What's wrong with my butternut squash seedlings?

[Phillippa42]

They've always been inside, watered every day. They look sick. Crispy, browning leaves but the plants still seem to be growing.

[Phillippa42]

Sorry, not sure why pic is upside down at all.

[MrsHippo]

Hmmm... have you checked the underside of the leaves for insects? Maybe your watering them a little too much? Mine are in my conservatory and I'll water them every other day unless its hot, then it's every day. I water from below too.. they're sitting on a gravel tray with others. So far they've all been really healthy and now have flower buds.

I'm no expert I'm afraid so can't really offer much more :/ xx

[Phillippa42]

Thanks. Can't see any insects. The green leaves at the top feel crispy and are starting to yellow and curl at the edges now.

[Phillippa42]

I'll try watering them less though and see if that helps. I wasn't watering them that often to start with but when I saw crispy yellow leaves I was worrying they needed more water.

[Mr Bones]

Looks like it could be sun scorch, not unusual on young leaves especially when grown behind glass.

[Phillippa42]

Thanks. I've moved them from the front of the house to the back as I did wonder if the south facing front windowsill had been too much for them. But I moved them a week ago and they seem no better. Will they recover if its sun scorch?

[Tadpole123]

The leaves that have died off are the seed leaves, that's normal.

They shouldn't need daily watering. I'd repot them into slightly larger pots or at least deeper ones, those don't look very deep. And ease off the watering or you'll suffocate the roots.
A plant needs watering when it feel light, you'll get the hang of it by picking it up every other day and feeling the weight. When it feels light it needs watering.
When it's a great big plant in the garden then you can water daily, but pop a small water bottle with the bottom cut off or a flower pot near the roots so when you water the water goes down to the roots where it's needed.

[KittyColdNose]

When my plants are young and still indoors I water the dish they are in, not the soil. They will soak as much water as they need and not sit there feeling soggy. I then tip out any excess water.

[kathyd]

My butternuts don't have true leaves yet, but my courgettes and cucumbers in the polytunnel keep getting brown dry edges or small blodges, I think it's because they get wet (condensation overnight usually) and then the sun scorches the wet leaves the next day. Unless they look diseased or completely dead, I just leave them alone while the plant grows more new leaves, and then whip them off. Check the roots are filling the pot before potting on, and you could pot on a bit deeper, up to where the seed leaves were, when you do it. As others say, try to avoid wetting the leaves when watering if possible. If you're not entirely happy with your plants, sow some more seeds now, just in case - you can always give surplus away or swop for something else if you end up with too many .

[Scarlet]

Thanks. I've moved them from the front of the house to the back as I did wonder if the south facing front windowsill had been too much

Possibly lack of water and sun score to start which has caused the brown leave although they now look a little wet. They should recover.

They will probably grow much better if you put them out in a sunny spot during the day.

[Phillippa42]

Thanks everyone for the tips. I'll repot them tomorrow and as the weathers meant to be warming up will start putting them in the blow away during the day which they should like.

[Two_Sheds]

watered every day.

OK, don't water them if they don't need it. How to tell? Wait until the pot feel light, then stand it in a shallow dish of water for 5 mins at most. If you use a clear dish, you can see the plant drinking it up

Light: your seedlings need as much light as poss, and windowsills aren't ideal. Put them outside when it's warm & sunny, bring them back in at night or if it's dark & cold daytime.