You can germinate old seeds, but often they have less plant vigor. Discussion in 'Sick Plants and Problems' started by fearnoevil, Oct 26, 2011. fearnoevil Registered User. Excess moisture or nutrients create conditions that promote damping- off. If you are wondering what causes leggy seedlings, and more importantly, how to prevent leggy seedlings, keep reading. Joined: Oct 2, 2011 Messages: 157 Likes Received: 118 #1 fearnoevil, Oct 26, 2011. If you are growing seedlings in a window, try to grow them in a south-facing window. How to Keep Cannabis Seedlings From Stretching and Falling Over. A few of the seedlings would fall down in the middle of the day, even though they were doing just fine earlier. They are flopping over and laying on the ground. This will give you the best light from the sun. My only problem so far is that my Bells of Ireland are growing way too fast. Shaded conditions or imbalanced soil moisture are two common causes of wilt in sunflower seedlings, as are poor soil, hard frosts and competition from weeds. Posted by Suttons Staff on 15 December 2014 12:28 pm. If you are growing your seedlings under lights (either a grow light or a fluorescent light), the best way to prevent leggy seedlings is to make sure that the lights are close enough to the seedlings. It’s important to water your sunflowers often as they grow so quickly and can dry out fast. Sunflowers do best when they are seeded directly outside. It seems almost magical to place a tiny seed into some soil and watch a small seedling emerge just a short time later, but sometimes things can go wrong. Did your seedlings suddenly fall over and die overnight? Because they are thin and floppy, they can’t stand up as well to natural occurrences like wind and hard rain. This is known as leggy seedlings. Seedlings that fall over are suffering from shock. Sunflowers are one of the few plants that you can pack dirt around the stem as it grows. Cause: If a batch of otherwise healthy seedlings fall over and wither seemingly overnight, they are likely victims of damping- off, a fungal disease that attacks stems at the soil surface and is usually deadly. They are small seedlings, approx 6 inches tall right now, and just starting to pop out their first set of true leaves. If they look withered there, it's probably damping off. Many gardeners put their lights on adjustable chains or strings so that the lights can be moved upwards as the seedlings get taller. Excess moisture or nutrients create conditions that promote damping-off. Why did my seeds not sprout? Explore. If you're not sure whether your plants need water, keep an eye out for droopy leaves or stick your finger in the soil. There are 4 main reasons that seedlings get leggy. Sunflowers (Helianthus annuus) Posted by jmorth. Answer from NGA August 19, 2009. Help! Last, I usually steer clear of chemical fertilizers, especially from the big brands. 0. So, what you gotta do is dig a trench & put your seeds in at the bottom. This happens due to the natural reaction of plants to light. When I look to investigate, there is always fire ants that poor out of the soil around the base of my plant. Too little water causes the seedlings to wilt and droop over. Overly high temperatures, such as those maintained over a heating mat or under a humidity (germination) dome, can lead to a rapid growth spurt in seedlings. What to do about drooping sunflowers depends on what stage of growth they’re in and the cause of the drooping. Jun 9, 2019 - First of all make sure all developing plants are well drained and have been watered. Lawn And Garden. Plants. This will give the sunflower enough room to move around. Because they are thin and floppy, they can’t stand up as well to natural occurrences like wind and hard rain. Written by Linda Ly. Their stems can be very fragile, and once they start vegging, their foliage can be off-centre due to the weird stretch they underwent as seedlings. Also be sure you use a non-abrasive cord or string that won't cause damage to the stem of the sunflower. The lights should remain just a few inches (7-8 cm.) The most common reasons: The seeds were too old. That’s because the seedings are fighting for limited resources — including water, nutrients, lights, and space. Should I put a twig … By using our Services or clicking I agree, you agree to our use of cookies. Unfortunately, there is only a limited amount of growth a plant can do. Third, seedlings that are falling over can be more prone to disease and pests. What it gains in height, it sacrifices in the width of the stem. Second, be careful with the over watering; too much water can cause root rot, which is exactly what it sounds like. Sign up for our newsletter. There are a few reasons that your seeds didn’t sprout. 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