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Vermont

I started my seeds a couple weeks ago, and after the initial two leaves the new ones are coming in all curled up. I am starting them under a grow light which is on for about 15 hrs a day. I used a pretty standard potting soil. The leaves are very nice and dark green, but they are super thin, fragile and shiny, and they are very oddly shaped. I will put a picture in my diary. Please let me know if you have any ideas on what it is or how I could fix it while it is still early.

4/6/2021 6:32:37 PM

Westmoreland, KS

That can happen if too much fertilizer Gets to the plant early on they don’t need much of anything the potting soil could be an issue. Another thing that could be causing that is if you didn’t remove the seedlings from a heating mat quick enough

4/6/2021 7:16:49 PM

Deer Park WA

The little guy looks like it may have been too clise to the grow lamps?

4/6/2021 11:15:42 PM

your light, if touch finger is it cool

4/6/2021 11:29:18 PM

Syracuse, NY

IIIII'm thinking it's the potting soil and he should put at least one in the sink and drench it thoroughly with spring water (no chems) about 3 times and then drench it with regular-strength Miracle-Gro (1 teaspoon per gallon H2O, (since it's maybe still an indoor plant?) allowing it to drain fully each time like laundry(!) and also switch to a 40-watt cool white fluorescent an inch or two above the leaves to avoid legginess to solve the light problem, if it was one; Those are what I would do, at least on one, and see how it goes; i say these because it looks like the next leaves are in trouble as well; IMHO, always use seed starting mix because that's what it's for, and even for transplanting out into the patch---eg

4/6/2021 11:45:49 PM

Grittyville, WA

Idk for sure but cal nitrate does this? Sometimes you may get an unlucky batch of potting mix that's been mixed
a bit too strong... Also, were the seeds frozen at any point? I've thought I've seen evidence of freeze damage if the storage conditions were poor. But that's a more loose theory than the calcium nitrate... which I know can easily mess the leaves up. Best mix I've tried this year has been Jiffy.

4/7/2021 2:00:15 AM

Littlerock, WA

So, I have had this happen, and it wasn't until I got fancy lights. I call it "bunchy leaf" and I don't like it. My theory is that the lights are too intense. Get a PPFD meter app for your phone and measure your light's output. Seedlings don't need such intense light.

4/7/2021 2:23:23 AM

Littlerock, WA

And by intense, I don't mean heat, I mean how much usable light for photosynthesis the plants are receiving per second.

4/7/2021 2:26:31 AM

Bethlehem CT

If it isn't the light, that soil looks suspicious to me. I can see dried minerals or ferts on the dry soil and also in your watering pan. If all else fails I would get them out of that soil and repot in some different potting soil.

4/7/2021 6:48:44 AM

Westmoreland, KS

All great info here cransom could you give us some of your insight from all of the replies. Everybody seems to be spot on...and big moon is right from the picture it looks like dried minerals or ferts on the soil and in the pan.

4/7/2021 10:23:56 AM

Jericho Vermont

If you look at my past diaries I have many leaves that look like that and don't fully develop indoors. As soon as they start growing outside the normal leaves start to come. My biggest concerns with your plants is looking at the calendar. You may be a few weeks early unless you have the ability to keep them warm enough in the ground. Feel free to email me with any questions you have. jkpayoung@hotmail.com

4/7/2021 4:39:58 PM

Colorado

Vt John is right that your plants will grow out of it.Im not sure if its light caused or fertilizer induced but I used to get it a lot with my old set up.My guess is its caused by lighting.

4/7/2021 6:08:20 PM

Grittyville, WA

Its certainly not too late to start over... anywhere between now and early May is, generally speaking, an acceptable start time. Or give them a chance to grow out of it.
Lower temps or different potting mix... T-5 or LED lights are both pretty easy on them and they like either one.

4/7/2021 7:50:39 PM

Lloydminster/AB

I’ve been having that same thing for the last few years. I upgraded my lighting and there it is. It’s either excess light, which I doubt, or too warm which I believe may be the problem. Warm soil or warm leaves. Check my diaries out and you will see it in various degrees.

4/8/2021 10:10:23 AM

Springfield, VT

It is not and issue, the next leaf will come out fine. The plant will not even notice in the long run.

4/8/2021 2:53:44 PM