#2. You'll have to watch hydration... water more often.

I have a few that sprouted today. I still have several that haven't sprouted yet. I still have my seed tray with the dome on under lights, with the heat mat underneath. I'll leave it like that for a day or tray, any longer than that, and I'll need to remove the dome. I suggest you do the same. I just wouldn't leave the dome over newly sprouted plants for more than a day or two. Good luck!

Tim

I see you beat me to it Bill. I assumed the dome would be okay for a day or two. Shows what I know. Good thing I have pros like you around. :)

Tim

Actually, I think your advice is better. 1 or two days dome on won't increase chances of damping off and will give the non sprouted seeds a little more time in a warmer / moister environment.

I'd take your advice on this one.

I was just about to take my dome off.....maybe I'll wait and see. Thanks.

Tim

Yes, the dome shouldn't be a problem for a few days after you get some seedlings. However, you might want to vent it a little by cocking it a little so it doesn't close up real tight. It will still hold it a good deal of moisture and heat. But I would definitely get some light on the one inch tall fellas. As an alternate, you could remove the dome completely for a few hours each day.
Bruce

Light seedlings need light or they fall over and die.
If not using a tall vented dome I always used to just put a piece of plastic wrap on each one of the cells that haven't sprouted yet; keeps them moist. Keep the heat mat all the way till transplant they will grow much quicker and healthier.

Eric

So far I've been dome on under light, no mat (though I germinate in baggies). The sprouts are happy, though a few are almost tall enough to reach the dome. Since I was very conservative with the water to start with, I don't expect to see any damping off with the dome in place. I have been taking off the dome for a good half hour a day, though, to add new germs. I intend to leave it on as long as possible to keep from drying out the new sets.

One thing you can do to help prevent damping off and other fungus problems is to get a spray bottle with 3% hydrogen peroxide (they sell it as a topical disinfectant at pharmacies and pharmacy sections of grocery stores if you're in the US) and spray everything down with that. Don't soak it, but spray enough to moisten the top of the soil and the seedlings.

3% is not strong enough to hurt seedlings in anyway (they can stand up to 10%), but it will kill fungus (including damping off fungus). That'll let you keep the dome on a little longer without it being too dangerous.

After investigating the early germs that did not emerge, I am indeed getting "damping off" [what an odd phrase]. These are the original sets where I was not so conservative with the water.

So I popped the dome and started a fan blowing until the top of the soil dried out on the remaining early sets. Earlier I had started using H2O2 drop-wise at the base of each set. So far a much higher percent have emerged - almost 100% since I started using some H2O2 and less H2O.

Now if I can keep the fershlugginer cat from eating them!

edymnion:

Full strength 3%?

Kevin

DMForcier,

A "fershlugginer cat"??? No no no, you need a Guard Cat!

Her's a shot of one pretending to be asleep just waiting to pounce on any threat ;-)

Image found on a site called thechive.com

That cat is too cute! Mine did that when he was a kitten. I found out he was peeing in the pot the whole time; killed my "Hercules calla lily"!!!

Eric

Yes, I'm using 3%, though it's kinda old so is probably weaker by now.