Why do pepper seedlings disappear? What to do if pepper seedlings fall

There are many problems when growing peppers, if you grow them for the first time or rarely. Peppers are relatives of tomatoes, but they require more care. They need more heat and light, they cannot tolerate temperature changes, dampness and dryness, and suffer greatly from damage to the roots. In addition to care errors, there are also diseases and pests that transfer to seedlings from poor-quality soil.

Optimal conditions for pepper seedlings

All the plants that we grow on windowsills and in gardens once came to us from the wild. To know exactly what conditions are needed for a certain culture, it is enough to simply find out where it comes from. The homeland of capsicums and even those called bell peppers is tropical America. The tropics are characterized by: relatively dry weather, moderate cloudiness, and easterly winds. Average daily temperature in summer: +20 ⁰C... +27 ⁰C, in winter +10... +15 ⁰C. This means that we create exactly these conditions for pepper seedlings. We don’t dry out the soil or water it; sometimes we spray the pepper leaves, maybe in the morning, simulating dew, especially during the heating season and hot days. Location - on eastern, south-eastern windows. In warm weather, especially a week before planting in the ground, open the window or vent more often and ventilate.

The most common pests and diseases - table

The future of peppers, their health and productivity depend 50% on the quality of the soil and seed preparation. The remaining 50% of success is proper care.

Problems that arise during cultivation - table

Symptoms	Possible reasons
the lower leaves turn yellow starting from the veins	not enough power	little light
leaves curl, turn yellow and fall off	fusarium wilt	potassium deficiency	spider mite
near the ground the stem turns black, becomes thinner, the seedlings fall to the ground and die	blackleg
leaves droop, wither, dry out without turning yellow	lack of moisture, infrequent watering
dark green weeping spots with a gray or white coating appear on the leaves and stems	excessive watering, water stagnates, roots and ground parts rot	gray rot	white rot
areas of the leaves become white, later in this place they turn brown, dry out, and crumble	sunburn, seedlings touch glass with leaves or stand under the scorching sun
the seedlings stretched out and lay down	little light	blackleg
peppers don't grow	not enough power	soil is too dense	incorrect picking
seedlings die for no apparent reason	peppers are watered with cold water, a sharp change in temperature on the soil	overwatering or drying out the soil	Roots damaged during picking or loosening
the soil is covered with a white or yellow coating	white mold	salt crust	the pot is too large, natural evaporation prevails over the absorption of moisture by the roots
small black spots (1–2 mm) appear on the stems, petioles and leaves, the tissue around them turns yellow	black bacterial spot	bacteria-infested soil	seeds are not treated
large brown spots appear on the lower leaves, later the same symptoms appear on all leaves	dry spotting or alternaria	contaminated land	seeds are not treated
small through yellow dots appear on the leaves, cobwebs and microscopic brown insects appear on the reverse side	spider mite	pest infested land
leaves are deformed, do not grow, hang when the soil is wet, there are transparent, green or black bugs on the back of the leaf	aphids	pest infested land
if you move the peppers, white midges fly up, there are very small green larvae on the back of the leaf	whitefly	pest infested land
peppers look sluggish with regular watering, grow poorly, leaves become deformed	earth mite	excess soil moisture

Diseases of pepper seedlings and their control

Blackleg

Blackleg most often affects seedlings at the stage of the first true leaf. The stem near the soil becomes transparent, darkens and dries out. The plant falls to the ground and dies. All this suggests that the soil is contaminated and not treated before sowing. The blackleg mushroom can live in any soil, but it does not develop in all conditions. Even if the soil is not warmed up or not shed with fungicides, the disease will bypass those seedlings that:

• grows on loose, moderately moist soil;
• ventilated;
• not thickened and evenly illuminated by the sun;
• watered only with water at room temperature, there is no temperature difference on the soil.

Video: Black leg peppers

1. Before sowing, spray the soil with Bordeaux mixture (100 g per 10 liters of water), pour in a solution of potassium permanganate (3 g per 10 liters of water), pour boiling water over it, hold in a water bath for 10–15 minutes or heat in the microwave for 10 minutes until steaming.
2. Before sowing, treat the seeds with one of the following preparations: Fitosporin (4 drops of paste concentrate per 200 ml of water), Epin (1-2 drops per 100 ml), etc.
3. Do not flood the seedlings, ventilate them, turn them on the window with different sides to the sun.
4. Remove dead and infected peppers, immediately replant the remaining ones in another soil, and add Fitosporin to the water during the first watering.

White rot

The disease often accompanies blackleg. A white fluffy coating appears on the stem, which spreads up the plant. The peppers are dying. The fungus loves dampness and low temperatures: +12... +15°C. Also, its development is favored by sharp temperature changes combined with high humidity.

Prevention and methods of control:

1. Disinfect the soil before sowing and picking.
2. Water the seedlings with water only at room temperature.
3. Do not expose outdoors in cloudy, damp or cold weather.
4. For prevention, apply foliar feeding: 1 g of zinc sulfate, 2 g of copper sulfate and 10 g of urea per 10 liters of water.
5. Remove the affected seedlings along with the top layer of soil (2–3 cm).

