Leaves "laying down," particularly if they're lettuce seedlings, can be a sign that they are wilting from lack of water.

How often are you giving them "food?" What type? Seedlings rarely require fertilizing until they are a bit far along. Many of the mixes could have some fertilizer already, so you want to be careful about doing harm by trying too hard to please them.

Leaves change position all the time in response to light. It is all part of the photosynthesis process. They also respond to changes in air temp.

But they can also change in response to root issues such as too little or too much water, too little air, too much soil compaction, fertilizer burn, etc. As ralliea said very little fertilizer is needed or tolerated by young seedlings. It should be used very sparingly and only in a diluted form.

Like many of your questions about seedlings, you'll find more info on feeding seedlings over on the Growing from Seed forum.

Dave

I've read in several different sources to use fertilizer at one quarter strength for seedlings. So if you use Miracle grow at a tablespoon per gallon, you'd use a little less than a teaspon per gallon for seedlings. I do that once a week.

Now that I have moved it out of direct light, the leaves are starting to stand upright again. I guess that was the problem. Thanks everyone!!!

The fertilizer I use is Jobes Organics granular fertilizer and soil amendment-vegetable & tomato food. The directions state:

"Transplants and seedlings: For a 2-inch pot size seedling, apply 1 tablespoon into the planting hole and mix with surrounding soil. For a 4-inch pot-size plant add 1 1/2 tablespoons."

I had the plant in a 3 inch pot but still followed the 2 inch pot seedling instructions and only added 1 tablespoon of food.

If the leaves are laying down in the direct light, then the roots are not able to drink up enough water to keep up with the loss of water (evapotranspiration) through the leaves.

A healthy seedling should NOT have trouble drawing up enough water, unless its roots are damaged, or the soil mix it too dry, or it is getting cooked in the heat.

Did you stick your finger in the "soil" mix? Is it moist enough? Is it moist all the way to the bottom?

Is this the plant with the damaged roots? Is it a lettuce?

Unless you give us a better idea of what is going on, we're all shooting in the dark.

I used one teaspoon of plant food, not tablespoon. Yes, I check to make sure the soil is moist but not too much. This is the lettuce plant with the damaged roots. Should I keep it out of the light for a few days until the roots recover?

Yes, keep it out of direct light for the first two days, and then try sneaking it under there for periods when you're around so you can help it if starts to collapse again. In a week to two weeks it should be recovered enough that you can start treating it like the other seedlings.

Don't put it in the dark though--good indirect light if you can get it.

"Transplants and seedlings: For a 2-inch pot size seedling, apply 1 tablespoon into the planting hole and mix with surrounding soil. For a 4-inch pot-size plant add 1 1/2 tablespoons."

Those directions are for final planting the "transplant" into the garden...."into the planting hole and mix with surrounding soil"......

NOT "in" the seedling pot...you'll kill the tender plant with that much fertilizer

Those directions are for final planting the "transplant" into the garden...."into the planting hole and mix with surrounding soil"......

Agree. That is way to strong for seedlings.

Dave

Are you still watering by spraying overhead? Or have you changed to bottom watering? It is possible that the roots are not getting enough water if you are still syringing. Wet leaves will not help them grow. They need the water at their roots.

There is a distinct danger of your babies keeling over from excess love. Think slightly moist, cool and light and let them get on with growing. Don't feed them when they're so tiny and try not to worry so much.

I'm bottom watering now. I'm doing alot more reading on how to properly take care of plants and I'm putting together a quick reference guide so I know when seeds should be started, when they need to be transplanted outside, what temps they like to grow in, etc. I'm reading alot about how to prevent certain diseases caused by over-watering, too much fertilizer, etc. I know a little more about things I NEED to know so it's easier to get the info and have it readily accessible. I don't think my iceberg lettuce plants are going to make it and if they do, they probly won't produce any lettuce because of all the stress I've put them thru, right? I have 2 other lettuces to plant now that I've made all my mistakes with the iceberg....and....I have 3 broccoli and 3 tomato plants that are very happy right now. Thanks to everyone for all your help and advice the past couple of weeks. I love you guys and GW!!!

Dana, I just want to add that your enthusiasm is quite refreshing. It reminds me about my own starts and failures, and gives readers, both experienced and not, the opportunity to rethink our practices and compare them amongst ourselves. You are sifting through an enormous amount of sometimes confusing information with great good spirit. For most of us grizzled garden veterans, many of the tasks involved are routine, maybe even tedious, but even in the recognition of potential disappointment you have an air of lighthearted optimism that I find quite rare and refreshing.

Carry on.

We love you, too!

(And we leap at the opportunity to co-opt another person into our love of green, growing plant!)

Your lettuce will probably produce something for you, though perhaps not as good of quality as they would have if you were able to meet all their needs. You can actually eat them at any time you decide--many people eat their little plants when they "thin" overcrowded plantings.

And don't feel bad about making mistakes with a few plants along the way. In my first year gardening outside Boston, I carefully raised flats of beautiful peppers and tomatoes, and then promptly KILLED them by planting them out WITHOUT HARDENING THEM OFF and the day before a snowstorm!

Ah, the doozies that we do! :)