Drooping cantaloupe seedlings...

Mon Jun 09, 2008 11:47 pm

Almost half of my 32 canteloupe seedlings just started drooping today---about 2 weeks into their growing stage.

They are about 2 inches out of the soil and I'm trying to determine if there is not enough water or not enough light.

They've been indoors in a dining room that is does have good air circulation. The windows that the seedlings have been getting the majority of their light through, are long and you might say somewhat thin. Essentially they've been getting sun from the east but no sun from the west. I'm currently giving them a little extra western sun today.

Would you say not enough light? Or too much water?

Thanks for any help.

-Chris

Mon Jun 09, 2008 11:57 pm

Where do you live, zonewise? region? 2-inch seedlings may be strong enough to be hardened off prior to planting in the ground/containers, or they may somehow be suffering from damping-off, or...

Clues? Photographs? They will def. benefit from full-spectrum sun. Glass doesn't permit all the ultraviolet rays of the sun to penetrate.

What kind of potting medium? ??? ad nauseam.

Good luck! I planted Charentais melon seeds in early May. I have two whole seedlings in the ground. One is 2 inches tall (yes, it's been about 5 weeks) and the other is just showing me its first true leaves. slow...

Cynthia H.
USDA Zone 9, Sunset Zone 17

Tue Jun 10, 2008 11:25 pm

Could be the lack of sun or perhaps too much water or not enough clean air. YOu may be able to harden them off as cynthia had said.

Wed Jun 11, 2008 11:35 pm

cynthia_h wrote:Where do you live, zonewise? region? 2-inch seedlings may be strong enough to be hardened off prior to planting in the ground/containers, or they may somehow be suffering from damping-off, or...

Clues? Photographs? They will def. benefit from full-spectrum sun. Glass doesn't permit all the ultraviolet rays of the sun to penetrate.

What kind of potting medium? ??? ad nauseam.

Good luck! I planted Charentais melon seeds in early May. I have two whole seedlings in the ground. One is 2 inches tall (yes, it's been about 5 weeks) and the other is just showing me its first true leaves. slow...

Cynthia H.
USDA Zone 9, Sunset Zone 17

Well, good news to report.

Seems to be the problem was a lack of moisture.

I took all 30 plus Jiffy pots and let them sit in a separate tray half full of water for a few minutes. I then took all the Jiffy pots out of the water---letting any excess water drip off---and then put them back into their original tray. A couple hours later there was no more droopiness.

Now, I'm strategizing about when to move them into 3-4 inch pots.

Thanks for the feedback.

-Chris (in San Diego)