Gray rot

The disease manifests itself in spots on leaves and stems, which can be dark green or brown, often weeping and always with a gray or pinkish fluffy coating. The main reason is that the soil is too damp, moisture stagnates, the roots do not breathe and rot, followed by the above-ground part.

Prevention and treatment:

1. Drainage is required.
2. Water the peppers only when the top layer of soil dries.
3. Loosen the soil, but very carefully so as not to damage the roots.
4. Transplant the diseased plant into another soil.
5. Spray with copper-containing preparations: copper sulfate (2 g per 10 l of water), HOM (40 g per 10 l of water), Bordeaux mixture (100 g per 10 l of water), repeat every 10 days.

Dry spot or Alternaria blight

The disease is common in all areas where tomatoes are grown. Bib affects all nightshades, including peppers. If you took the soil for seedlings from your garden, then you shouldn’t be surprised at the symptoms of Alternaria blight on the leaves of peppers. The spots are brown, dry; the development of the disease is promoted by heat and drops of water on the leaves.

Video: Brown spot (Alternaria blight) on tomatoes

Prevention and treatment;

• Do not take soil for peppers from the area where tomatoes grew.
• In any case, disinfect the soil before sowing the seeds.
• Treat the seeds in a solution of phytosporin, potassium permanganate, etc.
• Water the peppers at the root.
• At the first signs, spray with the drug: Ridomil Gold (2.5 g per 1 liter of water), Quadris (15 ml per 10 liters of water) or copper containing: copper sulfate, HOM, Bordeaux mixture, repeat after 10 days.

Fusarium wilt

This disease affects already grown seedlings, in which the first buds appear. The lower leaves turn yellow, curl and fall off. Gradually the entire plant dies. The fungus settles on weakened plants, in dense plantings, loves dry soil and high temperatures (+28 ⁰C).

Video: Fusarium wilt, how to fight

Prevention and treatment:

1. Grow pepper varieties resistant to Fusarium blight.
2. Use only special primer. Fusarium develops on acidic soils.
3. Disinfect the soil and treat the seeds.
4. Water the seedlings and feed them in a timely manner.
5. Do not use fertilizers containing chlorine.
6. Do not thicken the plantings, ventilate them.
7. Spray every 10 days with Trichodermin (100 ml per 10 liters of water).

Black bacterial spot

The disease enters seedlings through mechanical damage (broken, scratched) from contaminated soil. Bacteria can also live on the surface of seeds. Favorable conditions for development: high temperature (up to +30 ⁰C) and moisture on the leaves.

Prevention and treatment:

1. Disinfect soil and seeds before sowing.
2. Do not water on the leaves.
3. Spray the entire above-ground part with one of the preparations: Fitolavin (2 ml per 1 liter of water), Planriz (1 ml per 1 liter of water), Fitosporin, HOM.

Pests and what to do with them

All pests are brought into the house along with the soil. They can transfer to seedlings from already infected indoor flowers. We can recommend keeping seedlings and flowers on different windows. However, there is a big advantage from such a neighborhood. Firstly, a special plant microclimate is created, and secondly, the aroma of many indoor flowers repels pests. For example, if there are geraniums next to the peppers, then there will never be aphids and whiteflies. Any other fragrant flower works in the same way: lavender, jasmine, lemon, etc.

If pests are found on one plant, you should not take it to another window in isolation; you need to treat all the flowers and all the seedlings that are in this room.

Aphids

Small black or green insects stick not only to the leaves, but also to young stems, shoots, flower buds, that is, everything that seems juicy and tasty to them.

Video: Fighting aphids on peppers using a shower

How to fight?

1. If there are still few aphids, wash them off by hand with soapy water; you can use a soft brush or sponge for this. Most of the sucking individuals will be destroyed in this way, and it will immediately become easier for the peppers to grow. The soap must be washed off the leaves the next day; it clogs the pores and prevents the plants from breathing normally. Carry out water procedures on a sunny day, after covering the soil with film.
2. After the soap bath, some of the pests and eggs will remain so that they do not multiply and spread again. Spray with chemicals: Intavir (1 tablet per bucket of water), karbofos (60 g per 10 liters of water), Fitoverm (1 ampoule per 1 liter of water), Decis (2 ml per 10 l), etc.
3. Repeat the treatment every 7–10 days, changing medications. It is during this period that a new generation of aphids can be born and grow.

Whiteflies

Small flies no larger than 3 mm are very similar to aphids: they are also omnivorous, settling their green larvae on the back side of the leaf. They are distinguished by white wings. If you approach the peppers and move their leaves, the flies will fly up in a flock. The pest can emerge from the soil or fly into a window.

Ways to fight:

1. Place yellow cardboard or paper coated with glue or something sticky on the window next to the peppers. These insects fly towards the yellow color.
2. Sprinkle the soil in the pots with tobacco dust.
3. Wash off the larvae with soapy water and treat with preparations against sucking pests: Iskra, Decis, Ftoverm, Aktelik (2 ml per 2 liters of water), Aktara (8 g per 10 liters), etc.
4. Repeat the treatment every 7–10 days.
5. There is advice from gardeners to use a mosquito fumigator against whiteflies. Place it closer to the peppers.

