I started these cucumbers 20 days ago today and they are not looking so well. They started off great, but soon they out grew the seedling trays I had them it. The leaves started curling up, getting dry and turning yellow. I figured it was because they had out grown their seedling trays. I have moved them all into 4" containers, but they look like they are dying...
When I took them out of their seedlings trays, they were pretty wet and 2 days later, its still pretty damp and I have not added any water.
Can anyone give me some pointers?

Additional info:
T8 5000k lights on for 16 hours a day.
There is a fan lightly blowing over them.


Thank you!!

What is your growing medium? It almost looks like peat moss or sphagnum. They should be in soilless mix that is fairly neutral pH. It seems like they need some nutrients. A little plant food (the blue powder mixed into water) at about half the recommended strength will green up the leaves. You are correct not to water too much, only when the soil is a little dry.

PaulF said:What is your growing medium? It almost looks like peat moss or sphagnum. They should be in soilless mix that is fairly neutral pH. It seems like they need some nutrients. A little plant food (the blue powder mixed into water) at about half the recommended strength will green up the leaves. You are correct not to water too much, only when the soil is a little dry.

Thanks for the reply. They were originally in a seed starting mix, but they out grew their trays so I transplanted them into bigger containers using Fafard urban garden container mix 0.45 - 0.1 - 0.1
Im going to add some plant food and see what happens.

Cucumber seedlings really hate to be transplanted. Really don't want those roots disturbed. See the new growth coming in the center of the plants? As long as that is healthy the plants will be fine. They don't need the baby first set of leaves anyway.

Newyorkrita said:Cucumber seedlings really hate to be transplanted. Really don't want those roots disturbed. See the new growth coming in the center of the plants? As long as that is healthy the plants will be fine. They don't need the baby first set of leaves anyway.

Yes, there is new growth in the middle!
Maybe I should have started the seeds in these 4" containers instead of the small seedling trays. Then the only time they would have been transplanted would be when I put them out in the garden...

I am having trouble understanding what a "soilless" mix is? Perhaps one might enlighten me? I am familiar with sand, Perlite and Vermiculite and there are almost no plants I would start in same other than cuttings perhaps. Short of using aquaculture techniques, I only know of various potting soils, most if not all, containing mostly peat moss/and or sphagnum moss. Virtually all Professional Growers, (and I am certainly not one of those-wish I were,) use a planting medium that is primarily peat-based. It is cheap, compared to "real soil", lightweight, relatively disease-free or can easily be made so, holds on to moisture and has virtually no plant nutrients, but Growers can add whatever nutrients they want. If it is good enough for them, I certainly am not going to try to reinvent the wheel.

Like a seed starting or potting mix.

Newyorkrita said:Like a seed starting or potting mix.

Brand names include Miracle-Gro, Master Garden, Fox Farm, Viagrow, Hoffman, MotherEarth Products, Espoma, Pro-Mix, Pennington, Schultz, Scotts, Garden Safe,etc,etc. Most are similar. This year mine was Miracle-Gro. Do not use the one that says it is a water keeper or retains moisture. I do use soilless mix that has slow release fertilizer since the nutrient levels are so low it does not burn the seedlings and does provide a small amount of plant food.

I use the bagged because it is cheaper than buying the ingredients separately and then mixing. The companies have done a pretty good job of getting it right and it is easier for a lazy person.