Why are my seedlings dying.

Swedboy

Most of my seedlings has died since I potted them on. They have one by one developed a waist on the stem and then just faded away. Is this because it has been too cold outside during the days (wanted to stop them getting leggy) or because I have handled them badly when potting them on and inadvertently damaged the stems causing them to die. 

The seedlings were grown in a propagator and then kept indoors without the lid but with the heating on for another week. Planted them on last week and been keeping them out in the garden during the day for about 8h and then in by night.

The Tomatillos might have been to early to move out but the Fat Babies were ramping away.

Alan Clark2 in Liverpool

It sounds like damping-off disease. 

http://www.tomatodirt.com/damping-off.html

Purplerain

It could be damping off, but other things might have caused this. You might have damaged the roots by not holding the seedling by their leaves and handling the roots when you potted them on.

Another thing could be that you have potted them on with only the first leaves (cotyledon) showing. You should wait until the second pair of true leaves appear, as it weakens the seedling if you don't and they often die.

Finally, if you had them outside in strong direct sunlight without shade that could cause them to shrivel and vanish. Or...maybe it's none of the above 😀.

GemmaJF

Damping off usually happens in the propagator before pricking out. (At least that is when I've seen it). 

I have a feeling, the jump from propagator to outside was just too much. Next time try to acclimatise the seedlings in steps, firstly vents (if you have them) open on the propagator for part of the day, then lid off during the day back on at night, my seedlings stay in the propagator like that for weeks. Then slowly let them have a taste of the outside on selected days when they are becoming larger plants.

It's happened to all of us. I mostly do veg in the propagator in individual pots now, so they don't need pricking out, transplanting (never do it on a hot day), just repotting when big enough.

Mary370

Anyone who plant seeds have disasters.  Plant more and remove from propagated once they germinate, they don't need additional heat once they've germinated.  When potting on wait for first set of true leaves, don't put outside for a week or so, give them a chance to adjust. When putting them outside place them in a sheltered bright spot for a couple of hours then bring back inside, after about a week or so they will have adjusted to the outside and the night temperature is rising.  Hopefully this helps....... good luck 

Swedboy

Alan Clark2 in Liverpool said:

It sounds like damping-off disease. 

http://www.tomatodirt.com/damping-off.html

Don't think it damping off as it happened three weeks or so after germination.

Purplerain said:

It could be damping off, but other things might have caused this. You might have damaged the roots by not holding the seedling by their leaves and handling the roots when you potted them on.

Another thing could be that you have potted them on with only the first leaves (cotyledon) showing. You should wait until the second pair of true leaves appear, as it weakens the seedling if you don't and they often die.

Finally, if you had them outside in strong direct sunlight without shade that could cause them to shrivel and vanish. Or...maybe it's none of the above 😀.

The tomatillos hadn't developed true leaves but the Fat Babies had. The Courgettes would have been long lanky triffids if I had waited longer for them to be transposed.

Root damage might be the culprit.

They were standing in the shade until about midday when the sun has moved across the garden so it would be gradual.

GemmaJF said:

Damping off usually happens in the propagator before pricking out. (At least that is when I've seen it). 

I have a feeling, the jump from propagator to outside was just too much. Next time try to acclimatise the seedlings in steps, firstly vents (if you have them) open on the propagator for part of the day, then lid off during the day back on at night, my seedlings stay in the propagator like that for weeks. Then slowly let them have a taste of the outside on selected days when they are becoming larger plants.

It's happened to all of us. I mostly do veg in the propagator in individual pots now, so they don't need pricking out, transplanting (never do it on a hot day), just repotting when big enough.

They were slowly weened of the heat. Lid off with heating on for a couple of days then without heating. I then potted them on and exiled them to the garden during the day.

It was quite a nice and warm day when I repotted them...

Mary370 said:

Anyone who plant seeds have disasters.  Plant more and remove from propagated once they germinate, they don't need additional heat once they've germinated.  When potting on wait for first set of true leaves, don't put outside for a week or so, give them a chance to adjust. When putting them outside place them in a sheltered bright spot for a couple of hours then bring back inside, after about a week or so they will have adjusted to the outside and the night temperature is rising.  Hopefully this helps....... good luck 

I think the true leaves is the culprit here. My garden is quite sheltered, walls on three side plus a fence but I suspect they did go outside too early too.

Oddly enought the only cucamelon that survived is doing fine (touch wood) as is the tomato plants and dahlias.

Thanks for the advice. I better plant some more in individual pots