In the Middle Zone, crops with a long ripening period (for example, root celery, strawberries or eggplants) have to be sown for seedlings early - even in winter. Often a big problem arises with the seedlings of these “early birds” - very young seedlings suddenly begin to fall. Either the stem becomes thinner and the plant falls to the side, or the young shoots, one after another, simply lie on the ground so as not to rise again. What's happening? We often sin with the “black leg” and begin to save seedlings with antifungal procedures. But, in truth, this disease is not as common as we used to think.
Why do the seedlings fall? And what to do to prevent such a nuisance? Let's figure it out.
We have counted as many as five reasons why seedlings may fall. “Blackleg,” of course, is one of them, but first, let’s look at the more likely “culprits.”
Why do tomato seedlings die after germination?
It happens that the sprouts just sprouted, but did not live even 3-6 days. They began to bend and eventually died. There may be several reasons for this, and they are similar to those already listed.
Buying seeds from a well-known brand does not always guarantee healthy tomato bushes. It’s rare, but it still happens that mistakes are made during packaging and a virus or infection is introduced into the entire pack, which subsequently kills the plant, not allowing it to survive even a week. To prevent sudden withering, the soil and the seeds themselves are treated before planting. This is done using Fitosporin-M (1-1.5 grams per 100-150 milliliters of water for 1.5-2 hours) or Chlorhexidine for 30 minutes.
Small sprouts are especially sensitive to improper watering and sudden changes in air temperature.
Tomatoes love warmth, not heat. It is important to monitor the temperature and environmental conditions. Excessive direct sunlight can only burn emerging seedlings. To prevent this, the container is covered with a cloth that allows air to pass through. This will regulate the temperature and will also prevent drafts from entering. If you do not protect the seeds from temperature changes, they will die before being planted in the greenhouse.
It is important to remember a moderate amount of hydration at all stages. Small sprouts are watered as the soil dries. Frequent irrigation is as harmful as insufficient irrigation. For safe watering, you can use a spray bottle; it will moisten the soil and not harm the roots.
Important! Before using any containers for watering, they must be thoroughly washed, otherwise an infection can be introduced into the still immature rhizome.
Infection with diseases
Tomatoes at the seedling stage can also be affected by diseases. The cause of infection is seeds or soil. And not proper care stimulates their development. The most common cause of leaf wilting is the following diseases:
- Fusarium;
- blackleg.
Fusarium wilt (fusarium wilt)
A fungal disease that affects both adult bushes and young seedlings. The causative agent of fusarium is fungal bacteria of the genus Fusarium. Infection occurs through spores that remain viable in the soil for several years. With fusarium, the root is primarily affected and as a result, you can observe that the seedlings become lethargic and fall.
Solution
The disease is complex and the fight against it does not always bring positive results. If fusarium is diagnosed, tomatoes are treated with Trichodermin. Spray the solution over the leaf. They also spill soil on them. Treatment is carried out 2-3 times, every 10 days.
Unfortunately, treatment does not always help. The best way to avoid fusarium is pre-plant disinfection of soil and seeds.
Blackleg
A fungal disease that often affects tomato seedlings. Infection occurs from the ground. When infected, the stems below become thin, the lower leaves turn yellow, and the seedlings fall. It develops quickly and affects all seedlings in a short time. Stimulates disease development: excess moisture
- thickened plantings;
- poor ventilation;
- low temperatures;
- belated picking.
Solution
If the first diseased seedling is discovered, then there is still a chance to save part of the seedlings. To do this, do the following:
- Remove diseased plants with a clod of earth.
- The seedlings that grew next to the affected ones are also removed.
- Treat the area where the diseased tomatoes were located with a solution of potassium permanganate (1.5 g per 10 liters of water).
The best way to avoid blackleg infection is through preventative measures.
- The soil is disinfected (potassium permanganate solution, boiling water).
- The seeds are sown in special cassettes.
- The seedlings are treated with Previkur (twice before transplanting into the ground or greenhouse).
- do not allow the seedlings to thicken, thin out and carry out picking in a timely manner.
Why do tomato seedlings fall after picking?
Often, inaccurate picking ends in the death of several seedlings. They begin to wither and fall to the ground. There are only two reasons for this behavior: a change in the composition of the soil into which the transplant was carried out or mechanical damage.
Note! Not all varieties can cope with sudden changes in soil composition. To prevent the loss of a large number of seedlings, it is better to use the same soil in the dive.
In addition to this, there are a number of other reasons. Diving has its own procedure that must be followed. Missing even one can have negative consequences.
- Watering. Before picking, all plants are watered. If this is not done, there will be a high probability of damage to the roots when removing the seedlings from the ground. They are not always able to recover, hence the withering.
- Seizure. It is important to carefully remove seedlings from the ground. It’s better to do it one at a time and raking it a little with your fingers.
- Grab. Experienced gardeners have noticed more than once that if a plant is taken by the trunk and not by the leaves, then it then behaves strangely and may fall. If the procedure is performed without gloves, the risk of infection in the stem increases.
