Seedlings can fall due to several common reasons, but they are easy to fix if you pay attention to them in time.
The first problem is improper watering. If the soil is over-moistened or over-dried, the roots begin to "suffocate": with excess water they rot, with a lack of water they weaken.
Moderate watering, where the soil remains moist but not wet, will help correct this.
Test the soil with your finger before adding water, and make sure the container has drainage holes. If there aren't any, make some, and add a soil conditioner such as sand or perlite to the soil.
The second reason is a lack of light. Without 12-16 hours of bright light, the stems stretch out, become thin and cannot support their own weight.
If there is not enough sunlight, use phytolamps, but remember: at night, plants need darkness to absorb nutrients.
Another factor is drafts and temperature changes. Seedlings do not tolerate cold air currents and sudden changes in microclimate. Maintain a stable temperature: around +20–25°C during the day, +16–18°C at night. If the seedlings are near a window, protect them from drafts, for example, using a transparent screen.
Weak seedlings often indicate a nutritional deficiency. Use complex fertilizers with nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Feed every 10-14 days, starting with the appearance of 2-3 true leaves.
If the problem has already arisen, urgently support the plants with chelated fertilizers through spraying.
Another mistake is dense planting. When the sprouts are crowded, they fight for light and nutrition, which is why they stretch out and fall. Dive them into separate cups when the first leaves appear and leave 3-5 cm of free space between the plants.
Sometimes seedlings fall due to diseases, such as black leg. To save the plants, reduce watering, treat the soil with Fitosporin and remove severely damaged specimens.
It is also important to monitor the quality of the soil. Choose a special substrate for seedlings with neutral acidity and be sure to disinfect it before planting - heat it in the oven or pour a solution of potassium permanganate.
Additionally, strengthen the seedlings by hardening them off: 1–2 weeks before planting in the ground, start taking them outside, gradually increasing the time of “walks”. After watering, carefully loosen the top layer of soil so that the roots receive more oxygen.
