Oh and that pot where you have two seedlings growing could be split now. You can use a medium that is just slightly damp and speed up the drying out process by re-potting them.

Linda

Thanks. If it is overwatering, any idea why it would affect only these 3 plants of only this variety? The rest of my seedlings look completely normal, although maybe slightly yellow. I've watered and fertilized all of them the same. Is this variety particularly susceptible? I've had them all outside in a cold frame during the day for the past week or so (60's) but I bring inside at night (temps 35-45) b/c I feel like the cold frame might be too cold - it's on an elevated deck and doesn't seem to get very warm.

This is my potting up mix:

And yes, I agree, they do look pathetic, don't they? Poor little things.

I'm going to be away visiting family for the next 7 days, so it'll be up
to DH to take care of these guys while I'm gone. I'm so nervous! I've
put so much time into them, I don't want to come home to dead tomato
babies right as they should be going into the garden.

Some of my other seedlings (that I just watered before posting this thread):

The others look so much better! I have no clue why Garnet is reacting this way with similar treatment. Perhaps it doesn't like the cold! I must check on my Garnet seedlings. I'm having trouble with Maglia Rosa seedlings all looking absolutely pathetic compared to the rest, so sometimes it IS the variety that has a problem!

I am also using Pro-mix, but not the seed-starting one. Perhaps it holds too much water for our little seedlings.

Linda

With a just a little bit of luck pathetic seedlings will recuperate remarkably fast when transplanted outside.

Some varieties seem to be more prone to watering issues so that may explain it but I'd also examine the underside of the leaves for tiny pests just to be sure. Your mix is intended only for seed germination, not for growing in and as such it tends to retain water much more. If you don't plan to transplant them into a regular growing mix soon or out into the garden then you will need to cut back substantially on watering as well as increase the available nutrient levels.

Dave

If Garnet is growing in colder conditions than your other plants were at a similar stage (i.e., you were growing those indoors but you are growing Garnet in the cold frame), then overwatering would affect the Garnet more.

When temps are cold, the plant has less transpiration, and that means it's easier to overwater it.

Also, I agree that there's variability between varieties with regard to resistance to various stressors, and it would make sense that that would include water stresses, both under- and over-.

Thanks all. No pests. I do think it's the water. I potted up some of the smaller ones yesterday and the when I pulled them out, the mix around the roots was very very wet. I potted into slightly damp mix as Linda suggested. This is probably good since my DH will be in charge of watering while I'm gone this week (and he'll probably forget, so win-win). I told him he must take photos every day and send them to me so I can give directions! Then I'm hoping to plant out when I return in a week.