The greenhouse manager in Ohio told me my trays were too wet. She was right.
Honestly, I used to water my seedlings every single morning without fail. Last month a greenhouse manager named Deb stopped by my community plot and pointed out the algae growing on top of my potting mix. She said I was drowning them, not feeding them, and that the roots need a dry cycle to stretch down deep. I switched to bottom watering only when the top inch felt crumbly, about every 3 days instead of daily. Within two weeks my tomato starts in Cleveland had thicker stems and way less damping off. It felt backwards at first, like I was neglecting them, but now I check the weight of the tray before anything. Has anyone else gotten this kind of tough-love feedback about overwatering and actually seen better plants?