Broccoli seedling problems

[stv]

I have sown broccoli tenderstem seeds a couple of weeks ago which were doing really nicely, until the last week or so.
The leaves are starting to wilt and turn yellow, effectively die off! I have each seedling in individual pots and they are around 8-10 cm high with second set of real leaves emerging.
Can anyone shed some light on what the problem might be, they have water and get reasonable light from the west facing windowsill (they are behind single pane of glass).

Thanks, Stv

[Cutecumber]

What compost are you using, and how wet is it?

Changing colour foliage often means that the plant isn't getting all the nutrients it needs - for a seedling this can be caused by poor growing media and too much water.

Ventilation is important. Broccoli likes cool, bright conditions, even the summer type.

[stv]

You may be right - i used general purpose compost.
Can you recommed a good quality growing medium for seedlings, and whether there may be anything i can do at this stage?

[Cutecumber]

General purpose should be OK - many of us use it for sowing.

How old is your compost? Is it fresh?

If the seedlings are looking really poorly, buy a small bag of fresh compost from your local garden centre and transplant a few of them into that, just to see if it helps. It will take a week or more to tell if they prefer it, though.

How wet are they?

[PAULW]

STV
Your not on your own I have been struggling to grow brassica's this year, had exactly the same problem healthy seedling that turn yellow and perish, keep sowing.

[zazen999]

Hello
I am consulting the bible/Hessayon - is there any more you can say about these; it cold be just a deficiency of magnesium or manganese; so a bit of fertiliser might perk them up a bit.

try googling both these and broccoli and see if they match with either.

If not, there are other things, can you post a photo?

[Cutecumber]

These are seedlings a few weeks old - you don't get those kinds of mineral deficiency in seedlings. There is either something strange with the compost, like it has been nuked or is far too wet, or there's fungus at work.

Repot them into fresh compost. Move them to a different location. Keep them ventilated.

[deezyb]

I have sown broccoli tenderstem seeds a couple of weeks ago which were doing really nicely, until the last week or so.
The leaves are starting to wilt and turn yellow, effectively die off! I have each seedling in individual pots and they are around 8-10 cm high with second set of real leaves emerging.
Can anyone shed some light on what the problem might be, they have water and get reasonable light from the west facing windowsill (they are behind single pane of glass).

Thanks, Stv

Have had a very similar problem STV, but moved them from the bright light I was subjecting them too, to a shadier position in the house, and although two look like they've given up the ghost, the rest seem to be perking up! also my compost was far too wet from over watering....so they are living in a less wet environment at the moment. good luck

[flowerofshona]

Try some plant growth stimulator, i use maxi crop seaweed, it will help them

[stv]

I have just repotted them into a 50:50 mix of general purpose compost and John Innes no.2. Also have made sure they are well drained and not too damp....
I will report back any further advances...

[Cutecumber]

Good. Fingers' crossed for you.

[Epsom Gardener]

I had the same problem and read somewhere that brassicas like to be watered with tap water and not rain water! I had 1/2 tray of broccoli and 1/2 tray of spinnach. The spinnach are doing really well and the broccoli died (as did the cauliflower). Thanks for the tips about not having the soil too wet and not too bright light.

[Cutecumber]

Bright, but not in direct sunlight through a window while they're really little. They can get burnt, especially if you get water on the leaves.