Seedlings going down fast - help!

jholland · April 4, 2013

Hi - I am growing about 70 heirloom seedlings under grow lights they were all planted in organic seedling soil and have had not other additives/fertilizers etc. The plants range from 2-3inches high.

Last week several of the seedlings had their bottom leaves dry up and fall off and I thought perhaps I had just set the soil get too dry so didn't worry too much. This week all the plants have had their bottom leaves fall off. Upon closer examination there are tiny purplish (maybe black?) dots on the leaves and the tips dry up, fold in and eventually fall off. On some plants the bottom leaves are turning yellow and falling off. The top leaves of the plants seem fine and the base of the plants are straight and strong but the bottom leaves continue to fall off....some of the smaller plants are down to one leaf!

I have been growing these plants for a plant sale that is in a month and am in a panic because it doesn't seem to quite meet any of the diseases that I've read about but I'm not sure if its a nutrient issue either.

If any one can help me identify what is going on and hopefully save the plants I would appreciate it.

PS. I was planning on transplanting the seedlings to larger pots and starting to harden them off since our weather just started to stay above freezing.

Heritage · April 5, 2013

jholland,

It looks like they need fertilizer - probably there was very little (if any) in your seed mix and what was there is now depleted.

I would pot them up into a quality potting mix, something coarser with better drainage. If they don't green up after a week, water the new soil with a 1/4 - 1/2 strength (~teaspoon/gal) of Miracle Grow soluble fertilizer (or equivalent). Also, I wouldn't start to harden them off until they start to show some improvement.

Good luck,
Steve

RayR · April 5, 2013

I had the same thing happen a few years ago, some kind of damping off fungus from what I could tell. Not all the seedlings got it, I'd have a healthy seedling next to a sick one in the same cell, which was weird. The sick seedlings didn't recover, they would start losing leaves from the cots up. The stems near the soil line were thin and brown too.

FILMNET · April 5, 2013

Soil? not starting soil which is not soil

efisakov · April 5, 2013

Do you see a tiny black flies around?
I had, few years ago, problem with gnats. They are very common.
In the larva stage they eat roots of the plants. You may not see them if they are in that stage.
I used 1 part 3% Hydrogen peroxide with 3 parts water. It helps with gnats and fungus problem. I water once a week with that. I use see-through plastic containers, it is easy to see how the root system develops.
good luck

RebelRidin · April 5, 2013

I think Heritage may be on to it there...

jholland · April 5, 2013

Thank you all for the info! I repotted all of the plants up today and will look into a fertilizer if they don't turn around in the next week. Crossing my fingers...

dinca · April 6, 2013

If you are describing the situation that can be seen in the photos, then you may be just fine. The fallen "leaves" in the second photo and the ones yellowing in the third are cotyledons - not true leaves. Cotyledons naturally turn yellow and drop off.

April 5, 2013	#5
efisakov Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: NJ, zone 7 Posts: 3,162	Do you see a tiny black flies around? I had, few years ago, problem with gnats. They are very common. In the larva stage they eat roots of the plants. You may not see them if they are in that stage. I used 1 part 3% Hydrogen peroxide with 3 parts water. It helps with gnats and fungus problem. I water once a week with that. I use see-through plastic containers, it is easy to see how the root system develops. good luck __________________ Ella God comes along and says, "I think I'm going to create THE tomato!”

April 5, 2013	#6
RebelRidin Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Maryland's Eastern Shore Posts: 993	I think Heritage may be on to it there... __________________ George _____________________________ "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants. It is it’s natural manure." Thomas Jefferson, 1787

April 5, 2013	#2
Heritage Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: San Diego Posts: 1,255	jholland, It looks like they need fertilizer - probably there was very little (if any) in your seed mix and what was there is now depleted. I would pot them up into a quality potting mix, something coarser with better drainage. If they don't green up after a week, water the new soil with a 1/4 - 1/2 strength (~teaspoon/gal) of Miracle Grow soluble fertilizer (or equivalent). Also, I wouldn't start to harden them off until they start to show some improvement. Good luck, Steve

April 5, 2013	#3
RayR Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Cheektowaga, NY Posts: 2,466	I had the same thing happen a few years ago, some kind of damping off fungus from what I could tell. Not all the seedlings got it, I'd have a healthy seedling next to a sick one in the same cell, which was weird. The sick seedlings didn't recover, they would start losing leaves from the cots up. The stems near the soil line were thin and brown too.

April 5, 2013	#4
FILMNET Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: North Charleston,South Carolina, USA Posts: 1,803	Soil? not starting soil which is not soil

April 5, 2013	#7
jholland Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Kentcuky Posts: 4	Thank you all for the info! I repotted all of the plants up today and will look into a fertilizer if they don't turn around in the next week. Crossing my fingers...

April 6, 2013	#8
dinca Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: California Posts: 269	If you are describing the situation that can be seen in the photos, then you may be just fine. The fallen "leaves" in the second photo and the ones yellowing in the third are cotyledons - not true leaves. Cotyledons naturally turn yellow and drop off.