I have sown quite a few seeds recently and have found that when the seedlings get to a certain size they have a tendency to flop over, they are perfectly healthy and not wilting. Usually this is not too much of a problem because they get transplanted into their growing place and I plant them slightly deeper to avoid the problem. But this year due to limited space I have kept some of the seedlings to grow on in pots (lettuce and chard) but I have had to add a layer of soil on top to prop them up. They are now growing well despite having done this but why do they flop over, am I not sowing the seeds deeply enough? :-\
Sounds like etiolation. Are they in a greenhouse? Lettuce needs light for germination so you certainly shouldn't be burying them at all.
John I have never heard of etoilation, what is it? Just to clarify, I am not "burying" the plants very deeply once planting on, just a little deeper than they were otherwise they flop over. The plants look healthy enough and once they are planted on slightly deeper or have an additional thin layer of soil added they grow very well. Or did you mean I should not be burying the seeds when sowing? Surely that would make my problem even worse? The only way I can describe it is as if I have not sown the seeds deeply enough so the seedling is growing too near the soil surface, the stem seems to flop over at the base and then make a turn up towards the light and grow on, very healthily, from there. They're not in a greenhouse.
Here are some pictures so you can see what I'm whittering on about!
(http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/jessco/bathbliss/Images/lettuce1.jpg)
Some of the seedlings are worse than the ones shown in the photo.
(http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/jessco/bathbliss/Images/lettuce2.jpg)
This one has been planted on (about 3 weeks ago) slightly deeper than it's original depth.
So the quetion again, is this normal or am I planting at the wrong depth!
My guess is far too close in the seed tray = too little light = 'etoliation'.Try this? This is just before planting out. = Tim
That looks better! Next time I'll try planting in modules like you have. Didn't think sowing too closely together would cause a problem. Thanks both for your help. :)
Could it be 'damping off'?
Another common name for damping off is wirestem.This is of the because of the tendency for the hypercotyl to become noticeably thin at soil level due to pathogen induced necrosis of the cells. Neither Jesseveve's description nor his photos indicate any evidence of this.
go on john boy!!!!
Is this "the basic" or am i still at uni studying biology?
Beats me. I've never been very good at categorising things as other people see them. Sorry.
suhayb, I don't understand what you mean by your comment. Do you feel my question is too basic or have I put this in the wrong category?
John and Tim thanks for your answers, they have helped a lot. :)
john and tims answers are very good. The terminolgy they have used is very specilist and not at all "basic". This message board is called 'The Basics' and so their answers made me smile.
I am in my 20's, I have a friend who is in his 70's. His name is John. When he tells me something he has done at his plot that impresses me, it has become a common phrase for me to say 'Go on John Boy!' out of affection. (i.e. the Walton's, 'good night john boy')
I have suffered from the same problem as you, and so found the answers very useful.- thanks for asking it!
The basics of gardening, surely not basic language? I don't know if this is specialist terminology or not but anyone who has been on this board for a while will be familiar with such language on an an almost weekly basis- even those who call themselves 'dumb blondes' (tip- they're not!) will use such words.