Contents
The leaves of eggplant seedlings turn yellow for a variety of reasons: from excessive watering and hypothermia of the soil to excessive sunlight and nitrogen deficiency. This is mainly due to improper care. Therefore, in most cases, the problem can be solved in just a week.
Why do the leaves of eggplant seedlings turn yellow
Seedlings may turn yellow for various reasons. Most often, this is a reversible phenomenon, which is associated with improper care. For example, plants may turn yellow due to a lack of nutrients, irrigation disturbances, and hypothermia of the soil. Therefore, it is enough to create the right growing conditions, and the seedlings will be able to recover.
Nitrogen deficiency
Often eggplant seedlings begin to turn yellow due to nitrogen deficiency. A deficiency can be identified by a number of external signs:
- seedlings noticeably lag behind in development;
- foliage begins to turn yellow, partially turns pale;
- shoots become thinner;
- stems become small;
- inflorescences are also smaller;
- fewer leaves appear, their sizes are smaller than usual.
Violating the dosage is not worth it, since overfeeding is no less dangerous than underfeeding.
Sun exposure
Eggplants are demanding on lighting, but sometimes summer residents make the mistake of leaving them in direct sunlight for the whole day. Due to excess light, tender leaves begin to turn yellow. This happens due to the breakdown of chlorophyll.
As a result, photosynthesis processes are disrupted, plants lag behind in development. The surface of the foliage becomes pale, yellowish, the tissues partially die off due to sunburn.
To verify this, it is enough to make a careful examination of the seedlings. If yellow spots on the foliage appear in the upper parts that face the sun, then the reason is really related to the sun’s rays.
Incorrect watering
Eggplant seedlings turn yellow at home and due to improper watering. Young seedlings should be given water regularly, at least twice a week. But at the same time, the soil should have time to dry out, remaining only partially wet. It is bad both to underfill and to overfill. In the first case, the seedlings will turn yellow and lag behind in development, and in the second, their roots may rot. Also, due to waterlogging, there is a risk of developing blackleg and other dangerous diseases.
Foliage will quickly turn yellow due to irregular watering.
Diseases and pests
Another reason why eggplant seedlings can wither is related to diseases and pests. Most often, summer residents are faced with the following: fusarium, verticillium, spotting, late blight, mosaic.
Of the pests, spider mites and aphids are the most dangerous. It is necessary to fight them with chemicals.
Soil hypothermia
Another reason why the leaves of eggplant seedlings turn yellow is due to hypothermia of the soil. Normally, seedlings develop at a temperature of 23-27 degrees. Those. The room should be warm enough, but not too hot. At night, you can cool to 20-22 degrees (room temperature).
Indoors, maintaining such a regime is quite simple. But 2-3 weeks before transplanting, summer residents begin to take out seedlings to a balcony, loggia or outdoors for hardening. This is a procedure that allows seedlings to adapt before planting in the ground or in a greenhouse.
But if you overexpose in the cold, eggplant seedlings will begin to turn yellow. To prevent this, it is recommended to temper gradually. First, the containers are taken out for 15-20 minutes, then the time is increased to several hours. The last time they are left all night, and then transplanted to the beds.
The thickened landing
If you plant eggplant too close, the seedlings may turn yellow from lack of light. In addition, a tight fit promotes the spread of infections and complicates care. Therefore, when sowing, the seeds are distributed evenly in common containers with an interval of 2-3 cm. Then the seedlings swoop down, planting them in individual pots. They need to be located at a short distance so that all the bushes have enough light.
Stress after a pick
After transplanting, seedlings may also begin to turn yellow. This is a relatively normal and reversible phenomenon that will quickly pass. To speed up recovery, it is recommended to make foliar top dressing with growth stimulants, for example, Epin or Kornevin. It is also worth carefully transplanting into new containers so as not to damage the roots.
What to do if the leaves of eggplant seedlings turn yellow
To prevent seedlings from turning yellow, it is necessary to create suitable growing conditions. Indoors, this is quite simple to do – it is necessary to maintain a consistently high temperature, protect from excess sunlight, and feed on time. You will also need to regularly water the seedlings and periodically inspect them for signs of disease or pests.
If you maintain the temperature and regularly fertilize, the seedlings will be strong and healthy.
