Why are my seedings dying after sprouting?
Why are my seedlings falling over?
These are common questions we get from gardeners starting seeds.
It could be Damping Off.
Gardeners often run into seedling damping off – where their seedlings mysteriously start to shrivel and wilt at the base, then flop over and die. Damping off often occurs with overwatering and lack of air circulation, which allows water molds and fungi to grow and cause seedings to collapse and die, often overnight. Overly wet, cool conditions with still air can be deadly to seedlings.
Besides letting them dry out completely, the most common cause of seedlings dying is damping off. This invisible seedling killers are caused by soil-borne water molds and fungi that kill seedlings after they germinate.
Besides letting them dry out completely, the most common cause of seedlings dying is damping off. This invisible seedling killers are caused by soil-borne water molds and fungi that kill seedlings after they germinate.
The affected seedlings will usually have dark, shriveled stem bases, and they will flop over and die very quickly. Don't fret, it is very simple to prevent! See below...
Identifying Damping Off Symptoms:
(Sourced from: extension.umn.edu)
(Sourced from: extension.umn.edu)
- Seedlings fail to emerge from the soil.
- Cotyledons (the first leaves produced by a seedling) and seedling stems are water soaked, soft, mushy and may be discolored gray to brown.
- Seedling stems become water soaked and thin, almost thread like, where infected.
- Young leaves wilt and turn green-gray to brown.
- Roots are absent, stunted or have grayish-brown sunken spots.
- Fluffy white cobweb-like growth on infected plant parts under high humidity.
Damping off usually occurs in damp, cool,
still-air conditions, and it can be easily prevented.
still-air conditions, and it can be easily prevented.
Three easy ways to keep your
seedlings happy and healthy:
1. Provide Air Circulation & Movement
It is very important for seedlings to have air circulation and movement to prevent soil-borne water molds and fungi from growing. Put a small fan on the seedlings for a few hours a day, or you can brush the seedlings a few times daily with your hands. This helps the seedlings grow stockier, thicker stems and provides air circulation and movement that prevents damping off. Movement also stimulates seedlings to grow thicker stems, helping prevent them from getting leggy.
2. Don't overwater!
Really! Seedlings don't like to have soggy feet. If the growing medium is always soggy, you can have problems with damping off, mold and those pesky flying fungus gnats! You don't want your seedlings sitting in a puddle of water with soggy roots, that will surely end up in their demise... or at the very least, yellowing leaves and stunted growth. Make sure to let soil dry out slightly between watering, and, don't let seedlings sit in a tray of water for more than an hour. Seedlings with yellowing leaves is often a sign of overwatering, as seen in the photo below. Let them breathe.
3. Provide Good Light
A sunny window is usually not enough to grow healthy vegetable seedlings indoors – it's good to supplement with light so that they can grow strong and not-so leggy. While lack of air flow and movement can lead to leggy seedlings, so can lack of light. You don't need fancy lights, even an old standard fluorescent white light will do the trick. There are also now lots of LED lights that will help your vegetable seedlings grow strong before planting outdoors. Check out the Best Light for Seedlings »
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