Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
radarcontactlost_gw

Whats happening to my seedlings?

radarcontactlost
13 years ago

Went out to mist my seedlings today and noticed a few in one corner of the tray were floppy at the base of the leaves. It seems to be affecting about five in all located next to each other. Any ideas?

Comments (17)

  • joshy46013
    13 years ago

    Are you keeping them too moist or are they drying out too much from being in the corner? If they're old enough dig down a bit and make sure the bulb is still solid!

    Josh

  • radarcontactlost
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    They are very young only two months or so. Just starting to put out a second leaf in most cases. I just moved them into a little more sunlight. I don't think they are drying out but I will exhume one and check it's bulb. What are the signs of dampening off I hear so much about. Never happened to me.

  • haweha
    13 years ago

    The base of the leaf - if it had been under soil level - might have been damaged by the maggot of a fungus gnat. Or, a maggot might have drilled itself into the basal plate of the tiny bulb.
    If you sow Hippeastrums, you can not afford to not care about fungus gnats and, btw, those famous yellow sticky traps are just an indicator for the prevalence of this pest. They are not an eradicating measure.

  • Carol love_the_yard (Zone 9A Jacksonville, FL)
    13 years ago

    You live in Zone 8, right? Move them outside into dappled sunlight (half sun, half shade). It will do them a world of good - they will perk right up. Do not put them in full sun or full shade. Find some filtered light, which is perfect. I have about 200+ amaryllis growing in my yard, happy as clams. I start all of my seeds outside in trays. Too much dark, shade, cool and wetness makes for white, floppy, droopy leaves. Leaves that get some sunlight - indirect or filtered - turn dark, glossy green and stand right up on their own. You'll see a change with a couple days. Let us know what happens. :)

    Carol

  • radarcontactlost
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Thanks Haweha, but I have been very diligent about fungus gnats and treat regularly with gnatrol. I'm kind of stumped about it.

  • radarcontactlost
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Carol,
    Thank for the tips, I have them in my greenhouse right now and they get a good bit of light. I am beginning to think it might be dampening off. The little leaves flop over right at the soil line and they are clustered together, not the entire tray.

  • Carol love_the_yard (Zone 9A Jacksonville, FL)
    13 years ago

    I have never lost a single amaryllis seedling to damping off. I expose them immediately to outdoor light and breeze or wind. (I also expose them to freezing temps, which occasionally get in Jacksonville, FL, if that is your concern.) All of this is natural to amaryllis bulbs. If you can get them out of the greenhouse - and you can in Zone 8 - I highly recommend it. I have raised hundreds of seedlings. (See link below.)

    Here is a link that might be useful: Amaryllis Seedlings

  • joshy46013
    13 years ago

    Are you keeping them too moist? Try letting them dry out a bit more and hopefully the little bulbs will bounce back! Uncover them a tad bit to expose them to some light. Del informed me of this when a caterpillar consumed most of all my seedlings first and second leaves, they bounced back almost immediately and very well considering they were leaf-less!

    I don't think this sounds like a fungus gnat infestation, what is the temps in the G/H right now?

    Josh

  • radarcontactlost
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Joshy it's been warm in there the last few weeks in the 90s actually. But now that the temps have dropped off again it's no colder than 70. I'll try letting them dry out a little now that they have little bulbs. It is just strange to me as what I have read about dampening off it says that healthy looking seedlings will flop over at the soil line. I'll try pushing the soil back. Thanks for all of the advice.

  • Carol love_the_yard (Zone 9A Jacksonville, FL)
    13 years ago

    Don't discount air movement. It is very, very important - it both strengthens the leaves and reduces pest problems. Is there a fan in your greenhouse? If not, I again recommend moving them outside.

  • Carol love_the_yard (Zone 9A Jacksonville, FL)
    13 years ago

    Just took these photos a couple of minutes ago. These seedlings sit under the dappled shade of a live oak tree. They will be transplanted into various flower beds within the next few weeks.

    {{gwi:395315}}

    Carol

    {{gwi:395316}}

    {{gwi:395317}}

  • radarcontactlost
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Carol,

    Thanks for the inspiration. I do have an oscillating fan in the gh, but maybe it's not enough. I will take them outside and give them a chance out there. The weather has been dipping into the 40s at night though. Do you think the seedlings could handle that? Thanks again guys.

  • e36yellowm3
    13 years ago

    Radar, did you push the soil aside and take a look at the little bulblet? How does it look? Does it look red? If so, then it's probably gotten too wet. (This happened to me last fall and the leaves suffered.) If you expose them they'll dry out a bit and recover. I've also tried the chamomile tea spray that someone recommended and it seemed to work - though not sure if it was just letting them dry off that did it anyway.

    Alana

  • radarcontactlost
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    I did check the bulblets and they looked fine, nice little white bulbs. It is really mystifying to me as the soil deep down felt perfect to me, just slightly damp. I even removed one seedling and it had two nice long fat healthy roots but it's leaf was mush. Im thinking its not a fungus now as the bulb was a picture of health. Very strange, I put my fan right on the seedlings today to see if air circulation will help. I shall report back as things progress. Thanks for all the ideas guys.

  • e36yellowm3
    13 years ago

    Well, don't give up on the little bulblets if they look good. I've had them lose leaves for whatever reason (usually the reason is I left them out till Nov and it got too cold and wet) but they popped out new leaves as soon as they started feeling more warm and dry. Good luck.

    Alana

  • radarcontactlost
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Quick update on this. I went outside today to check on things and the seedlings that lost their leaves for whatever reason are growing new ones. Carol you gave excellent advice since I put them under the trees the rest of the seedlings are the picture of health. Thanks for the input from everyone.

  • Carol love_the_yard (Zone 9A Jacksonville, FL)
    13 years ago

    Radar, that is GREAT news! I am SO happy for you! (To answer a question that you had asked previously: temps in the 40s will have no effect on seedlings. I have mine outside year-round except when there will be a hard freeze. Bulbs in the ground with some mulch can easily tolerate a freeze, but bulbs planted in pots or seedlings in trays cannot. I also bring them inside if there is a threat of frost. Otherwise, outside under the large oaks. Happy, happy, happy.

    For anyone reading this forum regardless of zone, if your weather is beyond threat of freeze or frost, try putting your bulbs and seedlings outside in a lightly shaded area. You won't believe how well they do.

    Carol