I wasn't sure where else to post this but I need some help.
I have some sunflowers growing in a large pot in my living room under a lamp near a window until they're big enough to survive outside on their own.
Problem is, something is killing them and I'm not sure what. I'm kind of new to planting stuff in general and I can't find anything specific online.
Basically whatever it is eats away at the stems and leaves, crazy fast. The leaves end up looking like they have some sort of spider-web film left on them after being wrecked but I see no bugs in the pot or anywhere in my house for that matter. It doesn't look like fungus either but obviously if I knew I wouldn't be here.
Anything helps. Here's a random nature gif.
do you have a picture
>>808415
Give me a sec
>>808415
>>808415
2
>>808415
3
>>808415
And that's it.
>>808422
Is it under a grow lamp?
>>808425
No, under a regular lamp with a coil bulb of the name I suddenly can't remember. I turn it off during the day when the sun is out.
>>808426
How many hours per day hit the sunflower? It looks like it doesn't get enough sunlight because of the yellowing. Sunflowers need a LOT of sun.
Also: are you watering the plant overhead, or directly to the roots? I have gotten similar problems by watering overhead. The leaves get wet and fungus and microscopic insects thrive. Have you thought about anti fungal spray?
>>808428
I always water the soil directly, never over the plant if I can help it. And if it needs more sun I'll start putting them outside rather than just near the window, I'm just afraid my neighbor's kids will mess with them.
I haven't really considered fungal spray, any good suggestions?
>>808430
Ah okay I was wondering what you meant by until they are big enough to survive. Is there an area outside where the kids couldn't get to it? Since you started in a pot I wouldn't transplant right now but couldn't you just tell these neighbor kids to not fuck with the pot?
>>808433
but it needs more sun. Any anti-fungal will do but if you're watering directly to the roots then it's probably just microscopic insects like mites.
>>808433
Unfortunately not, I share a duplex with a woman whose kids are wild, and that's me not getting into how much I really dislike them. I actually bought a Bunny Ears cactus in an attempt to keep them away since they killed my last cactus by pulling it out of the pot and leaving it on the ground while I was at work.
>>808435
I kind of feared that was the case because of the spider web like film and how quickly they were getting killed. Do you have any solutions I could do right now?
>>808435
and btw it doesn't look like much of a problem. there are still plenty of leaves for photosynthesis, which is the only reason for leaves. Barely any of your leaves are gone. Worry more about getting them direct sunlight.
>>808438
There are insecticides and miticides. Are you near a Home Depot or a gardening type store?
and there's absolutely no where you can put them? on a fence post, some sort of ledge, etc.?
>>808441
oh man, your neighbors sound like an absolute nightmare.
If you have an upstairs area, could you take the screen off the window and put them on the roof? I've done that and the plants seemed to love it.
>>808443
While that sounds awesome, no I only live on in a ground floor home. Between me and you I reallllllly considered getting a gympie gympie just because they're prone to killing the lawn and tampering with my plants, but I figured it was way too dangerous to me, my girlfriend and our roommate.
>>808444
>gympie gympie
kek what bout some stinging nettle
>>808445
Looks too dangerous, kids would just avoid it and go after something else. I'd want the plant to look harmless but be dangerous, which is why I settled for the bunny ears cactus. Looks fuzzy but have fiberglass like slivers. I'm open to suggestions though.
>>808446
just put stinging nettle surrounding your garden area
>>808447
btw stinging nettle immediately hurts but isn't deadly