What Is Killing My Young Plants??!

[Cosmo and Dibs]

My young plants keep dying. I keep them indoors in a warm-ish, light, airy bedroom and water from the bottom carefully. I water them in exactly the same way I did last year where I had no such problems.

I originally thought my problem was down to damping off, but doesn't that only affect seedlings?

This is typical of how they go:


This is typical of how they go:

These are trailing pansies I bought from Thompson & Morgan for £9!

Any ideas?

[Jeanied]

Those look like they had a nasty shock before they got to you!

[Tractor Boys]

Pansies are a hardy plant usually plant mine out in tubs in the autumn and leave them to flower in the spring could be that it is too hot in the room possibily best putting them in a green house or cold frame to get them used to the temperatures out side and then out side once they have climatised.

[Cosmo and Dibs]

The instructions with the plants said 'grow on indoors'.

Grrr! I'm useless with these young plants! I'm much more at home with veg!

[Two_Sheds]

The instructions with the plants said 'grow on indoors'.

Probably meant a greenhouse, not a centrally heated house. I agree they look wilted & possibly over-watered too

[Cosmo and Dibs]

Aha- I see. I've only got a PVC greenhouse, but will try that with the 4 I have left

[Paulottie]

Possible I'm sure Jeanied, frosted/baked/drought ie. that they could have been environment.... but also look in the stem for tiny maggots.(possibly scarid fly (fungus gnat))..also inspect roots.(less likely vine weevil)...if the roots are rotted/eaten then its the compost....including poor drainage

Whatever it is take up the noble art of complaining...

I'd be on to Thompson and Morgan.(if it not just them that are affected I should omit that detail) they should replace your batch +interest

I should definitely change your batch of compost....take that back too with a plant or two and see what they say about you losing your expensive plants...couple of free bags of their best at least.

Try both anyway...you may come out on top!

[Cosmo and Dibs]

Thanks, Paulottie!

I'll do that now!

[Two_Sheds]

is that compost they are planted in, or garden soil?

[Paulottie]

Looks like lumpy MP to me TS....Perhaps a riddle might be a good present to yourself?...or consider switching to a loam based compost...some folk much prefer it from a drainage point of view.

[smallblueplanet]

Have they been stood in the sun?

[rustylady]

Looks to me as if the compost is too wet.

[taff]

what are the temperature fluctuations like in the room? It can get cold by windows, and this year has been colder for longer.

[BFG]

I'd say over watering too.