Tomato seedlings fallen over

mashauk · « **on:** April 08, 2008, 22:33 »

I finally got some to germinate, and they got to about 2 inches tall, I was keeping them in the seed tray along with other stuff, but they've all fallen over, sob!

new_2_veg · « **Reply #1 on:** April 08, 2008, 22:41 »

im getting no where with mine :cry:

agapanthus · « **Reply #2 on:** April 08, 2008, 23:25 »

Try re-potting them in 3inch pots....should help, also don't overwater.

puravida · « **Reply #3 on:** April 09, 2008, 08:02 »

I'm no expert but form what I have read, you can replant them right up to their first set of leaves. Tuck them in nice and firm. They'll grow more roots out of the stem and it will help sturdy them.

Failing that - you're not too late to get some more going? Tom seed packets have loads in there.

weeeed · « **Reply #4 on:** April 09, 2008, 10:02 »

I agree pot them up but be careful and definately don't overwater. Sounds like that is the problem. Have you added anything to the compost to aid airiation(what a fab word! Did a just make it up) could be that the compost is just too solid.

mashauk · « **Reply #5 on:** April 09, 2008, 19:37 »

Hmm, how much is overwatering? We've been spraying very lightly on a daily basis as they are mostly still in the seed cells, every time I've tried to move them they die anyway. The ones I've got in plastic boxes seem to be germinating better but I'm scared to touch them now as they just flop and cark it. I'm going to keep trying until the last possible minute.

Stripey_cat · « **Reply #6 on:** April 09, 2008, 20:53 »

Do they go very spindly just above the soil, but with the rest of the stem still plump? That's what happened to a few things I lost to damping off earlier this season. Nasty fungal problem - scrub your pots with Jeyes fluid, use sterile compost, and keep the air fairly dry (water from below using a tray).

mashauk · « **Reply #7 on:** April 09, 2008, 21:02 »

Quote from: "Stripey_cat"

Do they go very spindly just above the soil, but with the rest of the stem still plump? That's what happened to a few things I lost to damping off earlier this season. Nasty fungal problem - scrub your pots with Jeyes fluid, use sterile compost, and keep the air fairly dry (water from below using a tray).

No, they just fall over, they're about the width of a piece of watercress, don't think it's damping off as other stuff in the same trays is OK.

Trillium · « **Reply #8 on:** April 09, 2008, 22:31 »

Some plants respond differently to damping off, and spraying them every day is just asking for it. There are remedies for damp off at the garden supply places, though not organic, however when it comes to losing or keeping, it's your choice. I admit that I give all my young seedlings one spraying of that product which ensures they all make it. Or you can brew a pot of strong chamomile tea, cool it, then spray it over seedlings as a damp off preventative.

Nathan, are your seeds somewhere warm where they can germinate easily? Or somewhere cool that will keep them from sprouting? Tops of rads, etc, will help them to start.

mashauk · « **Reply #9 on:** April 09, 2008, 22:40 »

How often should I be watering them then please?

Trillium · « **Reply #10 on:** April 09, 2008, 22:46 »

Mostly its a matter of checking the 'soil' in the cell to see if it needs it, which I'd guesstimate at every 4-6 days with a proper watering rather than spritzing. The surface needs to dry just slightly before you water again. And do check the drainage tray below that the cells/pots aren't sitting in pools of water, another problem which will simply rot the roots quickly. Roots need to breathe, hence the delayed waterings. And be sure there's no drafts blowing on the seedlings. Draft and damp are death to young seedlings.

mashauk · « **Reply #11 on:** April 09, 2008, 23:30 »

Quote from: "Trillium"

Mostly its a matter of checking the 'soil' in the cell to see if it needs it, which I'd guesstimate at every 4-6 days with a proper watering rather than spritzing. The surface needs to dry just slightly before you water again. And do check the drainage tray below that the cells/pots aren't sitting in pools of water, another problem which will simply rot the roots quickly. Roots need to breathe, hence the delayed waterings. And be sure there's no drafts blowing on the seedlings. Draft and damp are death to young seedlings.

I was spritzing them because they're so tiny I thought anything more would have toppled them anyway. I'll ignore them for a couple of days and see what happens

The trays are just on sheets of newspaper, definitely not wet though. Can't avoid the drafts in my house though

Trillium · « **Reply #12 on:** April 09, 2008, 23:33 »

Could you create a little plastic enclosure for them with sticks as vertical supports and clear food wrap all around? Would definitely stop the side drafts unless they're sitting on the floor. Or cut the bottoms off empty soda bottles and pop them over the pots?

cooperman · « **Reply #13 on:** April 10, 2008, 00:10 »

hmmmm sowed my toms into cells, all came up strong, just repotted into 4" pots, checked them a bit but put them somewhere coolish but cosey and they are now picking up..... Still got lots more to repot but running out of space fast!! The sweet peppers are up but took a long time to germinate (3 weeks) which by what I read is usual BUT thy do need bottom heat.... On the toms front really inpressed with the vigour of San Marzano.....

Tomato seedlings Started by yummy on Grow Your Own	28 Replies 9386 Views	March 02, 2007, 23:16 by yummy
Tomato seedlings - how do I now tell which is which?? Started by sunlover on Grow Your Own	7 Replies 1980 Views	April 09, 2009, 16:57 by diggerjoe
Tomato Seedlings Started by Sleepingpopman on Grow Your Own	11 Replies 3562 Views	April 02, 2013, 16:51 by Totty
Where to keep tomato seedlings Started by mexi on Grow Your Own	2 Replies 1238 Views	February 26, 2012, 20:22 by mexi