Topic: seedling advice

[debster]

last year when my seedlings came up a lot of them rotted off at the stem near the soil im sure ive heard about this and that it has a name (cant think right now) how do i avoid it happening this time?. it never happened the year before but last year was the first time i used peat pots, i only used plastic ones the year before is there any connection?

[Georgie]

It's known as 'damping off' and as the name implies it's because the compost is too wet.  My guess is that the peat pots hold water whereas obviously plastic ones do not.  Hope this helps.

G x

[saddad]

Damping off... can be worse in Peat pots if they get saturated...  :-\
Beat me by 24 seconds Georgie... Maybe I should get out more...  ;D

[debster]

thats the name. couldnt think of it for the life of me, now is it affected by where you water them cos im sure the plastic pots were more likely to be watered from the bottom but not the peat ones, or could it just be the pot difference? i know its impossible to say exactly but what would your guess be?
thanks ;D

[Georgie]

They say to to water from the bottom but to be honest I don't.  I think 'little and often' does the most harm so tend to wait until soil fairly dry before watering.

G x

[debster]

ok thank you  ;D ;D

[Robert_Brenchley]

It's not just wet compost, it's also a damp atmosphere. How much ventilation do they get? Damping off is a fungus, you need to avoid moist, warm, stagnant conditions in which fungi flourish. At the same time, of course, moisture and warmth are just what seedlings like!

[debster]

i start them off in a bedroom window before they go outdoors

[Tee Gee]

Damping off eminates from soil level where temperature and humidity can be a bit extreme e.g. the soil/compost is relatively warm, the air above soil /compost is generally cooler and it is these extremes that create the fungal disease known as 'damping off'

To eliminate this there are a number of things you can do e.g.

1) Keep the air & compost at the same temperature which can be quite difficult to do.

I use a fan heater to keep the air in motion which helps.

2) Keep the surface of the compost quite dry i.e. water from below.

With the number of plants I grow this is too time consuming.

3) When watering use a handspray containing clean water mixed with some fungicide.

This is my preferred method because it waters & protects the seedlings at the same time and the soil does not get over wet.

4) Try putting a ½" (12mm) layer of vermiculite or perlite on the surface of the the compost. These compounds are free draining, hold heat and allow air into the plant all of which wards off 'damping off'

Finally don't be despondent even the very best of gardeners will succumb to this disease at some time in their life!

[debster]

thank you Tee Gee, im not too despondent cos i always sow far too many anyway but thanks for the great advice, i like the idea of the sprayer with the fungicide, is there a name i can ask for to buy it?

[foresterone]

I use "cheshunt compound" available at garden centres , which you mix and water on compost

[Tee Gee]

is there a name i can ask for to buy it?

There are many on the market some are already mixed others you mix yourself as in this case.

Note; the product in the picture is an insecticide rather than a fungicide.

In fact the substance in the picture might be a banned substance  ::) you just can't keep up with those 'eurocrats' although I could find a better name for them but then I might get barred from A4A! :'(

I prefer to use the self mixing method simply because you can use the sprayer time and time again for either spraying insecticides, fungicides and foliar feeds, that is providing you give the spray a good rinse out after each use!

Plus it is much cheaper!!

As far as brands are concerned I am not sure what is on the market today. As mentioned elsewhere 'cheshunt compound would suffice.

The key thing is; look for the word 'fungicide' on the label/packaging and you should be ok.

[caroline7758]

I've certainly found, as TG says, that covering with vermiculite reduces dampening off.

[shaun01]

i find that if you try and grow your plants to early then this is the biggest cause to much moisture in the air and the compost stays to wet , keep your sowing times right and don't prick out to soon, i always sow in trays with 2 or 3 layers of news paper at the bottom once i have sowed the seeds that's it i don't water them again until i pick them out and i do this the day before .
instead of trying to start my plants off early i try and prolong my growing year by sowing contagiously through out the year and plat out late if you get my drift

[Baccy Man]

If you prefer a natural fungicide then either spray with cammomile tea or dust with ground cinnamon both have fungicidal properties.

[caroline7758]

sowing contagiously

Seed sowing is definitely catching- look at us lot! ;D

[debster]

ooh i have some camomile tea too will try that thanks, guess i just make it as normal and let it cool down do i?

[Baccy Man]

You make it as normal but leave the teabag in there while it cools. Some people dilute it before spraying others use it as is.

There is a method for making it with whole flowers rather than teabags HERE if it helps.

[debster]

thank you, i will use the teabags to start with simply cos i bought them and didnt like them much lol but thank you