Video: Fighting whiteflies with biological products

Spider mite

These pests also settle on the underside of the leaf and feed on the juices of the seedlings. Shapeless large spots of different shades appear on the leaves: from yellow to dark brown. On the reverse side, using a magnifying glass, you can see transparent, green and brown mites. The color depends on the age of the individual. Contrary to the stereotype and name, there may not be cobwebs in the ticks’ habitat. Therefore, when making a diagnosis, you should not consider its presence as the main criterion.

The methods of control are similar to the previous ones: wash off with soapy water and treat with the same preparations. There are recommendations to spray with medical alcohol or vodka. To begin with, it is better to try this original remedy on one leaf or plant.

Soil or root mite

There are many types of soil mites, and they come in different colors: from transparent to red. They live in any soil, improve the soil balance by eating organic matter, rotten roots, and leaves. But in conditions of high humidity, ticks actively reproduce, there are many of them, there is not enough food, as well as space. The mites come to the surface of the soil and begin to feed on the juices of the seedlings. At the same time, the pest not only takes away the strength of the peppers, but also introduces a putrefactive infection into the wounds. Small punctures appear on the leaves, brown scars appear on the reverse side, and the seedlings may become infected with rot.

Video: Seedlings have pests (soil mites), treatment with phytoverm

Prevention and control measures:

• Do not overwater the pepper seedlings; let the soil dry out a little.
• Sprinkle the soil with tobacco dust mixed with ash.
• Spray with anti-tick preparations: Aktelik, Fitoverm, Aktara.

Care errors, how to eliminate their consequences - table

Problem	Causes	How to save seedlings
Seedlings die without signs of diseases and pests	Roots are damaged when loosening or picking	Peppers are difficult to tolerate root injuries. It is better to grow this crop without picking or to pick at the stage of one true leaf, when the roots are still small and undeveloped. Peppers are transplanted only by transshipment, together with a lump of earth. You also need to carefully loosen the soil, only the top few millimeters and preferably around the perimeter of the pot, away from the root collar. If the roots are damaged, the peppers die or do not grow for a long time. After picking, keep the peppers in the shade for 2–3 days; during the rooting period, do not allow the soil to dry out.
Seedlings don't grow	The soil is too dense, air does not reach the roots	Carefully loosen the top layer of soil. Add river sand or peat and mix with the top layer of soil. For picking, take another soil mixture, special for nightshades.
	Not enough power	Once every 10 days, feed with Fertika Lux (10 g per 10 liters of water) or other complex fertilizers for peppers or universal ones for seedlings
	The peppers were deeply buried during picking. The root collar should not be buried. Peppers are transplanted to the same depth at which they grew before.	No need to dig up or replant. Peppers don't like their roots being disturbed. The seedlings will not die, but the harvest will be delayed.
The seedlings stretched out	Not enough light	If the seeds were sown before the end of February, then there is still little light on the window; lighting is needed. It is also necessary to backlight on cloudy days. The length of the day for seedlings is at least 10–12 hours. Elongated seedlings do not need to be sprinkled, buried, or laid horizontally and buried to the very top. This will only slow down development even more; peppers do not form roots from the stem, and the root collar must breathe. Transfer the seedlings to a bright window or provide lighting, preferably lowering the temperature a couple of degrees.
The lower leaves turn yellow at the very veins, there are no pests	Lack of nutrition, infertile soil	Gardeners speak very highly of the “Living Earth” soil; it contains all the necessary nutrients. Peppers grow strong and very actively. There is no need to specially replant, feed the seedlings with complex fertilizers: Fertika Lux, Emerald (1 capful per 2 liters of water), Ferovit (1.5 ml per 2 liters of water), infusion of onion peels (the color of strong tea), etc. Give fertilizing every 10 days, it is advisable to alternate, that is, give different ones. The seedlings will recover over time.
White mold on the soil	White mold fungi can be found in any apartment; they love damp and acidic soil	Mold spoils the appearance of the pot, but does not harm the seedlings themselves. Loosen the top layer, sprinkle with ash or crushed coal.
The soil has a white or yellow salt crust	Unlike mold, this plaque has a crystalline structure and crumbles in your hands.	Salt crust is an alarming signal. Peppers are not properly cared for. Water only with clean, settled water, use filters. Feed strictly according to the instructions on the packages; it is better to underfeed than to overfeed. Mulch the seedlings with a small layer of sand and loosen them along with it.

Many problems with pepper seedlings can be avoided if you initially take healthy soil and treat the seeds. It is also worth carefully studying pepper varieties and choosing disease-resistant ones. Much depends on the care, but it is not difficult to care for peppers: keep the soil moderately moist and loose, provide good lighting, feed occasionally and do not disturb the roots unnecessarily.

Pepper is one of the favorite crops of gardeners. It is difficult to find a person who would ignore it and never try to grow glossy, aromatic fruits in their garden.

