Seed starting problems can really put a damper on your gardening excitement. Without healthy seedlings, you won't have a strong start to your garden. You don't get stuck with leggy, stunted or discolored seedlings if you follow these tips.
An essential part of garden planning usually involves deciding which of your crops you want to start inside. Learning how to start seeds inside helps to jump start your gardening season. Being able to transplant started plants ensures a quicker start to harvesting as well.
Common Seed Starting Problems
Of course, all of this good planning can be thrown off track if your started plants aren't strong or healthy. We learned this the hard way the first year we started seeds inside - we ended up with super leggy tomatoes that were falling over.
But, if you know what seeds starting problems to look out for (and how to fix them if you start seeing signs), you can produce super strong and health plant starts that will kick your garden season off right.
Leggy Seedlings
Leggy seedlings look just how they sound. They are tall and spindly with stems that are not very strong. This is typically caused from access to light issues.
You can get leggy seedlings when they are reaching up or over towards a light source that is far away or in one direction. Also, if they are overcrowded, they can start getting leggy as they grow up trying to compete for the light.
To prevent this issue, we like to use a shop light hung directly above our trays just a few inches up. This way they have access to light straight above and don't have to lean towards a window.
We also like to add a small fan next to the plants that helps them to grow stronger stems and also prepares them for being transplanted outside.
Incorrect Temperatures
Soil temperature can make or break your seeds germination and subsequent healthy growth. This is why there are winter garden crops and spring garden crops - some seeds and plants do better in warmer or cooler soil temperatures.
For example, growing green beans you will need warmer soil temperatures, while growing beets you will need much cooler soil temperatures.
If your soil temperatures aren't right it can cause seeds to not germinate at all. Or, it can cause severely stunted growth in seedlings and plants.
You can provide a heating mat if you need to warm the soil temperatures up. And you can store your seedlings in cooler areas like a basement if you need to keep soil temperatures down.
Over or Under Watering
Both over and underwatering can have dire consequences for your seeds and seedlings You want to ensure that soil is just barely damp - it should never be wet or soggy.
Overwatering can cause issues with plants getting enough oxygen, root rot, mold or other fungal growth issues and more. Underwatering can cause drooping/wilted leaves, stunted growth and more.
To prevent these issues, just make sure to monitor the wetness of the soil daily and water only if need be.
Need some help getting your garden crops planned? Check out the Ultimate Gardening Calculators for a system that will auto-calculate for you.
Discolored Leaves
When you see your seedling leaves get discolored - typically turning yellow this can be caused by a few things. First, nutrient deficiency - make sure to use a good potting soil to start your seeds in. If you didn't, you may need to add in fertilizers or other soil amendments.
You can also get discolored leaves from overwatering. You never want the soil to feel soggy or wet which can prevent your plants from getting oxygen. Soil should just be barely damp to touch.
Dampening Off
Dampening off disease is usually caused by fungal issues. It is usually the culprit if you have fast growing, healthy seedlings that seem to suddenly die off right at their base.
To help prevent this issue, make sure you use clean soil and new or disinfected seed starting trays. Also, try to avoid overwatering, overplanting and high temperatures as all of these things can promote fungal growth and spread.
No Germination
Although seeds not germinating can be attributed to some of the above mentioned issues (over/under watering, incorrect temperatures), we thought it was important to spike out on it's own as well.
Some other reasons that your seeds may not germinate at all include incorrect planting depth or that they are too old. Make sure that you are following all of the instructions for each plant and that you keep your seeds in a cool, dark place and check dates on the packages.
If you need help getting your garden crops planned right check out The Ultimate Gardening Calculators so that you have just the amount you need, set aside the right amount of space and know exactly when to plant them.
