Grrr - problems with tomato seedlings

[curly_kate]

What is it??? Blight already?!?!

I just transplanted them about a week ago into a larger pot with a mix of potting soil and seed starting mix. I even sterilized my pots this year! There have been little gnats flying around. Could they be the culprit? The leaves get green spots on them, and dry out. Help!!

 

[lesa]

I don't think it is blight... Can you start hardening them off? It is just so difficult to grow tomatoes indoors. A few minutes of real sunshine will make a real difference. How is your watering schedule going? I presume you have drain holes in your containers? Don't give up, and don't panic. Happy Gardening!

 

[Chickie'sMomaInNH]

have you given them any fertilizer? looks like they could be lacking some nutrients.

 

[NwMtGardener]

Yes, i'm wondering about a lack of nutrients...seed starting soil usually doesnt have much in the way of fertilizer. If you havent provided any liquid fertilizer in your water, i would try that. I use a weak solution at first, then make it stronger.

 

[hoodat]

To tell the truth it looks more like waterlogged soil to me.

 

[curly_kate]

It definitely doesn't look like blight, but I was wondering if the gnats weren't causing some issues. I water from the bottom, and they are not sitting in water. I mixed potting soil in with the starting mix because it has plant food mixed in. I've been using bat guano about every other time I water. So it doesn't sound like a slam dunk on any issue. Could the gnats be spreading something? I really want these to turn out well because I'm going to be selling at a farmer's market for the first time this spring, and I'd like to sell off my extras there.

We're supposed to get more unseasonably warm weather this week, so I might put them outside during the day for a bit. Fresh air cures will cure what ails ya!

 

[catjac1975]

It definitely doesn't look like blight, but I was wondering if the gnats weren't causing some issues. I water from the bottom, and they are not sitting in water. I mixed potting soil in with the starting mix because it has plant food mixed in. I've been using bat guano about every other time I water. So it doesn't sound like a slam dunk on any issue. Could the gnats be spreading something? I really want these to turn out well because I'm going to be selling at a farmer's market for the first time this spring, and I'd like to sell off my extras there.

We're supposed to get more unseasonably warm weather this week, so I might put them outside during the day for a bit. Fresh air cures will cure what ails ya!

Soil gnats eat the roots of plants. You can use KNock out Gnats. though I have found it now effective for me this year-always worked in the past. Hang fly catchers and water with and mixture of hydrogen peroxide and water 1-4 ratio. Let the soil dry out as much as you can this will also kill the soil gnat larve. I would also remove the yellow leaves and fertilize lightly. I'm not a fan of coffee cups for growing plants. I recycle pots from purchased plants.

 

[curly_kate]

For the H2O2 - just put it in a dish near the plants? I think I'm going to put them outside tomorrow since it is supposed to be up to 66. Maybe that will help too.

 

[lesa]

Just don't put them in direct sun- but I think a little fresh air and sunlight would be helpful...Good luck!

 

[catjac1975]

For the H2O2 - just put it in a dish near the plants? I think I'm going to put them outside tomorrow since it is supposed to be up to 66. Maybe that will help too.

No. You water the plants with it. See quote below. I did the treatment once and hung flu catchers. Worked very well. Do all plants or they will just keep spreading. I think this is still organic -though not sure. BT and Knock out gnats will also work-this is cheaper.



Getting rid of the adults is a snap: simply give them a sticky yellow surface to land on, and within a few days you'll have enough dead adults to make a tasty dinner of gnat casserole (YMMV). The larvae are a bit trickier. The first step toward getting rid of them is to starve your plant of water for a few days, letting the top layers of soil dry completely. Larvae cannot develop in dry soil, though they can survive a drought by suspending their development. Don't worry about killing your plant; it takes serious dedication to kill most houseplants from underwatering, while overwatering a plant can kill it very quickly.

Once the soil is dry, mix 1 part hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) solution with 4 parts water. Use 3% solution, which you can find in any drug store or in the hygiene/medicine aisle of a chain grocery store. You can use a stronger solution if you change the water mixture appropriately, and don't be too concerned with proportions; it would take a very high concentration of H2O2 to hurt your plants. Just make sure you buy pure H2O2 with no chemical additives! Hydrogen peroxide is often sold as a topical disinfectant, and things that are good for your wounds may not be so healthy for your plants.

Water your plants as you normally would, using the hydrogen peroxide solution and taking care to get good coverage of the entire top layer of soil. Use a spray bottle if desired. The soil will fizz for a few minutes after application; this is natural. The gnat larvae die on contact with the H2O2. After a few minutes the fizzing stops and the H2O2 breaks down into oxygen molecules (which your plants don't mind) and water molecules (which your plants love).

Congratulations! You've just successfully treated your fungus gnat infestation. Monitor the gnat population for a few days with sticky cards, in order to make sure you've got them all. Make sure not to overwater, and consider sometimes adding a little hydrogen peroxide to your daily waterings--in my experience, the plants react well to this little treat. Watch your plants grow big and strong and enjoy the fruits of your labors, whether they be flowers, vegetables, literal fruits, or big sticky nugs of homegrown chronic.