Peppers just layed down and died?

[cherishedtiger]

So indoors I am growing ghost chili's... Yeah the nuclear hot ones. Well I had 5 growing, all started sprouting up, each got about 3 leaves per little stem and then poof one after another down they went, wilted up turned brown and fell over.
I try not to over water them, they are in an indoor greenhouse with a grow light, they are in miracle grow potting soil... not sure why they just went poof!

Any ideas? I am going to have to reseed, and well don't want to run into the same problem again so looking for any advice I can find.

Thanks!

[TZ -OH6]

Sounds like "damping off". "indoor greenhouse" sounds bad to me. You want moving air around seedlings. Soil can actually be pretty damp part of the time but you want the air/humidity to be normal humidity with air flow.


I don't want to put down MiracleGrow potting mix because I have had horrible stuff from Scotts (wet and packed), but seen decent MG mix at my local nursery (dry and fluffy)... both are the same company. Pro Mix BX potting mix is a little more expensive, but I get a big growth increase from it over other mixes I have used.

[rainbowgardener]

Yup, that was my thought too. Type damping off into the Search the Forum feature and find a bunch written here about it. In my experience, it helps to have your pots or flats in a tray that you can bottom water. Just put a LITTLE BIT of water in the bottom of the tray, only enough that the pots can soak the water up pretty quickly.

And like TZ said, be sure you have plenty of air circulation. If you are using one of those mini-greenhouse thingies with the top on it, take the top off as soon as the first seeds sprout.

And DON'T use peat pots!

[LindsayArthurRTR]

I make a tonic with 2 cups boiling water, 2 tsp of chamomile tea( or 2 bags) and 1 tsp of dawn. Steep for 24 hours the stain into a misting spray bottle I spray it on them as soon as they emerge from the soil. And daily til they get true leaves then every three day til transplant time. I also water from below and let the soil wick the water up to the roots.

I've not had problems with damping off since I started using this technique and tonic. I also give my seedlings a few seconds of fan time to get their stems nice and strong.

Sterile seed starter helps too. I used miracle grow organic potting mix to start seeds this summer and also now for fall plantings!

[garden5]

I make a tonic with 2 cups boiling water, 2 tsp of chamomile tea( or 2 bags) and 1 tsp of dawn. Steep for 24 hours the stain into a misting spray bottle I spray it on them as soon as they emerge from the soil. And daily til they get true leaves then every three day til transplant time. I also water from below and let the soil wick the water up to the roots.

I've not had problems with damping off since I started using this technique and tonic. I also give my seedlings a few seconds of fan time to get their stems nice and strong.

Sterile seed starter helps too. I used miracle grow organic potting mix to start seeds this summer and also now for fall plantings!

I've used this as well (except without the Dawn) this past year. I watered my plants with it now and then and only lost one plant to damping off (coincidentally, it was a ghost chili)

If you act quickly, you may even be able to save you plants. Re-plant them about 1-2in. deep and they may send out roots from the stem and survive. I did this with some toms when they were only a week or so old and they all made it .

[LindsayArthurRTR]

I haven't used it to water with. I just mist the leaves until they are covered. It's just enough to barely moisten the top of the seed mix.

[garden5]

I haven't used it to water with. I just mist the leaves until they are covered. It's just enough to barely moisten the top of the seed mix.

That would probably work, as well. CT said that they all had about 3 leaves per stem, I'm wondering how old they were. I've never has a problem with damping off once they were bigger, only when they were young. Perhaps CT's pepps put on leaves sooner than mine. Oh, and she mentioned a "mini greenhouse," as another poster said, that doesn't sound too good. Tell us you don't have one of those plastic domes over your seedlings, CT !

[cherishedtiger]

Yup, well its a store bought greenhouse, about 5 feet tall, 4 shelves, and the plastic cover that zips up and closes it all in.
So yeah I now know the error of my ways... this has happened to everything I have planted and put in there... they grow and then poof fall over and die.

I will replant, leave the little door open and as mentioned water from the bottom... I may even try the tonic you all have mentioned. Luckily I still have seeds left over!

Thanks for all the advice! I thought greenhouse meant plant and poof it grows! Still new at all this.... I will get it eventually!

Thank you again!
Cherish

[garden5]

Yup, well its a store bought greenhouse, about 5 feet tall, 4 shelves, and the plastic cover that zips up and closes it all in.
So yeah I now know the error of my ways... this has happened to everything I have planted and put in there... they grow and then poof fall over and die.

I will replant, leave the little door open and as mentioned water from the bottom... I may even try the tonic you all have mentioned. Luckily I still have seeds left over!

Thanks for all the advice! I thought greenhouse meant plant and poof it grows! Still new at all this.... I will get it eventually!

Thank you again!
Cherish

Personally, I'd take the jacket off completely once the seedling sprout. In my opinion, it just makes things too humid and that really exacerbates any potential problems with damping off.

Don't worry, CT, you'll get the hang of things before you know it .