Help diagnosing seedling issues.

WhippoorwillG · April 7, 2013

I have never experienced the issues a friend of mine is having with her tomato seedlings. I helped her get them planted and started, but something has gone severely wrong.

They were planted in a coir seed starting mix (which I have never used before) and topped with vermiculite. They are inside and under fluorescent lamps. They looked great at first, but started showing a range of issues from intense gold/brown cotyledons, brown necrotic splotches on the leaves, and a range of unhealthy colors.

First fertilize was not applies until first true leaves started to appear (at that time, the issues were already manifesting).

Thoughts?

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Cole_Robbie · April 7, 2013

Based upon the way some of them are leaning over, it looks like damping off to me. If your media was sterilized and you never used a beneficial or mycorrhizae product, then it's a spin of the wheel as to which bacteria will take over, the good or the bad. If it's damping off, the stem will look pinched at the soil level and the seedling will break off when you touch it.

KarenO · April 7, 2013

some still look OK. don't try to salvage the sick ones. get the diseased ones out of there asap and try to rescue the rest if they look healthy by transplanting them out of the seedling tray and plant them up to just below the leaves. looks fungal to me so less water, more air circulation and if planning to resow the ones lost, sterilize the tray and supplies with a soak in a 10% chlorine bleach solution and rinse and dry well following. I am personally not a fan of coir as I find it stays too wet but everyone has their preferences. If it were me, in that type of tray I would use a commercial brand of sterlie seedling starting mix. I find it drains better. also water from the bottom ALWAYS keeping the seedlings themselves dry and if you use a clear cover to germinate, take it off as soon as the first one pops up.
i think you can save at least some of them but don't wait
ko

Heritage · April 7, 2013

Mark,

How long ago did you fertilize and what did you use?

Steve

WhippoorwillG · April 7, 2013

They were fertilized three days ago with a kelp/fish emulsion mix. I usually use a fafard or pro mix starting mix and have had little to no problems.

My friend had bought a sealed small bag of jiffy coir seed starting mix. I'm pretty sure that there is little to no damping off. Stems aren't buckling at the soil level.

The light was initially to high with not enough air circulation, which I felt caused the lanky weak stems, but maybe not. Another recommendation I made was to water with distilled water on the chance that the well water had issues.

I appreciate the feedback and will recommend she transplant the salvageable ones. I will use pro mix to do so since I am more comfortable working with it.

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b54red · April 7, 2013

Get them outside as soon as possible in partial shade and move to full sun as soon as possible without burning them. If they are too wet moving them outside will correct that and if they need more fertilizer then you can add more when they are acclimated to the outside and need watering again.

WhippoorwillG · April 9, 2013

It was most definitely fungal. I brought them to my house to try and save them. I transplanted 50 to larger cells and am still waiting to see if they are salvageable. When. I lifted the tray out, there was red goo, and white fuzz poking out of some of the drain holes.

Fingers crossed that transplant salvaged some of the less infected plants.

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KarenO · April 9, 2013

hope it works, let us know how it turns out. I still think you can save some of them.
KO

April 7, 2013	#5
WhippoorwillG Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Hartwell, Georgia Posts: 174	They were fertilized three days ago with a kelp/fish emulsion mix. I usually use a fafard or pro mix starting mix and have had little to no problems. My friend had bought a sealed small bag of jiffy coir seed starting mix. I'm pretty sure that there is little to no damping off. Stems aren't buckling at the soil level. The light was initially to high with not enough air circulation, which I felt caused the lanky weak stems, but maybe not. Another recommendation I made was to water with distilled water on the chance that the well water had issues. I appreciate the feedback and will recommend she transplant the salvageable ones. I will use pro mix to do so since I am more comfortable working with it. Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2 __________________ Mark Whippoorwill Gardens

April 9, 2013	#7
WhippoorwillG Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Hartwell, Georgia Posts: 174	It was most definitely fungal. I brought them to my house to try and save them. I transplanted 50 to larger cells and am still waiting to see if they are salvageable. When. I lifted the tray out, there was red goo, and white fuzz poking out of some of the drain holes. Fingers crossed that transplant salvaged some of the less infected plants. Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2 __________________ Mark Whippoorwill Gardens

April 7, 2013	#2
Cole_Robbie Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Illinois, zone 6 Posts: 8,407	Based upon the way some of them are leaning over, it looks like damping off to me. If your media was sterilized and you never used a beneficial or mycorrhizae product, then it's a spin of the wheel as to which bacteria will take over, the good or the bad. If it's damping off, the stem will look pinched at the soil level and the seedling will break off when you touch it.

April 7, 2013	#3
KarenO Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Vancouver Island Posts: 5,932	some still look OK. don't try to salvage the sick ones. get the diseased ones out of there asap and try to rescue the rest if they look healthy by transplanting them out of the seedling tray and plant them up to just below the leaves. looks fungal to me so less water, more air circulation and if planning to resow the ones lost, sterilize the tray and supplies with a soak in a 10% chlorine bleach solution and rinse and dry well following. I am personally not a fan of coir as I find it stays too wet but everyone has their preferences. If it were me, in that type of tray I would use a commercial brand of sterlie seedling starting mix. I find it drains better. also water from the bottom ALWAYS keeping the seedlings themselves dry and if you use a clear cover to germinate, take it off as soon as the first one pops up. i think you can save at least some of them but don't wait ko

April 7, 2013	#4
Heritage Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: San Diego Posts: 1,255	Mark, How long ago did you fertilize and what did you use? Steve

April 7, 2013	#6
b54red Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Alabama Posts: 7,068	Get them outside as soon as possible in partial shade and move to full sun as soon as possible without burning them. If they are too wet moving them outside will correct that and if they need more fertilizer then you can add more when they are acclimated to the outside and need watering again.