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emcd124

Damping off in Biodome...how to save other seedlings?

emcd124
10 years ago

Just today one of my pepper plants keeled over and I'm pretty sure that it was dampening off, it looks just like it.

If one cell is infected does that mean I should start freaking out about all my other pepper plants in there too?

I took some of the biggest ones out and transplanted into sterile potting mix. But then I stopped because I didnt know if the extra stress of transplanting would make the plants more susceptible.

Is the death of all inevitable? or do some plants resist better?
Should I transplant the others asap or no?
Anything else I can or should do to fix or minimize the problem?

Comments (7)

  • northerner_on
    10 years ago

    Several years ago there was a post on this forum on this subject. The solution was: water from the bottom with a weak solution of chamomile tea. I have used it since and have not lost one seedling to damping off. Just my experience. See what others suggest. I don't know how it can be stopped once it starts.

  • greenman28 NorCal 7b/8a
    10 years ago

    Biodome? Does that mean there's a dome or lid over your seedlings? If so, remove the lid/open it, et cetera, and make sure there's good air circulation. A gentle fan never hurt. Most importantly, don't overwater. Too much moisture at the soil line creates the conditions for damping off to thrive.


    Josh

  • emcd124
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    It is the Parks Biodome product, but after they germinated I removed the dome, so it is dome-less. It uses the parks sponges, so it isnt really soil or even potting mix. their directions tell you to bottom water with a weak fertilizer solution (1/4 tsp per gallon) and I tend to keep it with just a cm of water in the bottom of the tray.

    I'll try to chamomile trick today.

    But maybe this is just my own ignorance, are those seed starting trays something you are supposed to immediately transplant out of as soon as you get first true leaves? or can you usually leave them in there until they're bigger so long as they arent root bound?

  • Edymnion
    10 years ago

    Pepper seedlings *HATE* high humidity. All soil is infected with the damping off fungus, all it requires is humidity to grow.

    Do not use greenhouse domes, ever. Any amount of moisture on the top of the soil (even if its not soil) will promote the damping off fungus.

    And yes, I always transfer out of starter trays as soon as they sprout.

  • chilliwin
    10 years ago

    I use a 140 mm computer fan for the seedlings, it prevents damping off. If the seedling are in big containers I use wick to suck out the excess water from the soil too, it works for me. For the damping off soil I use the fan a bit longer than I normally use.

    Caelian

  • willardb3
    10 years ago

    Hydrogen peroxide in your water will control damping off fungus. Do a search for concentration.

  • DMForcier
    10 years ago

    I use 3% straight out of the bottle on seeds and starter cells where I have injected it directly into the cell. It doesn't seem to bother the desirable bits at all. I don't really have a metric as to how effective it has been with the fungus, though, except that my losses to damping stuff have been very low.

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