Problem with seedlings

[essox lucius]

The leaves on my brassica seedlings are drying out & when touched turn to dust then plant dies may also be affecting cuecumbers & courgettes any ideas anyone
Thanks

[Iamhanuman]

oh gawd sorry no
where are they? inside or out?

[HotStuff]

Are you giving them enough water? Are they getting too much direct sunlight?

[essox lucius]

well watered & in greenhouse

[Iamhanuman]

yelp!!!
expert advice required
calling all moderators calling all moderators

[Hazel at the Hill]

The leaves on my brassica seedlings are drying out & when touched turn to dust then plant dies may also be affecting cuecumbers & courgettes any ideas anyone
Thanks

Too warm, I think - brassicas are very hardy beggars, and certainly at this time of year they want to be outside.

You could directly sow where you want them to be, but I would sow a couple in each module for planting out in a month or so (keep outdoors!), or sow half a dozen in a pot and transplant from there when they have 2 or 3 sets of proper leaves.

PROTECT SEEDLINGS FROM PIGEONS! says the voice of bitter experience.

[teakdesk]

I think Hazel is correct - too warm... I have shading on my greenhouse already !!!

Also, you could be over-watering so the plant is just sucking water and nutrients up continually, the water then continually evaporates in the heat leaving an excess of nutrients behind which poisons it.... just like an occasional cream bun won't kill you but a lot of them will do you no good at all!!!

[zazen999]

Definitely too warm. None of my brassicas see the inside of any building until they are rinsed prior to cooking.

The courgettes and cukes - probably too damp, are you watering from the bottom and keeping the water off the leaves?

[Flummery]

If you get water on the leaves and the plant are under glass the water droplets act as a lens and concentrate the hot sun coming through the glass. Singed leaves is the result. They go very crisp and pathetic!

[essox lucius]

Thanks all
maybe a combination of 1 or 2 suggestions but grown them same way for over 15 years with no problems before once again THANKS

[Hazel at the Hill]

......but grown them same way for over 15 years with no problems before once again THANKS

'Every day's a school day', as they say, and 'growing is an art rather than a science', as some other clever bugger said.