Nitrogen Deficiency? (I know I need to transplant them into bigger trays/cells)

[vpnisnice]

Hello,

First time grower from seed. Does this look like a nitrogen deficiency? Things are looking a little yellow on the bottom, and I thought that was normal but not too sure. Any help would be appreciated thank you. And yes I am waiting on my larger seed trays/cells to transplant them into very soon. I know I left it too long but I was travelling and left somebody else to their care.

 

[Old Gasman]

I would say that they're just overcrowded and would benefit from either being repotted or planted out, if its warm enough where you are.

 

[Knucklehead]

How often do you water?
When can you transplant to your patch?
Have you started hardening them off a little bit more each day outside?
When were they fertilized?
I don't repot but some members do.
They may have been overwatered. The soil may have run out of the nutrients that usually come in potting soil. Dose them with a tomato fertilizer and then start letting the soil dry out between waterings. Dry, not just less moist. A couple weeks before transplant, stop the fertilizer and only straight water when the leaves have wilted from lack of water. Slowly introduce them to outside a little bit each day until they can stand full sun all day. This can take a week or two. In the beginning, they can sunburn very easily. Keep an eye on them and move them inside if they look wilted or stressed then move them back out after they recover in the shade. Take your time.

 

[deluxestogie]

Perhaps you might start your 2023 grow log in the Grow Blogs forum. That would be a great place to document your grow, and ask specific questions about it.

Bob

 

[vpnisnice]

How often do you water?
When can you transplant to your patch?
Have you started hardening them off a little bit more each day outside?
When were they fertilized?
I don't repot but some members do.
They may have been overwatered. The soil may have run out of the nutrients that usually come in potting soil. Dose them with a tomato fertilizer and then start letting the soil dry out between waterings. Dry, not just less moist. A couple weeks before transplant, stop the fertilizer and only straight water when the leaves have wilted from lack of water. Slowly introduce them to outside a little bit each day until they can stand full sun all day. This can take a week or two. In the beginning, they can sunburn very easily. Keep an eye on them and move them inside if they look wilted or stressed then move them back out after they recover in the shade. Take your time.

I water maybe twice a week now tbh. I was hoping to repot today or tomorrow, I just got some cells. The tray that they are in right now is a standard 1020 x 72 cell, so there are 72 plants in htere, and I just got two 1020 x 36 cell trays. I think the 72 cells are 1.5 inches square, and these ones are like 2.25 inches. Do you think that's the right size to move up to at this point? I won't be able to transplant them outside until around May 24th, as that's my areas last expected frost date. I wanted to repot them into 3 inch cell trays, but my grow light wouldn't be able to handle 72 of those at that size. So I've created a bit of a pickle for myself tbh haha. I am quite surprised by the success of everything so far, I figured I would lose tons but everything has been going incredibly well so far, unexpectedly so.

I have "fertilized" them about 2-3 different times over the last two months. Using a watered down urine combination of 1 part urine to 9 parts water. But usually that wasn't enough water for the time, so I would add twice the amount of water on top of that a few hours later, so I think it might have been too watered down in that case.

I will repot them tomorrow morning, hopefully the 2 inch cells will suffice, and then fertilize them if I can get some tomato/higher nitrogen fertilizer, and then start hardening them off slowly and gradually increase that process over the coming weeks with the aim to plant them fully outdoors by May 24th.

 

[deluxestogie]

If you transplant now, then the seedlings will only have about 1 week of growth, after their ~2 weeks of transplant shock. My suggestion would be to leave them in the 72-cell tray, and clip the leaves (not the stalks' growth tips). This will give them some extra time. Gradually expose them to sunlight over a week or two. Then transplant them outdoors as scheduled.

What variety are you growing?

Bob

 

[vpnisnice]

If you transplant now, then the seedlings will only have about 1 week of growth, after their ~2 weeks of transplant shock. My suggestion would be to leave them in the 72-cell tray, and clip the leaves (not the stalks' growth tips). This will give them some extra time. Gradually expose them to sunlight over a week or two. Then transplant them outdoors as scheduled.

What variety are you growing?

Bob

Ah very good point Bob thank you! I guess I didn't really consider the amount of time involved for the transplant shock, so it wouldn't even really be worth it as you described to repot them and then transplant them outside so soon after. As for clipping the leaves, just the ones on the bottom should be fine right? Just so they're not so over-crowded.

There are actually 4 different varieties in there: 36 Canadian Virginia (I live in Canada), 18 Aztec Wild (apparently good for colder climates, to hedge the other varieties), 9 Monte Calme Brun, and 9 Virginia Gold. Unfortunately, my planning has been very poor this year. I really do not have space outside for 72 plants. Like I mentioned, I was expecting a lot more to die off in the process, and I'm sure some still will, but I have room outside for maybe 20-30 plants. I was just a little behind with getting the seeds started, that I just grabbed the only size seed tray they had in my town (the 72 cells) and I just went from there. I will be able to give some away as well obviously. I just had such bad success last year, as I purchased some seedlings which were then sent in the mail (which hindered their growth to reach my small town), so this year I ramped off into the other extreme of planting loads.

 

[deluxestogie]

I typically clip about ½ of each leaf, with the goal to prevent shading of neighbors. All of those clipped leaves eventually become the trash leaf at the bottom of the stalk. No loss.

I usually start ~25% more seedlings than I plan to transplant into the garden, to allow for transplant mortality. I would suggest that you transplant only the number of each variety for which you have adequate space. With a cold heart, throw away the remainder after about 2 to 3 weeks, rather than "squeeze" them into the garden. (Or you can put one or two into pots to look at by your doorway.)

Bob