Seedlings may wilt and die from lack of water or from disease:
1. Dehydration: Seedlings are succulent, and have shallow roots. If the soil dries out even an inch or so below the surface, they may die.
2. Damping-off: Young seedlings are very susceptible to damping-off, a plant disease caused by fungi. Damping-off is favored by wet soil with a high nitrogen level. Damping-off can be a problem when the weather remains cold, or cloudy and wet while seeds are germinating, or if seedlings are too heavily shaded.
The numbered solutions below correspond to the numbers in the analysis.
1. Do not allow the soil to dry out completely. Water when the soil surface starts to dry slightly. During warm or windy weather, you may need to water several times a day.
2. Allow the soil surface to dry slightly between waterings. Do not start seeds in soil that is rich in nitrogen. Add nitrogen fertilizers after the seedlings have produced their first true leaves. Protect seeds during germination by coating them with a fungicide containing captan or thiram. Add a pinch of fungicide to a packet of seeds (or ½ teaspoon per pound), and shake well to coat the seeds with the fungicide. For more information about damping-off, see Damping-Off. For more information about starting seeds, see Starting Seeds Indoors and Starting Seeds Outdoors.
