There’s nothing more disheartening than seeing your precious tomato seedlings start to wilt, yellow, and die. After all the care you took starting the seeds and nurturing the seedlings, why are they failing now?
Don’t despair. By understanding the most common reasons for tomato seedling mortality, you can correct issues and get your plants thriving again. So, keep reading!
So, what causes Tomato seedlings to dry?
Tomato seedlings commonly die from improper watering, getting too much or too little. Fungal/bacterial infections, transplant shock, insufficient light, and cold temperatures can also cause seedling death.
Let’s discuss each one!
1. Damping Off
Damping off is one of the most common tomato seedling diseases. It’s caused by several different fungi that thrive in cool, overly damp soil. Damping off causes tomato stems to rot at the soil line, making seedlings fall over and die. The fungi can spread quickly, wiping out whole flats of seedlings in just days.
How to Prevent Damping Off:
- Avoid overwatering. Let the top of the soil dry out between waterings.
- Use sterile seed starting mix and sterilize pots and trays before each use.
- Give seedlings plenty of light and space for good airflow.
- Water soil instead of foliage to keep leaves dry.
- Avoid splashing water that can spread fungal spores.
- Treat seed and soil with fungicidal compounds like captan or chlorothalonil.
Fixes:
- Remove and destroy affected seedlings immediately to prevent spread.
- Use bottom heat to keep soil warmer, around 70-75°F. The fungi thrive in cool conditions.
- Add a gentle fan to keep air circulating over seedlings.
- Try a fungicide drench in the soil if damping off is widespread.
2) Overwatering – The Most Common Culprit
In my experience, overwatering is the number one reason tomato seedlings decline. It’s easy to accidentally drown young plants with too much moisture.
Seedlings at the cotyledon stage with only their first-round leaves are especially vulnerable. Constant dampness causes the tender roots and stems to rot. Signs of overwatering include:
- Wilting or drooping leaves
- Yellow or pale leaves
- Leaf drop
- Little or no new growth
To avoid oversaturating the soil, let the top inch dry out before watering again. Wait until the pot feels light when lifted. For very young plants, mist the soil instead of soaking it.
Make sure containers have drainage holes and use a well-aerated potting mix. Group plants together until larger to slow evaporation.
3) Underwatering – Don’t Let Seedlings Dry Out
While overwatering is common, letting seedlings completely dry out also leads to demise. Plants this young have small root systems and can’t access water in dry soil.
Signs of underwatering include:
- Drooping, wilted leaves that don’t recover after watering
- Stunted growth
- Brown or crispy leaf edges
Check daily and water seedlings when the top layer of soil becomes dry. As plants grow larger, they become more drought-tolerant. But especially during the first few weeks, consistent moisture is key.
4) Environmental Shocks – Protect Seedlings from Drastic Change
I’ve had many seedlings fail to thrive after transplanting due to the drastic change in environment. Going from my warm, sheltered indoor seed starting area to variable outdoor conditions caused transplant shock.
Weather fluctuations, strong sun, temperature swings, drying winds, and handling damage are common shocks. Signs include:
- Wilting
- Spotted or yellowed leaves
- Minimal new growth
Harden off seedlings over 7-10 days to gradually acclimate them before transplanting. Avoid disturbing the root ball, keep plants well-watered, and provide shade covers to protect from sun and wind damage.
5) Early Disease Infection – Stop Damping Off Fungus
Damping off is a fungal disease that quickly kills tomato seedlings. On infected plants, the stem shrivels and weakens at the soil level until the seedling collapses and dies. Gray fuzz visible on the fallen plant confirms fungal disease.
Prevent damping off by allowing the soil to partially dry between waterings and maintaining warm temperatures around 75°F. Avoid overcrowding and increase airflow. Treat preventatively with fungicides containing etridiazole or mefenoxam.
Unfortunately if damping off has already occurred, infected plants usually can’t be saved. Remove and destroy them and start fresh seedlings in sterile soil.
6) Bacterial Spot and Speck – Buy Clean Seeds
Another disease to watch for is bacterial spots and specks. Small dark or yellow spots on older leaves spread to cover the entire plant. Infected seed is often the culprit.
Purchase certified disease-free seeds from reputable sources. Routinely inspect seedlings and remove any suspicious spots. Copper sprays may help slow the disease’s spread.
