A Gardeners Forum Forums General Discussion The Food Garden Forum seedlings are dying and cinnamon

This just isn't my year. For some reason my peppers, basil and tomato seedlings are not really growing and gradually dying. My lettuce, scallions and sweet peas are doing just fine. I have a new seed starting mix made from coconut but if that were the problem the sweet peas would be dying too and they look fabulous. If it were fungus I would think everything would get it since they are near each other. I didn't bleach out my seed trays or covers this year BUT I am using all new inner cells, trays and peat strips. So I just let it slide. Anyway the basil started first by getting black and shrivelled and then decaying like inky cap mushrooms, until nothing remains of them. The peppers and tomatoes have seemed more to dry up or to have yellow leaves that die. Neither the peppers or tomatoes have true leaves yet and they should by now. I have them just exactly as I do every year. So, thinking it must be fungus of some kind I was told to sprinkle cinnamon on them. I did so tonight and will wait and see if they improve. Being they aren't growing I don't think they will be any good to plant anyway. I can start some basil later though and that will catch up.Here is a photo from last year of how I start my seeds. Note how awesome my basil and maters were then.

I think the tomatoes an peppers need some air .
Mine are near the cold windows and growing well when the sun shines.
They need lots more light when they are growing.

I may be all wrong.. My tomatoes only had heat to start them, then to the window sills.

I think it's some sort of disease like a virus.

Maybe white fly.
I had that terrible last year on tomatoes.

Look at the leaves close and see if you can find little white specks of eggs ?

They are terrible.

Wish I could help you Tamara, your set-up is similar to mine, but I don't have plastic surrounding my cart. I have a fan blowing around the room on low all day long. I'm doing this because of "damp-off" seems to help.

Smart girl.

I put a little fan in my shelving area. Funny the lettuce is just fine; if it is damping off that sthould get it too. Regardless the tomatoes and peppers will not be ready to plant. So they are too unhealthy to grow. I am hardening off my sweet peas, lettuce and scallions right now. At least they look good.

Oh and I didn't see any insect problems.
But dang I am so frustrated! I did everything the same as I always do except different seed mix!