Why do lettuce seedlings wither leaves
Pepper is a rather whimsical culture. At each stage of growing, certain difficulties may arise. One of them is the situation when the leaves of pepper seedlings fall off. Such a plant reaction can occur under the influence of various factors. It is worth paying attention to the problem even at the stage when the lower parts of the culture are just beginning to turn yellow.
Leaves of lettuce seedlings wither
Inappropriate care
Quality seedlings are the key to healthy, mature plants in the future. To grow strong and robust seedlings, it is necessary to provide them with an optimal microclimate.
If the sprouts have reached a size of 10-15 cm and the lower leaves turn yellow, this may indicate the maturation of the seedlings. The process is natural and poses no threat. Otherwise, these symptoms may indicate a cultural illness. If you do not take action, peppers can die.
Incorrect lighting
For the seedlings to thrive, they need to be placed in an environment with good light. Diffused lighting is ideal for seedlings.
It is worth preventing direct sunlight from falling on sweet peppers - they can cause burns. Especially if there are water droplets on it, which will serve as a kind of lenses. This will also lead to their dropping in the future. At peak solar activity, you can shade the peppers with newspapers.
Daylight hours for seedlings should be 12 hours. Therefore, in cloudy weather, it is necessary to use artificial light with the help of lamps that are installed above the vessels.
Low temperature
The plant was brought from America, so it is not easy to adapt to our conditions. It is a thermophilic culture that reacts sharply to a drop in temperature. At rates below 14 ° C, it stops growing. And when it drops to 12 ° C, it begins to shed its leaves at night. This is due to the fact that the culture does not receive the necessary substances through the roots. Then it begins to feed on the elements that are contained in the leaves.
After a pick, to which the pepper is very sensitive, the optimum temperature for 3-4 days should be 20-22 ° C during the day and 14 ° C at night. Then it can be increased to 23-25˚C and 18-19˚C, respectively.
Pepper withers from the heat
When the leaves of pepper seedlings fall, it is also worth:
- Ventilate the room regularly - this has a beneficial effect on seedlings and prevents many diseases.
- Vessels with seedlings are installed so that they are not in a draft.
- Do not keep containers on a cold concrete window sill, then the soil will cool too much. Wooden boards can be substituted under them. Cold air from the window is also contraindicated.
- Avoid sudden jumps in temperature.
If the seedlings are grown in a greenhouse, then with a prolonged cold snap it is necessary to wrap and cover them. They also bring in a large amount of humus, which gives off heat.
So that after planting the seedlings do not shed their leaves, it is necessary to start stabbing them two weeks before that.For this purpose, you can take out the boxes to the balcony, street or remove the window frame. Dosing fresh air should be moderate, so that the development process takes place gradually. The air temperature for these manipulations must be constant and not lower than 15˚С.
Insufficiently nutritious soil
When the lower leaves fall off the seedlings of peppers, you need to pay attention to the composition of the soil. The culture has special requirements for it. Improperly selected soil can have a negative effect on the development of sprouts.
If good light is provided, and the leaves of the seedlings turn yellow from below, then this may indicate a lack of nitrogen in the soil. Over time, the plants become too thin and begin to crumble. To prevent its fall, it is necessary to apply nitrogen-containing fertilizers. These can be such means:
- ammonium nitrate;
- urea;
- complex preparations.
At the stage of yellowing of the lower leaves, dressings are made containing potassium, magnesium, phosphorus. If the upper ones also suffered, the composition of the funds should include iron, boron, zinc.
All substances are used strictly according to the instructions, because the excess of elements in the ground is also poorly tolerated by pepper. Before using them, water the soil abundantly so as not to burn the roots. Foliar dressing in the form of spraying is done in the morning, while there is no bright sun. This promotes the rapid absorption of nutrients by the seedlings. For this purpose, you can prepare such a solution: 1 tsp is given for 5 liters of water. ammonium nitrate.
Plants prefer soil with neutral acidity. To neutralize the high pH level, liming is performed. To do this, you can add slaked lime, ash, dolomite flour, chalk, cement ash. When preparing the potting mix, it must be borne in mind that peat raises the pH level.
Improper watering
Plants require timely soil moisture. It shouldn't be allowed to dry out.
Watering should be done every 5-6 days as the top layer of the earth dries up. Water should be applied in abundant quantities so that it gets deep. With insufficient watering, only those roots that are under the top will receive moisture. In order to prevent its delay during arrogant watering, it is necessary to make holes in the bottom of the container. Excess fluid will leave through them.
The water should be settled and well warmed up in the sun (not lower than 25˚С). Watering with cold water also causes seedlings to turn yellow. It is necessary to moisten the soil in the morning or in the evening (if it is not too cold). The basic rule is that water, air and soil should not have very different temperature indicators.
Diseases and pests
Numerous pests
Yellowing, curling and falling of leaves can be when the seedlings are affected by spider mites or aphids. After all, they gnaw small holes, suck sap from plant cells. At home, excellent conditions have been created for their reproduction, namely:
- high air temperature;
- low humidity - to increase it, they are regularly sprayed with water from a spray bottle.
Therefore, at the first symptoms of the disease, it is necessary to inspect the plants for the presence of these pests. They can be seen with the naked eye. The spider mite is also determined by the white spider web that appears on the culture. To combat them, you can use a solution of laundry soap, which is used to treat all parts of the plants. They also use insecticides. Well suited drug "Aktelik", which is dosed in accordance with the attached instructions.
Also check the soil for pests. To do this, loosen it. If insects are found, the soil must be completely replaced. You can disinfect it in a microwave or oven. Also do it steaming.
Other reasons
If all the conditions and rules of care are met, and the leaves of peppers fall further on seedlings, it is necessary to look for other factors of such influence. One of them may be improper development of the root system or leaf plate.
There are times when the roots get confused, their growth and strengthening slows down.The plants then do not receive the necessary nutrition. To correct the situation, it is imperative to transplant seedlings and untangle the roots. The procedure is carried out 3-4 days after watering. Finish by moistening the soil with water at room temperature.
Sometimes a natural process occurs where the central vein grows faster than the leaf itself. If the seedlings develop incorrectly, they do nothing.
After planting seedlings in a permanent place, they can also turn yellow and crumble. The reasons for this are different:
- The plants are planted too deep.
- Incorrect observance of crop rotation - planting was made after nightshade crops. Their roots release substances into the ground that are toxic to peppers. In this place they can be planted after 3 years.
- Too thickened plantings - then thinning is worth doing. The optimal distance between plants should be 30 * 40 cm.
- Shaded beds.
Conclusion
To prevent leaves from falling off sweet pepper seedlings, it is worth taking preventive measures and finding out what exactly is the reason. If you follow the rules of care, you can grow healthy seedlings.