- Landing. Young roots are very sensitive to any changes in their position. Be sure to monitor how they are located in the ground. If turned carelessly, the root loses its conducting function and the plant cannot obtain enough useful elements from the soil.
After picking, seedlings are very sensitive to soil changes.
Additional Information! Immediately after diving, the plants are placed in a dark but warm place; excessive sun can be harmful. Tomatoes respond well to transplants and even love them, but only if all the rules are followed.
Seedlings fall on their sides in too dense soil
Not only excess watering increases the risk of seedling death.
The reason may be dense soil, in which even a small amount of moisture stagnates and cuts off oxygen to the roots. A good substrate should have a light, loose, porous structure. So, simply digging up soil from the garden bed and filling seedling pots with it will not work. Soil for seedlings is always a mixture of various components. In addition to soil, it may include perlite, vermiculite, sand, coconut fiber, peat, humus, vermicompost, sawdust. The ideal solution would be to prepare your own soil for each crop. But when you don’t have the energy and time for such a big job, you can use a universal option. For example, this: 3 parts of soil + 1 part of vermicompost (humus) + 1 part of low-lying peat + 1/2 part of perlite or sand.
How to prepare good soil for peppers? What components do strawberries prefer? You will find more than 20 soil recipes for seedlings of the main garden crops in our reference table “Soil for seedlings: how to properly prepare the soil for each crop.”
Why do tomato seedlings die from the root?
There are several reasons why tomato seedlings wither and fall from the root. This may be due to insufficient light. There should be full daylight; there is no need to put the tomatoes in the shade. Lack of sun contributes to loss of color and blackening of the stem. The roots begin to stretch out strongly, and the same thing happens to the plant. Without light, it is difficult for a plant to grow and develop. It begins to gradually lower its leaves down, and soon fades. But at the same time, tomatoes cannot tolerate direct rays of the sun, especially young ones and those just transplanted from a common container.
Advice! It is important to monitor and control the sun's rays on the seedlings. So that this factor remains in balance. It would be best to choose a southern window sill and place it there.
Lack of nutrition
Plant leaves are like litmus test. Their color will tell you what microelements the young seedlings lack:
- there is little nitrogen in the soil - the leaves are small, pale in color, the stems are weak, stunted, the lower plants turn yellow, dry out and die.
- purple coloration of stems and leaves indicates a lack of phosphorus.
- the leaves turn yellow and curl - the plants lack potassium and iron.
- uneven, marbled leaf color indicates magnesium deficiency.
Fertilizing with complex mineral fertilizers or folk remedies will allow you to balance the composition of nutrients in the soil
- Fertika Lux,
- Emerald,
- Ideal,
- Sturdy,
- Gumi Kuznetsova,
- Rich,
- Agricola,
- Infusion of onion peel.
You can replenish the supply of nitrogen, calcium, phosphorus and magnesium by feeding with superphosphate. And among complex fertilizers, nitrophoska showed itself positively.
Prevention of falling and wilting of tomatoes
Plant death can be avoided using preventive measures:
- Careful selection of varieties, study of all its properties and features.
- Selection of quality land.
- Carrying out high-quality disinfection of seeds and soil and tools.
- Carrying out careful picking and landing.
- Setting up irrigation.
- Controlling air humidity.
- Timely fertilization and feeding.
- Preventing insects from getting on seedlings.
- Shelter from direct sun rays.
Proper care and careful attention to seedlings will ensure you a good harvest of tomatoes.
It is important to ensure complete safety of tomato seedlings from external factors and to provide high-quality and timely care. Tomatoes are unpretentious, but they have their own characteristics in growing. Proper agricultural technology is the key to healthy and strong seedlings, which in the future will bear fruit well with large, juicy and tasty syncarpous berries.
How to save drooping seedlings: advice from experienced gardeners
If tomato seedlings weaken, gardeners will tell you what to do.
- To save tender seedlings, prevent the development of tomato disease. Inspecting the plantings. The soil should be clean, loose, moderately moist; leaves and stems - without visible signs of diseases (spots, black “constrictions”, darkening of shoots).
- Healthy but wilted plants dive into the new substrate, deepening down to the first pair of true leaves. Transplantation will help tomato seedlings strengthen the root system.
- The seedling containers are moved to a bright place. Install cardboard covered with foil or a mirror: homemade reflective screens enhance the illumination of the seedlings.
- Adjust the watering regime. The tomato seedlings placed on the windowsill begin to be watered, avoiding waterlogging and prolonged drought.
Reference! To avoid wilting and further death of the seedling, diving is carried out carefully, without pinching the central shoot. Squeezing the stem will block the flow of nutrients from the roots to the foliage.
Tomato is a capricious crop. Errors in care lead to yellowing of foliage and bending of seedlings. Tomato bushes can wither at different stages of development. Preventive measures help to avoid troubles, but it is not always possible to protect seedlings from withering. Having noticed the first alarming signs, they try to help the plants. If the gardener determines the causes of drying and changes the conditions, the seedlings can be saved and a good harvest can be obtained.
