Subject: Mold invasion - new seedlings

From: [email-masked](Jill Larsen)
Date: 3 Mar 1995 17:45:58 GMT

I am starting veg. seeds indoors for the first time.  I started some about  
a week ago in "Carefree Jiffy-Strips(R)" peat pots (8 pots per strip).   
This morning I looked to see what had come up today, and found that I had  
a layer of fuzzy white mold on the interior edges of the pots (even below  
the soil line).  Is this a sign of 'damping off', or is this something  
else?  I am hoping it is not this particular brand of peat pot.  Any help  
on how to get rid of it or info on what it is and how to NOT get it again  
would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.
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Jill L. Kassebaum         email to:  [email-masked]          
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From: [email-masked] ()
Date: 6 Mar 1995 20:18:57 GMT

I had a similar problem last year... I was advised to spray with some sort
of fungicide, but when I read the labels, I didn't want to even bring that
stuff into my home, let alone open it up and spray it on new plants.  Though,
if you don't have the same feelings about chemicals, it probably would work
great.  What I ended up doing was this - as carefully as possible, I scraped
all the fuzz off and replace it with new, clean starter mix.  I also vented
my little starter greenhouse (on the window ledge) to allow for better air 
flow.  Along with that, all I did was keep an eye on things and try to keep
it under control by keeping things clean.  It worked out for me last year - 
I didn't lose anything to the white fuzz, and my crops were as productive as
I expected them to be, so I don't think it had any affect on the plants.

You might want to consider planting some extras, just in case, too..

Good Luck,

- Tom

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From: [email-masked]
Date: 6 Mar 95 20:06:16 -0600

> would be greatly appreciated.

This is not "damping off".  Damping off (Pythium) is a fungal infection
that hits seedlings... they come up, they look good, and then they
collapse.  All you see is a watery spot in the stem, or maybe a
pinched looking spot.

Sounds like you've got very high humidity, and an opportunistic
(and possibly non-pathogenic) fungus has started to munch organic
matter in the soil or peat pot.  Do allow some air circulation
around your seeds and seedlings... it's important to prevent
damping off.  It can be a real balancing act to try to get seedlings
started in the house.  I have best luck when I use a sterile 
commercial potting soil, and cover the seeds with a thin layer
of milled sphagnum moss (not sphagnum peat, which lacks antifungal
activity).  I also have better luck with plastic pots than peat.
Cheaper, too!

Kay Klier  [email-masked]