yellow transplants...please help

[bluemule31]

I must say that this is the least of my problems as I am in tornado ravaged alabama. My family is alright thankfully. With no power, I have spent a few hours inm my garden the last couple of days. Mynew transplants (mater and squash) have some very yellowleaves that concern me.....somebody please advise what I should do.

[splat42069]

Can you get pictures to help us out alittle bit more? And Glad to hear you are alright!

[rainbowgardener]

Have they been in the ground while there was heavy rain? Too much water can cause that (though it is not the only thing). In the current conditions, it can be hard to avoid too much water (I have fortunately NOT had to deal with tornados, but it seems like it has been raining all the time for a month). If you have water puddling in your garden, you can try digging little drainage channels, sloped away from the plants.

Pray for sunshine!!

[garden5]

Another thing you can do if too mush water is an issue is put up low-tunnels. These are just hoops which are bent over your crops and have sheet-plastic over them. The only problem would be if it is very hot right now...it might cook the transplants. Folks typically use them to warm-up the planting space faster/more so they can extend the season.

How long have your transplants been in the ground?

[DoubleDogFarm]

Tell us about your soil-compost-ferts.

Did you add something that might be locking up the nitrogen?

Fresh manure?


Eric

[rainbowgardener]

Just to educate me, Eric, why would fresh manure lock up nitrogen? I thought it would burn plants from excess nitrogen. Putting wood chips etc in (not on) the soil, locks up nitrogen, because to break down the carbon uses nitrogen.

[DoubleDogFarm]

Just to educate me, Eric, why would fresh manure lock up nitrogen?

No No! I should have made it more clear.

First, Tell us about your soil, compost and fertilizer regiment.

Second, Did you mix something into your soil that maybe locking up nitrogen.

If you added fresh manure, like RBG mentioned, it maybe burning your plants.

Three different questions, or is it five.

Eric

[jal_ut]

Hard to say, but here is one potential problem.

Plants grown in the house often turn yellow when put out in direct sun. It is because they are not used to such strong light. I see this sometimes too with greenhouse plants. It is important to harden plants off before transplanting them out. Start by giving them 3 hours of direct sun. Increase their exposure to direct sun a couple of hours a day for a week.

Plants already planted may be given some shade for part of the day. Place something on the west side to shade them in the afternoon.

PS Squash can be grown so easily from seed planted where it will grow, I can see no good reason to start them in pots or buy plants. You can plant seed the same day you plant transplants and it will all get ready at the same time. I think the reason is because of the transplant shock.