true leaves shriveling and falling

[dice]

It can be phosphorus deficiency, and it can also be a reaction
to cool temperatures (still phosphorus deficiency, but it has to
do with the phosphorus uptake mechanism rather than the
actual available phosphorus in the soil). If already dealing with
small root balls from being a little too wet, it may be better to
spray the foliage with a mild water-soluble fertilizer high in
phosphorus than to water it in. Phosphorus deficiency is
generally most visible on the bottoms of the leaves.

It can also be a disease symptom, but it is kind of early in the
season for those (mostly spread by insects that are not active
yet in cool climates).

[amideutch]

The perlite for insulation is the same animal. The brand I use is knaufperlite and it comes in an 80 liter sack for 10 euro. Ami

[svalli]

Originally Posted by amideutch

80 liter sack for 10 euro.

Same stuff - different application and the price difference is HUGE. I checked some Finnish builder websites and it seems that perlite insulation is not yet commonly used here, so finding it at so low cost may be difficult.

I am still happy that I can now buy it somewhere locally. I have to make sure that each little pricey morsel goes into my potting mix.

Sari

[svalli]

I may have found the reason for the wilting leaves. The affected plants have been started in the taller jiffy pellets. So when I planted them to the cups, there is only a thin layer of potting mix on the top of the pellet. There is now thicker roots growing from the top of the cup around the pellet and really thin ones coming through the pellet.

I have to find soon much taller containers to repot the leggy plants.

I have learned this season's first lesson: in future I'll use just potting mix for seedlings and forget the peat pellets.

[Polar_Lace]

Sari,

Do they sell milk in cardboard - paperboard - Cartons (containers) in your country?

Like This:

They are very often deep.
In US one quart and 2 quart (half gallon - 1.89 Liter) size.
If you can find some and wash some out now they would make for some good pots to use for now. Don't forget to poke some holes in the bottom (good use for my icepick these days.)

Save some of them up this year; for next season. Dry them with an open top and store in boxes of any kind (put some borax in the containers when you store them; it kills bugs by drying them up.)

~* Robin

[svalli]

Thanks Robin,

We have exactly same size cartons as in the photo. I have saved some and planned planting early potatoes in them, before they can go in ground. I have been thinking to use them now for toms and just make our son drink a lot of milk to get quickly new ones for potatoes. I'll tell him that it is for his own health and has nothing to do with my gardening obsession .

Sari

[Barbee]

What a good parent you are!
Sounds like a plan to me

[Polar_Lace]

Sari,

Around here I use small cardboard boxes if I want to get bigger plants started up. Just fold the boxes criss-cross on the bottoms. DO Not tape them. They can be planted directly into the garden soil. You can lay newspaper or paper bags inside the bottoms if you think the soil will come out. Once cardboard boxes are in the soil with watering they degrade faster. I often reuse the soap and borax boxes this way. When I buy cat litter in the paper bags and cardboard boxes I save them for this usage too.

You can even start plants and seeds inside of paper bags to start them off early! Just make sure you lay extra newspapers inside the bottoms for more strength.

When I lived further up North in NY State, Zone5, I cut a few slices in the bottoms of some gallon sized zipper baggies, filled with soil and started bareroot plants and seeds in them.... like day lilies, potatoes, sweet potatoes, cyclamen, bleeding hearts, calla lilies, and caladium too.

So you may have more alternatives than you think.

~* Robin

[svalli]

It seems that I never learn. I have a Stupice which has lost it's lower true leaves and I remembered this thread from last year when same happened. I have again used the Jiffy pellets and after the plants get their first true leaves I plant them to plastic cups by putting the pellet on the bottom and burying the stem with soil. I took a peek of the Stupice roots and there is not many of them. Just few thin ones coming through the pellet. Humidity in the house is below 20% with room temperature above 70°F, it just may be that there is not enough roots to supply moisture to the leaves.

I just wonder, if Stupice is more susceptible to this problem, because the other ones planted same way are fine. I will plant this one and rest of the tomatoes which are still in cups to milk cartons tonight and bury the stems deep, so they can grow more roots.