Proper feeding
To prevent eggplant seedlings from turning yellow, it is necessary to regularly feed:
- For the first time – on the eve of the pick.
- Then – a few days after the transplant.
- The third application – on the eve of transfer to open ground (this is not necessary, top dressing can be carried out after transfer to the beds).
The first fertilizer is made up of the following components (per 10 liters of water):
- ammonium nitrate – 7 g;
- potassium sulfate – 10 g;
- superphosphate – 15 g.
For the second time, it is recommended to feed with urea (15 g) and superphosphate (30 g) per 3 liters of water. Instead, you can use a complex mineral fertilizer, for example, “Crystal” or “Osmokot”. If eggplant seedlings begin to turn yellow, at the same stage it is recommended to do foliar treatment with Zircon or Gummi-Omi.
For the third time, potassium salt (30 g) and superphosphate (20 g) are added to 3 liters of water. Also, before transplanting, it is recommended to treat with a weak solution of copper sulfate (0,5% concentration). This is a good means of prevention from many diseases and pests.
Correct watering
Eggplant seedlings will begin to turn yellow even with a short-term lack of moisture. Therefore, water should be given regularly, once every 2-3 days. First, the soil surface is sprayed with a sprayer. As soon as seedlings appear, water is poured in a thin stream under the root. After picking, it is enough to do watering twice a week, making sure that the soil does not become dry. Water is preliminarily settled at room temperature. If it is cold, the seedlings may turn yellow due to temperature differences.
Proper placement of seedlings
In the early stages of growing eggplant seedlings, the sprouts are small and do not interfere with each other, i.e. do not create shadows. Therefore, seeds can be sown literally 2-3 cm apart. But after picking, pots with young bushes should not be placed close, but at a distance of 5 cm. They are lined up in rows so that everyone gets maximum light. Often, seedlings have to be highlighted with a phytolamp.
The light source is placed at a height of 50-60 cm
Sun protection
To prevent eggplant seedlings from turning yellow, at the final stage of cultivation, it must be shaded. The sun in March and April is already quite high. If the window is south or east, then in the period from 12 to 15 o’clock it is necessary to set aside seedlings or shade it with white non-woven material. Otherwise, the leaf plates will get sunburned.
Disease control
If the leaves of eggplant seedlings turn yellow due to diseases, they should be treated with drugs. Fungicides are used to eliminate fungal infections:
- “Order”;
- “Bordeaux liquid”;
- “Abiga Peak”;
- “Tatu”;
- “Fitosporin”.
To destroy pests, it is recommended to use insecticides:
- “Decis”;
- “Agravertin”;
- “Karate”;
- Fitoverm.
It is undesirable to use folk remedies, because they are less effective. In addition, fruiting is still far away, and you should not be afraid to spray the bushes with chemicals.
In some cases where the disease is incurable (viral mosaic, blackleg), affected seedlings should be planted and destroyed as soon as possible. Neighboring plantings are treated with drugs, and the infected soil is replaced with a new one.
preventive measures
If eggplant seedlings turn yellow, dealing with this phenomenon is not always easy. But to prevent the problem is quite real. Experienced summer residents recommend following these rules:
- Disinfect the soil for seedlings. For example, you can keep it in the freezer for several days or put it in the oven for 20 minutes at a temperature of 130-150 degrees. After that, it is desirable to apply nitrogen fertilizer, for example, “Nitragin”.
- Purchase seeds only from trusted suppliers, and not from hand. Before planting, they must be pickled in a solution of potassium permanganate (1%), “Fundazol” or another fungicide.
- If possible, it is better to grow eggplant seedlings not in common containers, but in individual ones. Peat pots are ideal for this. Two seeds are sown in each of them, and then a weak sprout is pinched, leaving only a strong one.
- In order for eggplant seedlings not to turn yellow, it is necessary to ensure an acceptable temperature regime – up to 25-27 degrees during the day, at least 20 at night. At the same time, do not forget about ventilation, since air stagnation has a bad effect on the development of shoots and leaves.
Simple preventive measures will prevent yellowing seedlings
Conclusion
The leaves of eggplant seedlings turn yellow mainly due to improper care. To avoid this phenomenon, it is important to make fertile soil, make the plantings not too dense, be sure to feed and water the seedlings. Then the seedlings will grow healthy and give a good harvest.
