Thursday, February 9, 2012

Why Seedlings Fall Over Pt2


There are two main reasons for young seedlings falling over. Not enough sunlight and damping off. If they are flat on the soil then they won’t survive, however, if they are slightly leaning over they might be savable.

Tall skinny seedlings that suddenly start toppling over are often called ‘leggy.’ The culprit it lack of sunshine. Placing seedlings near a window doesn’t always provide enough direct sunlight. This can even happen under growing lights if they are not placed close enough to the plants. Many plants need six to eight hours of sunlight.

If placed near a window it is important to rotate the plant every couple of days to prevent leaning. By not rotating it will cause some parts of the plant to not receive enough light. When a plant leans too munch it can weaken the stem which will lead to a leggy plant. Also, make sure that the plant is watered evenly so the roots will expand evenly around.

Damping off is a fungal condition that occurs with high moisture, humidity and low air circulation. Once a plant is infected it is unlikely to recover. The best way to prevent it from happening is to use a sterile well draining potting mix, fresh water, and sowing seedling thinly. Providing good air flow is important as avoiding excessive watering.

Too see what it looks like for seedlings damping off click here.

Constricted root growth can also cause plants to lean over. As long the plant isn’t completely flat then it might recover, however, the plant may have stunted growth. Repotting in a larger pot may help but it may not be worth it.

Did you bury the seed deep enough? Sometimes the solution is as simple as making sure the seed is covered deep enough.






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