This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.
Vinegar fumes damaged seedlings??
Natbat
Posts: 62
Hi all,
I just made rhubarb chutney. The kitchen got pretty steamy (despite extractor fan being on and window being open) and very vinegar smelly.
After I jarred it up I went to close the window and floumd loads of my previously happy seedlings and larger veg plants looking very floppy and sad, like all the water had been sucked out of the leaves.
Was it the vinegar, or steam? More importantly, is it reversible? Can I help them or do I just cross my fingers?
I'm so sad, I've worked so hard in nurturing them and several were destined to be gifted to my father.
Thank you,
Natalie
0
Posts
It's unlikely to be vinegar fumes as, although it smells really strong, it's actually quite a weak acid. You can put it in your chutney and on you chips don't forget.
I shouldn't imagine that the steam could have done them much harm either. They maybe got a founder at the window.
Could it have got that cold???
At this point there is little you can do except wait and see if they recover. Don't change what you were doing before "chutney gate" if you're sure they were happy and cross your fingers.
I hope you dad likes rhubarb chutney. He might have to take it as a replacement.
Think he will have to take it as a replacement sadly!
This morning they have lost leaves and have all collapsed. I'm thinking it was the great heat of the steam followed by being cold of being by the window. I wont be able to sow some of them again but am going to resow some of the tomatoes, the tomatillos and golden berrys, perhaps some of the squash and see if they can catch up. No peppers for me this year!
Hi NatBat. Many years ago my Dad killed a lot of my Mum's pot plants making pickled onions and I would definitely put it down to the fumes. Mum was not best pleased.
Oh no!
That's too bad. It's rotten when you see all your nuturing come to nought. Get more in quick and see if you can catch up. I was planting seeds yesterday but then I am a season behind up here in the wild and windy north.