half an hour or so.

Pot them up, baby them, and sow whatever you have left as backups. At least the small fruited and the heat tolerant types, many won't miss three weeks. There are more seed where some of those came from!

I am traveling right now but will pop some more seed in the mail when I get home. Tomato seed are cheap and plentiful, experience cannot be replaced! Good luck, and I am sure you will be fine.

Anne

[dice]

bcday's diagnosis looks right on to me.

Unlike actual disease, they are probably just slowed down
some in their early development. I would keep those leaves
on there until the plants with the damaged leaves have new
ones with no damage, then snip the damaged ones off.
I expect that they will grow normally.

Most tomato growers seem to avoid misting seedlings,
because fungal leaf disease is such a chronic malady
with tomatoes. They may mist the seed-starting mix
while waiting for the seedlings to emerge, and they
may foliar feed larger, well-established plants (in early
morning or evening on dry days), but they usually do not
mist the seedlings once they have emerged. Instead, they
bottom water until the seedling is big enough to transplant.
This avoids both making a friendlier environment for fungi
that attack foliage and the risk of burning them if you happen
to set them in direct sunlight right after misting them.

(The kind of sunburn that they get when moving them from
indoors to direct outdoor sun without hardening them off
first usually affects the whole leaf, not just patches of it.)

[cottonpicker]

I agree with dice..... I mist the soil during the early sprouting phase but I never mist the baby or more mature plants. I always keep water from the leaves as much as possible.
LD

[shelleybean]

Hi, Jimmy. I agree that the spots on the foliage look like sunburn, especially on that one PL plant that shows clearly in your picture. I stop misting the soil when the seeds germinate and then I bottom water my plants until they are planted into the garden. I think if you get them into individual containers and protect them from the sun they'll be fine. Good luck!

[JimmyWu]

Thanks for the replies...

The babies are looking better and I'm getting ready to transplant into larger containers (10-12oz. Cups).

Newb here taken lumps and learning lessons !!!

I'm excited, only about a month away till they get in the ground.

-Jimmy