As the season approaches, let's talk about pepper seedlings and the possible problems that anyone may encounter when growing this wonderful vegetable.

It would seem that they were planted, cared for, cherished, and suddenly they noticed that something was wrong with the seedlings. Let's figure out what's what.

We will look at the most common cases when peppers need urgent help and try to save your future harvest.

Why do pepper seedlings' leaves turn yellow?

How can you help a pepper if its leaves suddenly begin to turn yellow? For what reason does this happen?

Causes

Yellowing of the lower cotyledon leaves is not critical, but it is worth paying attention to. If all the leaves turn yellow, this is already an alarming signal. Thus, the pepper communicates that he is very uncomfortable. There may be several reasons:

• excessive or insufficient watering
• watering with cold or hard water
• lack of nutrients
• low temperature content
• diseases

Treatment

If the yellowing is not large-scale and clearly destructive, then the matter is most likely due to non-compliance with the growing conditions. You need to pay attention to watering. The soil should not be constantly wet, this promotes rotting of the root system, but also the earth ball should not dry out completely. Balance is needed. Some articles strongly recommend “abundant, abundant watering,” but we want to argue that everything should be in moderation!

Just when watering, the earth ball should be well and completely moistened. It should be just damp, not soaking wet. And re-watering should be done only when the top layer of soil dries out.

Check that when watering, water does not flow down the walls and further into the pan, and at the same time the earthen ball itself remains almost dry. This happens when the soil is not loose enough, it is compressed and forms gaps between the walls of the container and the earthen lump. If this happens, loosen the soil around the edges.

Water for irrigation should be settled, soft enough and its temperature should be at least 24-25 degrees. Do not water or spray peppers with cold water.

The soil must be loose and breathable. If the soil is very clumpy, it is heavy and dense, then the moisture will certainly stagnate and cause rotting of the roots and, as a result, poor nutrition of the plant and its yellowing from a lack of necessary substances.

It is this bright yellow color of the leaves that signals that the conditions listed above have been violated.

If you planted the seeds in clean peat or coconut substrate, or maybe not in very high-quality, poor soil, then the seedlings no longer have enough nutrition. This is especially noticeable in greatly grown seedlings, which suddenly begin to slowly turn yellow leaves.

Also, due to a lack of iron and magnesium, chlorosis of the leaves occurs, while the leaf blade turns yellow and the veins stand out clearly.

The seedlings need to be fed, not only with nitrogen fertilizer, but with a complex set containing not only nitrogen, but also potassium, phosphorus, iron and other necessary elements, without which the sprouts also starve. Use Gumat + 7 or Zdraven turbo for seedlings.

Fertilizing with these preparations can be done not only by the root, but also by spraying. It is produced with a nutrient working solution on the undersides of the leaves. It is important that the water is not cold!

Also, to avoid yellowing, pay attention to the temperature of the seedlings; it should be at least 22-24 degrees. Avoid drafts and cold air currents when ventilating.

Yellowing also occurs due to some diseases, such as mosaic, phytoplasmosis (stolbear), black leg, more about them below.

Pepper seedlings grow poorly

Are the pepper seedlings weak, thin, lethargic, sitting there and not really wanting to grow big, to your delight? What is the reason?

Causes

The frailty of seedlings and its slow growth may be due to the following factors:

• low temperature content
• poor quality, old seeds
• lack of nutrients
• lack of lighting
• weak root system

Treatment

If the seedlings are not pleased with rapid growth, but seem to have “frozen”, stubbornly sitting in one pore and embarrassing you with their puny appearance, you should pay attention to the air temperature. When seedlings are cold, they categorically refuse to grow and wait for better times. As already mentioned, maintain 22-24 degrees and no drafts.

Again, we forget that a lot depends on the initial planting material. Some manufacturers are now unscrupulous in the production of their goods. If the seeds are not very good or old, this can be seen both by germination and by the appearance of the plants that emerge from these seeds, they will be weak, with poor immunity, and only ideal care will allow them to survive and grow stronger. We will have to actively feed such seedlings and be sure to use products for improved root formation and immunity, so that the nutrients we add to the plant can be fully absorbed.

We talked about the lack of nutrients a little higher; peppers, as a rule, turn yellow. But sometimes obvious yellowness may not be observed. The shoots may simply be pale green, thin, weakened and slow to grow. In this case, it is better to immediately feed with complex fertilizers for seedlings.

If the seedlings were planted early in February-March, when the sunny day is not yet so long, and if the seedlings are placed on poorly lit windows (for example, north, east and west sides), then do not be surprised if the pepper seedlings become capricious , will grow frail, thin and greatly lengthened. Such plants are vulnerable to all diseases because their immunity is initially weakened. In such conditions, additional illumination with fluorescent lamps or red-blue spectrum lamps is simply necessary.

An important factor influencing the growth of seedlings is insufficient development of the root system. This is rather a consequence of the quality of the seeds and growing conditions (watering with cold water inhibits the development of roots), but again it leads to the fact that the seedlings look weak and grow slowly. In this case, it is necessary to use drugs that improve root growth and the general well-being of plants, such as Kornevin, Atlet, Zircon, Epin, Heteroauxin, Energen.

