What to do if pepper seedlings start to fall over after germination

Growing pepper seedlings requires time and effort, which must be constantly invested in their care. Seedlings can fail due to a variety of factors.

Main reasons

Many will say that we learn from our mistakes, but it's better to know how to avoid a mistake than to correct it later. Common oversights that can ruin your plants:

1. Planting seeds in untreated garden soil is not recommended. The soil should be treated with antifungal and antiviral agents, such as Fitosporin. Apply the agent by watering the soil at a rate of 5 grams per 10 liters of water. Planting seeds in untreated soil can result in the seedlings being infected with bacteria and viruses, which will quickly destroy the weak peppers.
2. Pepper seeds must be healthy. If they are weak, the seedlings will be weak and drooping during growth. In this case, they can only be saved by fertilizing and creating ideal conditions, which, unfortunately, is almost impossible at home.
3. Avoid sowing seeds too closely in the trays. Plants grown too close together begin to compete for nutrients and water, causing weaker seedlings to die. When young peppers are planted too close together, they begin to stretch and fall over, as their stems are too thin and can't withstand the strain.

The hardest part is finding healthy seeds. They can be boosted by soaking them in a growth stimulant. One common one is "Epin"; you'll need 2 drops per 100 ml of water. Soak the seeds for 12-18 hours.

Mistakes in care

Caring for seedlings involves many nuances that must be considered. Let's look at the common mistakes agronomists make.

1. Overfertilizing causes stretching. Be especially careful when applying nitrogen fertilizer. The recommended application rate is 0.5 grams per liter of water. You can't stop the stretching process, so be careful with fertilizing.
2. Overwatering leads to water imbalance, roots and stems begin to rot, and fungal infections begin to appear.
3. Another side effect of imbalance is a lack of water in the plant's cells. Leaves become limp, stems bend, and roots become dry. In this case, it's necessary to regularly check the soil for moisture. This is easy to do: probe the soil with a matchstick; if the soil sticks to the tip, there's enough moisture; if the matchstick is dry, it's time to water.
4. Heating devices located in the apartment dehydrate the cells and soil, so it is necessary to increase watering and reduce direct exposure to heaters.
5. A common mistake beginner vegetable growers make is watering their plants with cold water. The plants are still young and can be killed by cold water. The water temperature for irrigation should be between 20-30 degrees Celsius.

Incorrect growing conditions

Growing peppers requires favorable conditions. It's best to grow them in a greenhouse or small hotbed, where a comfortable microclimate can be created.

Growing conditions:

1. High air temperatures are only necessary during seed germination. Once sprouts emerge, they should be reduced from 25-27°C to 20°C.
2. Peppers require light, which is essential for photosynthesis. Peppers can drop due to insufficient sunlight. If they are not grown in a greenhouse, it's a good idea to install additional light sources above the seedlings.
3. This is a heat-loving plant, but don't forget about humidity. It should be kept at 60-65%. In a very dry room, the seedlings will begin to wilt and fall over.

Pepper diseases

Bulgarian seedlings are fragile organisms and therefore there is a risk of diseases such as black leg and fusarium.

Blackleg

Blackleg pathogens are constantly present in the soil. They attack weakened plants. Seedlings are fragile, immature organisms, susceptible to attacks from various diseases. Not only are the bacteria present in the soil, but gardeners can also trigger the disease by watering seedlings with cold water.

First, the hypocotyl begins to rot, thinning and turning brown, after which the tissues become watery and soft. The disease is caused by:

• poor ventilation;
• excessive watering;
• watering with cold water;
• contaminated soil.

It's very easy to recognize a diseased plant. The main signs begin with darkening of the basal part of the stem, followed by drying out and becoming thin. When the seedlings are heavily affected, they begin to fall over.

Fusarium

Fusarium wilt is a disease that can affect plants from the moment seeds emerge. Symptoms include: pepper leaves begin to turn yellow at the base, wither, and a brown ring can be seen when cutting the stem.

Treatment of diseases

Black leg disease can be cured using the following methods:

• Prepare a weak solution of potassium permanganate and water the seedlings. The water should be slightly colored.
• it is necessary to loosen the soil and hill up the root collar of the seedlings;
• sprinkle the ground with ash;
• If the seedlings are only at the initial stage of the disease, then you can use the drug "Fundazol", the solution is prepared according to the instructions.

While blackleg can be cured, fusarium wilt is incurable. To prevent infection of other plants, affected peppers should be removed and destroyed.

Prevention

It is not always possible to cure plants, so it is better to prevent the disease:

1. Prevention should begin with planting the seeds. Soak them in a solution of potassium permanganate or a growth stimulant.
2. Bacteria thrive in highly acidic soil. To reduce the acidity, add wood ash to the soil under your seedlings; it also has an antibacterial effect.
3. Water only with warm water at room temperature.
4. Loosen the soil constantly, preventing a crust from forming on the soil surface.
5. Disinfect gardening tools you use. They may harbor viruses and bacteria that were previously on other plants.

Reviews:

Ruslan Bogdanovich:

I was growing sweet pepper seedlings, but they started to fall over. I was watering them properly, the soil didn't dry out, and I wasn't overwatering them. After consulting with a friend who graduated from an agricultural engineering college, I discovered that I'd over-fertilized the plants. The sprouts had become very leggy and started to fall over. I tried replanting them into separate peat pots, but they were still weak.

 

Elena Dmitrievna:

The year before last, when I was growing Bulgarian radish seedlings, I encountered a disease called fusarium wilt. Literally 15 days passed after the seedlings emerged, and they started to turn yellow and fall. The plants had to be burned to prevent infection. It was a shame, considering how much work had gone into them. Bitter experience has shown that it's better to immediately treat the seeds with an antifungal agent and prepare new soil, and then similar situations will not arise.