It is important for every gardener to get a good result of their work. Thanks to the experience gained, they grow a large crop. Beginners in this business can be overtaken by difficulties at any stage of tomato growth. Many of them are faced with an important question: why tomato seedlings fall. Experienced gardeners have identified two reasons for this deviation from the norm:
- care disorders;
- disease.
The main thing is to correctly identify the cause and eliminate it, and not deal with the consequences.
Seedling disorders
Even under the most ideal conditions in the room, you should pay attention to various little things. Experts recommend “donating” one seedling bush, getting it out of the mold and assessing the condition of the earth and roots according to external indicators in order to more accurately find out the cause of the fall.
- Excess moisture. With insufficient or too small volume of drainage holes, the liquid after irrigation remains in the soil. Because of this, the roots simply suffocate, the plant becomes lethargic, the leaves fall. When examining the root system, a lump of earth will have a marshy character, and hang on the roots. Also, to diagnose this violation, it is necessary to stop watering, if after a while the soil still remains wet, then this is the problem.
Solution. Drainage holes need to be added, enlarged or cleaned. Stop watering for a while.
- Lack of moisture. If the soil receives less moisture than required, the leaves will begin to turn yellow and dry, and the tomato bushes will become lethargic and lifeless. On examination, the roots will be dry, the earth will hang on them with pebbles or simply showered with dust.
The solution. It is urgent to irrigate, checking the drainage holes to avoid excess moisture.
- Dry air. If there is a battery, stove, or other object that generates heat near the seedlings, the tomatoes may begin to wither and even fall. This is caused by insufficient air humidity. On examination, the roots will look completely healthy.
The solution. Tomato seedlings must be moved slightly away from the heat source. If the apparatus is mobile, then it is necessary to move it away, leaving the tomatoes in their place. Place a wide container of water nearby. Humidify the air daily with a spray bottle. Spray water in the evening to avoid the effect of a magnifying glass on the leaves and not burn them in direct sunlight.
- Oxygen. Tomato seedlings, like other plants, love fresh air. When airing the room, drafts from the cold air stream may occur, which will lead to a sharp temperature drop and the fall of the bushes.
The solution. When airing the room, the best option would be to take out the seedlings completely. If this is not possible, it must be protected. You can open one window so that fresh air enters gradually, without the formation of drafts.
- World. If the leaves of the tomato do not receive enough light, the seedlings are pulled out. Thus, the stem becomes thin and weak. Unable to withstand the load of new leaves, the stem may fall.
The solution. Tomato seedlings must be provided with enough light. With a lack of sunlight, the room is supplemented with fluorescent lamps. It is necessary to observe the regime of day and night. At night, the lamps should be turned off so that the plants can rest.
Seedling diseases
Tomato seedling care disorders are easier to deal with than diseases.
- Blackleg. Tomatoes suffer from these diseases due to excessive watering and stagnation of water in the soil. The manifestation of this disease is the darkening of the stem at the very base, hence the name. Then the root system begins to rot, the seedlings begin to wither and fall. To avoid this, it is necessary to moderately water the tomatoes and loosen the soil after each watering so that oxygen enters in sufficient quantities. Wood ash is also added to the soil to prevent blackleg.
- Fusarios. A fungal disease that affects the roots of seedlings and the plant begins to die even with proper care. The reason lies in the improper preparation of the soil. In this case, it is urgent to transplant the tomato into decontaminated land.
To prevent the spread of infection, it is necessary to properly prepare the soil before planting, and you should also disinfect the container for sowing seeds for tomato seedlings. If the choice fell on special soil from the store, you do not need to carry out additional actions with it. If the earth was selected independently, it is necessary to warm it up in the oven or pour it with a weak solution of potassium permanganate. Also, this solution helps if the disease is already visually noticeable on seedlings.
Useful Tips
For good growth of tomato seedlings, you must adhere to some rules:
- It is better to buy the soil for planting in specialized stores.
- Seeds are sown at a distance of 2-3 cm from each other, to prevent seedlings from stretching.
- It is necessary to choose a sunny side or additionally use fluorescent lamps.
- After each watering, you need to fluff up the earth.
- Sand can be added to the soil. It will prevent over-compacting and retain moisture.
- It is better to water less often, but with plenty of water.
In order for the seedlings to grow healthy and strong, it is necessary to follow small rules and monitor the conditions of detention.