Why do the leaves of pepper seedlings curl?

If your pepper seedlings are curling their leaves, you need to pay attention to the following factors.

Causes

• uneven growth caused by soil conditions or excess fertilizer
• lack of potassium
• pest or disease damage

Treatment

In addition, the causes of curling can also be fungal diseases, which are also characterized by spots, blackening, gray or brown moldy spots that quickly grow and cause rotting. In this case, spraying with Fitosporin or another fungicide is indicated.

It is worse if the plant has become a victim of a viral disease. Such, for example, as tobacco mosaic, in which the leaves are curled into a boat, and the curling is accompanied by deformation, uneven spotty coloring, with chlorotic yellowness along the edges.

Tobacco mosaic in pepper

An equally unpleasant disease is phytoplasmosis (also known as stolbur), although it is not the most common. When it occurs, the pepper leaves twist upward, turn yellow and become deformed, and fruit formation is disrupted.

Phytoplasmosis (stolbur)

A damaged plant, even if it did not die immediately and survived, will no longer be able to produce a good harvest. Diseased plants are destroyed to avoid further infections.

If it is difficult for you to recognize what kind of disease has affected your seedlings, you can use the method of elimination. Treat seedlings comprehensively against pests and fungi.

In some cases, everything is not so serious and curling may be caused by improper feeding.

Pepper seedlings are sensitive to fertilizing. Sometimes it happens that purchased soil does not meet the requirements.

This entails uneven growth of leaf plates, their deformation; leaves may grow crooked, but at the same time they are green, healthy and shiny. The same thing happens if you overdo it with fertilizing, if its dosage is incorrect. These deformations do not lead to any critical consequences, and there is no need to fight them.

A lack of potassium may also be to blame for leaf curling. It can be replenished by adding wood ash or potassium nitrate under each bush.

Why do pepper seedlings wither and fall leaves?

Why do seemingly healthy green leaves suddenly begin to wither, dry out and fall off?

Causes

• verticillium or fusarium wilt
• lack of watering
• bay
• pests

Treatment

Unfortunately, Verticillium wilt and Fusarium wilt are two such diseases for which treatment is not effective. Seedlings exposed to these diseases rapidly wither, wither and die, sometimes even before they turn yellow. Infected plants are destroyed. Only multi-stage comprehensive preventive measures can save you from them. The diseases look approximately the same, the only difference is the pathogen.

Fusarium

The leaves of pepper seedlings lose their elasticity both with insufficient moisture and with excess watering. Humidification needs to be adjusted.

And of course, the culprits of leaf lethargy can be pests that quietly draw juices from the plant. Check the seedlings for spider mites, aphids and other pests. If any are found, treat with insecticides.

White, gray, black and brown spots on the leaves of pepper seedlings

Any spots on the leaves indicate a plant disease.

Causes

• bacterial diseases
• fungal diseases
• viral diseases

Treatment

White spots with a brown border (pictured) are characteristic of the disease septoria. This is a fungal disease and needs to be combated with antifungal drugs.

The same is the case with powdery mildew of pepper - when whitish focal spots or white coating appear on the leaves, both on the outside and on the inside. Immediate treatment with fungicides is necessary.

Brown And black spots may be signs of bacterial spotting, dry spotting, and many other bacterial lesions. In this case, it is necessary to treat the seedlings with Phytoflavin.

Wet, brown and putrefactive spots appear when the disease is late blight; it is also fungal and the plants must be treated with drugs against the fungus.

In case of any disease, if part of the seedlings are still healthy, there is a good chance of saving it. Plants that have not yet been damaged are treated with antifungal drugs and antibiotics, the soil and planting container are completely replaced and pre-disinfected. After transplantation, the seedlings are treated with immune stimulants such as Epin.

Black leg on pepper seedlings

The leaves of pepper seedlings turn yellow and become limp because the plant stops receiving nutrition because its stem rots at the base. The disease has a very clear localization; only the root area suffers and turns black.

As a rule, when infected with blackleg, young seedlings die. If large, well-developed seedlings are already sick, then the plants may survive, but their nutrition will be disrupted, and accordingly the yield will also be much lower.

Cause

This is an unpleasant disease caused by pathogenic fungi found in the soil. It is poor-quality, contaminated soil that causes the death of seedlings from blackleg.

And also, in many ways, the risk of disease is increased by excessive watering and inappropriate living conditions, and poor plant immunity.

Treatment

Sprouts that have already been affected by the disease will have to be removed. Those that are still healthy must be urgently transplanted into another, previously disinfected, soil and another container, treating the seedlings and their roots with Fitosporin before planting. After transplantation, spraying with Epin or Zircon is indicated.

Aphids on pepper seedlings

Symptoms

Treatment

Of course, such a tenant needs to be driven out urgently with a filthy broom, otherwise, even if the bush survives this invasion, a good harvest may not be expected. Therefore, you should have some good insecticidal drug in your arsenal.

