New to growing your own tomatoes? This is the forum to learn the successful techniques used by seasoned tomato growers. Questions are welcome, too.
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#31 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Ontario
Posts: 3,893
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Linda |
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#32 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Ontario
Posts: 3,893
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I just heard back from my friend in NC who lost a batch of seedlings. Apparently, she had left them outside overnight and temps dipped to 40F, plus it was windy, so maybe that was what done 'em in
![]() Linda |
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#33 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Vancouver Island
Posts: 5,931
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![]() KarenO |
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#34 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Newfoundland, Canada
Posts: 6,794
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Can't blame the potting mix when it gets down to 40 F and windy....
![]() I didn't have a problem with seedlings but the greens I planted have been struggling a bit, 100% sure it is something wrong with the mix. Or possibly outright neglect. ![]() ![]() @oakley, the piccolo gato looks amazing! ![]() ![]() |
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#35 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: S.E. Wisconsin Zone 5b
Posts: 1,831
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Tomato seedlings that die from the top down, and growing tip turns brown then black, may be infected with Topocuvirus. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Topocuvirus
Dutch
__________________
"Discretion is the better part of valor" Charles Churchill The intuitive mind is a gift, and the rational mind is a faithful servant. But we have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift. (paraphrased) Albert Einstein I come from a long line of sod busters, spanning back several centuries. |
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#36 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: Southeastern PA
Posts: 1,420
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I use softened water for my seedlings without a problem.
Water softeners add a minimal amount of salt to drinking water and the main reason that people do not use it for outdoor watering is to save wear and tear on the water softener as well as money on salt. It is not because the salt will hurt the plants. All of our outdoor faucets are fed with unsoftened water. The amount of salt in your water is determined on how hard your water is and that determines how much salt is used to remove the hardness ions from the resin bed but even with really hard water the amount of residual salt in the drinking water is minimal. The softener only uses the salt that it needs and the amount of salt in the tank is immaterial. Last edited by brownrexx; April 14, 2019 at 02:15 PM. |
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#37 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Ontario
Posts: 3,893
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Thanks for your comments Brownrexx. I had been using softened water for years without any problems.
I guess it was the potting mix then. I had suspected it because it was "new" and had isolated it, re-potted everything and flushed each pot with rainwater. The seedlings that hadn't been killed all survived ![]() Linda |
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#38 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: Southeastern PA
Posts: 1,420
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I definitely don't think that you killed them with salt Labradors2.
I don't know what potting mix that you used but I always start mine in a soiless potting mix that contains no fertilizer and then I water them with half strength fertilizer after they get their first true leaves. I think that some regular potting mixes may have too much fertilizer and that can be too strong for tender seedlings. Or there is always the theory that the manufacturer added too much fertilizer to the mix by accident. Too much fertilizer can definitely be toxic. |
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#39 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Ontario
Posts: 3,893
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Thanks, Linda |
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#40 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Plantation, Florida zone 10
Posts: 9,283
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My PromixBX has no fertilizer. Only peat, perlite, vermiculite, dolomite, and mycorrhizae. The freshness off The Promix could make a difference, a lot can get in there and grow from the time of last season. Fungus gnats is one thing that could happen. The larvae eat tiny tomato roots.
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#41 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Ontario
Posts: 3,893
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Thanks Marsha. I'm using PromixHP for seed starting. (Apparently it has more perlite than BX). I'll look for the BX for next time.
I've encountered fungus gnats before. I have a feeling they are more likely to appear in bags that have been left outside in the rain, so I try to buy bags that have been housed inside. Linda |
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#42 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 2,591
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I had a total disaster with my seedlings this year. I use my own mix of peat perlite and vermiculite with just a little bit of a slow release pearled fert. I sanitized my starting chamber with a peroxide spray a couple of days before seeding. I added a fan on low as when the heater gets to temp and shuts down there is no air movement. Everything started out well. Good germination on most seeds. Got lights on them. Seedlings seemed to be doing well for over 2 weeks. Then suddenly some started falling over. Didn't seem like damp-off exactly. And I was alternating bottom soaking about every 4-5 days with daily spray watering with just water with some peroxide added. 1 pint to 2 gal water. Most were my own saved seeds that I bleach rinse before drying.
Last year I had some die before I started adding peroxide so this year added it from the start. Now I lost more than last year. I can't figure out what I did wrong other than I couldn't get them out to the greenhouse as soon as germinated because of late weather issues. But when we did get them out they continued to die. Did I use too much perxodide and dry them out ?? or what ?? I'm not going to have much for market sales this year and not knowing why is driving me crazy. Carol |
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#43 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Den of Drunken Fools
Posts: 38,539
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So you are saying you watered every time with a mixture of 16:1 peroxide water?
If so I think this is way over doing it. You just need to mist the soil with a spray bottle every now and then, not water with it. The vermiculite may be a factor too but no expert on the subject. |
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#44 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Detroit
Posts: 688
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Have you tested the PH of the mix? Maybe it is too acidic?
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#45 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 2,591
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No I haven't tested the ph but this is the same mix I've used successfully for 30 years.
I was wondering if I was doing the peroxide too much. But last year I was doing too little and lost a lot. but this year is way worse. I guess I'll have to find some mid point. Carol |
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