Rotate crops and weed control reduce sources of reinfection. Make sure to disinfect pots and trays between plantings.
7) Insufficient Light – Seedlings Need 14-16 Hours
Seedlings always become spindly and weak if you don’t provide adequate light as soon as they germinate. Etiolation or stretching occurs from insufficient lighting.
Tomato seedlings require 14-16 hours under grow lights or direct outdoor sunlight daily. Rotate plants for even exposure. If natural light is limited, invest in quality grow lights.
8) Low Temperature – Optimal Warmth Boosts Growth
Tomatoes thrive in heat, with optimal temperatures between 70-85°F. My unheated sunporch caused seedlings to languish. Cold soil and air slows growth and leaf yellowing occurs.
Consider a propagation mat or heating coils to maintain soil temp around 75°F for robust seedling growth. Move plants to a warmer space or use cloches to capture heat outdoors.
With vigilance and prompt action, you can overcome the common problems that threaten tomato seedlings. Just remember to provide adequate warmth, moisture, light, and ventilation. Inspect plants routinely and address any issues immediately before they become fatal.
When to Start Over with New Seedlings
Sometimes tomato seedling problems can be corrected with better care. But heavy disease infection or severe stunting may make it impossible for struggling plants to bounce back.
Don’t continue trying to save seedlings that show:
- Wilting and death from damping off
- Severe legginess with pale, weak foliage
- Major leaf spotting or dieback from disease
- Root or stem rot
- Significant purple leaf discoloration from cold damage or phosphorus deficiency
In these cases, it’s best to clean up and start fresh.
Discard diseased seedlings in the trash, not the compost pile. Then sow new seeds in sterile seed starting mix and containers. Be sure to correct any issues that led to the first batch failing.
7 Tips to Grow Strong Tomato Seedlings
Prevent disappointment this season by following these tips to cultivate stocky, vigorous tomato seedlings:
- Start with a sterile, nutrient-rich seed starting mix – Use a commercial mix or make your own blend with peat moss, perlite or vermiculite, and compost.
- Allow 6-8 weeks to start seeds indoors – Sow seeds 6-8 weeks before your last expected frost date. This gives ample time for germination and strong early growth.
- Provide lots of light – Place seedlings under grow lights or in a very bright, sunny spot. Rotate plants for even exposure.
- Gradually acclimate outdoor plants – Hardening off is key for transitioning tender seedlings outside successfully.
- Water evenly and consistently – Fluctuating moisture stresses plants. Water thoroughly and allow pots to just dry out before watering again.
- Use bottom heat – Maintain soil temp around 75°F for best germination and growth. Use a heat mat or grow lights.
- Fertilize regularly – Use a balanced organic or hydroponic fertilizer every 2-3 weeks following package instructions.
Frequently Asked Question
Frequently Asked Questions
What causes yellow spots on tomato seedling leaves?
Yellow spots usually indicate a fungal or bacterial disease. Leaf spot, early blight, damping off fungi, or bacterial speck and spot can all produce yellow lesions. Inspect plants routinely and remove any with suspicious spots before the disease spreads. Improve air circulation and water plants at the soil level rather than wetting foliage.
How do I treat leggy tomato seedlings?
Leggy growth means plants aren’t getting enough sunlight. Provide 14-16 hours under grow lights or direct sun daily. Rotate plants for even exposure and minimize any drafts. Use bottom heat to encourage compact growth. If seedlings are already spindly, very gently replant them deeper in the ground or containers to bury some of the elongated stems and support the plant.
Should I use a heating mat for tomato seedlings?
Heating mats that maintain soil temperature around 75°F greatly enhance tomato seedling growth. Warmth speeds germination and promotes healthy root and shoot growth. It also helps prevent fungal issues like damping off. Heating mats or other methods like grow lights or heated sunrooms provide ideal conditions.
Wrapping up
Pay close attention to your tomato seedlings and you can identify issues early before they become fatal. Provide consistent moisture, warm temperatures, ample sunlight, and proper ventilation. Transplant gradually and use preventative fungicides if damping off has been a problem. With attentive care indoors and gradual hardening off, your tomato seedlings will thrive and bear bountiful fruit.