For example . It is the most harmless and can be used indoors, following the rules of safe use. It does not affect the future harvest, is biodegradable within 24 hours, and copes well with aphids.

But if you still prefer traditional methods of control rather than chemical ones, then these recipes for expelling aphids will be useful to you:

• spray the seedlings with vodka from a spray bottle
• spraying with ammonia (1 tbsp per 10 liters of water)
• spraying with a solution of laundry soap (50 g per 3 liters of water)
• processing with garlic and onion peels (1 tightly packed glass of a mixture of garlic and onion peels, pour 3 liters of boiling water. Leave for 3-4 hours. Dilute in 10 liters of water)
• treatment with tobacco dust (pour 1 kg of dust into 10 liters of hot water (about 60°C). Leave for a day, then strain)

Why pepper seedlings turn yellow video

Detailed video on the topic of problems with seedlings and how to deal with them.

How to avoid seedling diseases

Most of the disgrace listed above can be avoided at the stage of preparation for sowing seedlings. Yes, this is exactly how, by following simple rules, you can protect your crops from most problems.

So, the main methods of prevention that you must use before planting any seedlings are in this list:

• buy proven, high-quality seeds and treat them in a fungicide solution before planting
• if you take a used container for seedlings, pre-treat it (wash, scald with boiling water or a strong infusion of hot potassium permanganate, wipe with alcohol
• always disinfect the soil, both purchased and your own (this can be done by calcining it in the oven, steaming it in the microwave for 20 minutes, or spilling it with a hot dark solution of potassium permanganate)
• After heat treatment of the soil, in order to return beneficial microorganisms to the soil, water it with the biological preparation Baikal and just leave it to stand for a week
• the soil for seedlings should be loose, with a high content of peat, coconut substrate or perlite, this is necessary to avoid its compaction, which entails stagnation of water
• It is necessary to additionally illuminate the seedlings, if you have a shady side and planting is done in February-March, this contributes to good plant immunity
• do not thicken the plantings, try to avoid crowding. Pick up small seeds immediately, without waiting for real leaves, or immediately thin out the plantings after germination
• do not expose the seedlings to drafts and direct flows of cold air when ventilating; a damp earth ball freezes very quickly and negatively affects the development of roots
• ensure good drainage and regulate watering
• To be on the safe side, you can spill the soil with Fitosporin, the Healthy Soil preparation, or put Glyocladin tablets in it to prevent fungal diseases

These apply to absolutely any seedlings. Follow these simple rules and your peppers will delight you with their health and wonderful harvest!

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Pulling and falling seedlings of the main vegetable crops causes a lot of trouble for gardeners, so let’s look at these problems in more detail.

Why do seedlings fall?

There may be several reasons why pepper seedlings fall. First of all, this is a lack of sunlight when boxes or individual pots are installed in a dark room or a shaded window sill. Light deficiency can also occur if it occurs at the end of winter, when daylight hours are not yet long enough.

The second reason for this phenomenon is considered to be dry air coming from heating radiators. After the seeds germinate, many gardeners begin. In this case, the seedlings are abundantly moistened and placed in close proximity to heating radiators. Under the influence of high temperature, the root area of ​​the plant begins to dry out quickly, a crust forms, which blocks the access of oxygen to the root system and the roots begin to rot, and the seedlings fall.

Another point that you should pay attention to is the appearance of a black leg. This disease can be identified by blackening and a decrease in the diameter of the crop stem in the root area. Under the influence of this disease, pepper seedlings will begin to fall after some time.

What to do

In the first case, when the phenomenon in question is caused by a lack of sunlight, it is necessary to place the seedlings on a bright windowsill, and if the peppers are grown in winter, then additional lighting must be organized. Note that lighting devices need to be turned on on cloudy days, and also artificially lengthen the day by 2-4 hours. Fluorescent lamps are installed at a height of 50 centimeters from the seedlings.

If the fall of pepper seedlings is caused by too high temperatures, then the plants should be placed away from the windowsill, and a damp cloth should be placed on the radiators. The soil for seedlings should be well-permeable to air and moisture, so in addition to the usual garden soil, it should include peat, sawdust and humus. Adding wood ash will not only enrich the soil with useful microelements, but will also rid plants of blackleg. If infection with this disease does occur, the affected crops must be pulled out of the ground, spilled with a solution of rich pink potassium permanganate and dusted with ash.

The fall of pepper seedlings causes a lot of trouble for gardeners, depriving them of hope for a good harvest. For what reasons does such an unpleasant phenomenon occur, and what measures will be effective to eliminate it?

Causes

Pepper seedlings may fall due to insufficient sunlight, which is often observed when containers with planted seeds are placed in dark or shaded areas. Also, a lack of light is observed when growing pepper seedlings in the winter months, when the length of daylight hours is insufficient for the plants.

Dry air can also provoke the fall of pepper seedlings, which is often caused by heating radiators installed in the room. Thus, many gardeners, when growing pepper seedlings, prefer to place containers on window sills, forgetting that heating devices are located in close proximity to them. Another reason for such an unpleasant phenomenon is the defeat of seedlings by a fungal disease called “black leg”, in which blackening of the stem in the root area is observed.

Fighting methods

The fall of pepper seedlings requires timely and appropriate response measures from gardeners. Inaction in this case can lead to the death of the plant and the inability to obtain a harvest as a reward for your labors.

The measures taken to combat fallen pepper seedlings, necessary to restore their healthy appearance, directly depend on the reasons that caused this condition. Let's look at each of them in more detail:

1. With a lack of light. In the case when the pepper seedlings have fallen due to a lack of sunlight, it is recommended to move the container with the seedlings to a well-lit place, such as a window sill. When growing seedlings of this vegetable crop in winter, it is necessary to provide the crop with additional lighting, which would extend daylight hours by 4 hours. It is worth paying attention to the fact that lighting fixtures. It is also advisable to turn it on on cloudy days, installing the lamps at a height of half a meter from the seedlings.
2. Temperature violation. If the reason for the fall of pepper seedlings is high temperatures, then the plants must be moved away from heating devices. At the same time, it is also important to cover heating radiators with a damp cloth and place containers with cold water around the house or apartment, which allows you to achieve the optimal temperature in the room.
3. Blackleg. In order to protect pepper seedlings from being affected by a fungal disease called blackleg, it is necessary to remember that the soil in the seedling container must allow moisture and air to pass freely. For this reason, along with ordinary soil, the presence of humus, sawdust and peat is necessary. When infected with this disease, in which pepper seedlings begin to fall due to a weakened stem, it is necessary to pull out the sprouted seedlings from the soil, disinfect the soil with a solution of potassium permanganate and dust it with ash.

Have a rich pepper harvest!

The new summer season is just around the corner, and again sowing seeds for seedlings! However, seedlings of vegetable crops or flower plants cannot always please us. There are sorrows and disappointments. To avoid this, let's remember our mistakes last year and try to do everything right from the very beginning. Moreover, this knowledge will be useful to us not only when growing seedlings of vegetable crops, for example, tomatoes, peppers, strawberries, cabbage or cucumbers, but also when planting plants in the ground, as well as when caring for indoor plants: after all, the plants have the same requirements.

1. What primer should I use?

Garden soil contains pathogens and pests, which can infect seedlings. Before use, the soil must be frozen or calcined in the oven, and sprinkled with potassium permanganate. I do not recommend using only one garden soil. It may be too heavy for germination. Add peat, leaf soil, humus and sand to it.

There may also be problems when using purchased soil. Some unscrupulous soil manufacturers use herbicides to prevent weeds from growing. These herbicides may prevent seeds from germinating at all or inhibit plants that have already sprouted. You may also choose the wrong soil: it may have an alkaline pH soil reaction, or, conversely, it may be too acidic for the plants you planted. It’s up to you to decide which earthen mixture to use!

2. The seeds do not germinate or germinate very rarely.

— Seeds may be to blame for this if they have expiration date has expired, and there is no germination at all, or they germinate very rarely. Be patient and have new fresh seeds, you will have to replant.

— For seed germination special conditions required: scarification (filing the seed coat), stratification (exposing the seeds to cold). Before planting the seeds, carefully read on the bag what conditions need to be created for the seeds to germinate: the seeds must be on the surface or germinate in greenhouse conditions, the seeds of some plants germinate only in the light or only in the dark.

3. The seeds sprouted very well, but after a while the small seedlings begin to disappear one by one.

— Seedlings suffer from drought. Especially if you often use spraying of seedlings instead of watering. With small, frequent watering, the bottom layer of soil also dries out, and the delicate roots of plants begin to suffocate. When sprayed, the top layer of soil becomes uniformly black and the entire soil appears to be damp. This may mislead you into thinking that watering is not required. The soil should be evenly moist both outside and inside. It is better to water rarely but abundantly than often and little by little. With proper watering, the soil ball where the roots develop should remain moist. If several seedlings have fallen, they can be selectively removed from the total mass of seedlings. In a situation where all the seedlings have fallen, it is better to quickly transplant the remaining plants into new soil, having previously treated it with potassium permanganate. Automatic plant watering systems will help you cope with watering.

— The seedlings were flooded, and its roots simply suffocated from excess water and lack of oxygen. Check to see if the drain hole is clogged and preventing water from draining out. Clean it. Use a drainage layer to drain excess water. If there is no drainage hole, then the remaining plants need to be transplanted into fresh soil.

— Overwatering of seedlings at low soil or ambient temperatures can lead to root rot disease. The remaining seedlings urgently need transplanting into fresh soil. Before transplanting, wash the roots in a solution of potassium permanganate or phytosporin.

— The soil is not suitable for seedlings: we bought it with an alkaline or acidic pH reaction of the soil.

— There's a pest. Possibly woodlice or earwigs. Spider mites can cause harm. Treat the seedlings with karbofos, fitoverm or actellik.

4. The seedlings have become very elongated

— The seedlings don't have enough light. For seed germination, many plants do not need light, and as soon as a green loop of a seedling appears at the surface of the earth, light, and especially sunlight, becomes one of the most necessary growth factors. With a lack of lighting, seedlings become very elongated, and stunted, frail plants can get sick and die at any time.

— High room temperature. Some seeds need greenhouse conditions to germinate, but seedlings no longer need such conditions. If the temperature in the room where the seedlings are located is not reduced (especially if there is insufficient light), then the seedlings will become very stretched and fall. Therefore, after the emergence of seedlings, within 3-4 days, you need to lower the temperature and try to illuminate the seedlings around the clock.

— Early sowing of seeds. At the end of January - February, when daylight is still short, there are not enough sunny days, there is not enough additional lighting, the seedlings stretch out. You have to do a lot of babysitting with such seedlings, and I think that the game is not worth the candle. Seedlings planted in March with sufficient daylight will catch up and outstrip the February seedlings.

— The box with seedlings is located far from the window or the glass is dirty.

— Very dense shoots. Due to lack of light, seedlings stretch out and shade each other. When sowing seeds, spread them evenly over the surface of the soil, and do not sow them in heaps.

— Delay in picking seedlings and arranging them. If you are late with picking or transplanting seedlings, then the plants located closer to the window glass grow faster, require more space, and shade the plants on the other side of the box. To ensure plants grow evenly, rotate the seedling box so that all plants receive light. As soon as the plants begin to stretch out and shade each other, they need to be transplanted into other containers, or the seedlings should be planted in a greenhouse or open ground.

— Excess nitrogen fertilizers. The soil is oversaturated with humus or frequent fertilizing with nitrogen fertilizers. With frequent watering, high room temperature and excess nitrogen, seedlings grow greatly. It is necessary to lower the temperature, stop fertilizing with nitrogen fertilizers, and reduce watering.

5. Picked plants do not grow for a long time

— Some plants are better not to dive, but plant immediately in separate cups or peat tablets, and in the future use not transplantation, but transfer to a larger container. For example, peppers get sick for a long time after picking or transplanting; and cucumbers have a very fragile root system; they are grown without picking at all.

— The reason for the growth retardation may be the quality of the work performed when picking seedlings: perhaps the roots bent and ended up on the surface.

— The roots are poorly pressed— air cavities remained next to them. Particular attention should be paid to this when transplanting plants into open ground. After the plant is transplanted to a new location, carefully compact the soil around it with your fingers, and then water the transplanted plants generously. You can use transplanting “into the mud”: pour a lot of water into the prepared hole so that the soil turns into mud, and lower the root of the plant into it, gradually filling the hole with dry soil.

- During the transplant there were the roots of the seedlings are severely damaged or torn off. Before transplanting the seedlings, water them well so that the earthen ball softens. Then there is a greater chance of not damaging the roots of the plants.

6. Seedlings have stopped growing

— Often the reason for stunted growth lies in a lack or excess of nutrition, pests, lack or excess of moisture, and as a consequence of the onset of a disease: root rot, basal rot.

— Suberization of root tissues. In some cases, treating the soil with Maxim, Fitosporin, or Baikal-Em1 will help.

— Use of high-moor peat as an earthen mixture. Some sellers may say that this is ready-made soil and you can safely grow seedlings in it. High-moor peat is only suitable as a component of an earthen mixture. If you do not transplant seedlings from such soil in time, you can observe the following picture: the seedlings begin to grow together, but later the peat dries out, water does not stay in such soil at all, the seedlings suffocate and die. Place this dried lump in water and let the soil soak. Then transplant the seedlings into a new soil mixture.

7. The leaves of the seedlings have become hard, changed color, spots have appeared on the leaves, the growing point has died

— Excess fertilizer. The prepared soil already contains the fertilizers necessary for seed germination; you need to be very careful when applying fertilizers. Seedlings may become poisoned. If such a situation arises, washing the soil with a large amount of water will help, provided that the water should drain freely. Or replanting into new soil.

— In the soil mixture as one of the components sea ​​sand was used, the salts of which caused poisoning of the roots. In this case, you should change the soil and replant the remaining plants and wash the roots.

- Lack of moisture.

8. Change in the appearance of seedlings: lethargic, faded, turns yellow, red or blue

— With a lack of nitrogen, plants look stunted: the stem is thin, the leaves are small, pale green, and the bottom begins to turn yellow and die. And vice versa, with an excess of nitrogen, plants become fattened: the stem and petioles are thick, the leaves are large, dark green; But you won’t get color from such plants for long.

— With a lack of phosphorus a reddish-purple tint appears on the leaves of plants (most often on the underside).

— Potassium deficiency On plants, yellowing of the ends and edges of old (lower) leaves is observed. In tomato seedlings, the leaves may curl downward.

— A lack of iron in plants manifests itself in the form of chlorosis on the leaves - the leaf tissue between the veins begins to discolor; the leaves gradually turn yellow.

— For magnesium deficiency leaf marbling is observed.

— With boron deficiency the growing point dies.

— If there is a cat in the house, then she can make her contribution: from her urine that gets into the soil, the seedlings change color (turn blue) and die. In addition, she can completely drop the box of seedlings. Plant some greenery for your pussy, she will thank you :)

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