are you sure on the diagnosis???

crikey.. its mid march ... everywhere in the US.. you have enough time to start over...

maybe not the will.. lol.. but you have the time ...

ken

Damping off happens most often just as the seedling starts to develop its first true leaves and the plants stem dies at soil levels. The pathogen that causes this is a fungus that lives is wet, cool soils.
Prevention is the best way to control damping off and that means the containers must be cleaned really well by washing with a solution of 1 part bleach to 9 parts water and using a sterile growing medium. Then due care is necessary to be sure the growing medium is not too wet or too cold.

Here is a link that might be useful: controlling damping off

Are you growing in peat pots? Damping off is quite common because the peat pots tend to stay wet.

I use a good potting soil in small containers, bottom water with a solution made with weak chamomile tea. A fan on low helps move air around as well.

Hope this helps.

Common cause of 'damping off' is fungal attack of fungi of Pythium sp. If you find yourself wanting or needing to use chemical fungicides, because it is not possible to control the environmental factors which accommodate the fungi, there are a few which specifically target Pythium.
Nik

This post was edited by nikthegreek on Mon, Mar 17, 14 at 8:53

Something to keep in mind is that damping off syndrome is pretty much entirely avoidable. It does take a little detective work, some preparation, and a bit of manipulation of the environment.

I grow three or four hundred plants from seed every spring, starting them in a couple of heated (and crowded) seed flats and transplanting into plastic cell packs shortly after germination. Strictly garage/backyard horticulture, by the way.

I have never had an issue with damping off and I have never used chemicals of any kind except for bleach when I am preparing my plastic flats and cell packs, which I reuse year after year.

The primary reason for my disease free seedlings is, I believe, my selection of a very coarse textured planting medium. Even in the germination flats, I use a fine textured germination medium only as a dusting on top of the coarser stuff.

I cover my seeds very loosely and only until the seeds have germinated. The plug is pulled on my heating cables, too, as soon as the seeds have germinated. The ambient temperature of the room ranges from 50-60 degrees. Sometimes cooler!

I'll run a small fan near the seedlings at all times.

Those who seem to have an on-going problem with damping off are probably using a very fine textured germination mix, keeping the environment too warm, not providing air circulation, and watering too frequently.

If the environmental issues aren't faced head on, then chemicals really won't help. It is sort of like solving a murder mystery, lol. Just remember that it IS preventable.

Now, what can we do to narrow the possible causes for you? Tell me more about your set-up and let us play detective with you.

@ken_adrian The plants look just like they do. They are thinning and wilting suddenly. I removed the ones that look infected, though. I got some more tomatoes, but the thing about the peppers I have is that they have a 6 month growth period before they can bear fruit.

@rhizo_1 They grew in peat pots with a heat pad until they germinated. As each germinated, I transplanted them into another small peat with more peat in it (I recently got more seed starting mix; I only had peat at the time). Currently, they are under two 4' 2600 lumen CFL bulbs. Not much else to say.

This post was edited by TheCakePlant on Mon, Mar 17, 14 at 18:19

Peat pots and peat moss are VERY problematic. That's the problem.

to deter fungus gnats, sprinkle cinnamon around the seedlings. Bottom water, as mentioned.

To control them, top water with a solution of 4 parts water to 1 part hydrogen peroxide.

Also, stop overwatering.. let the pots get almost bone dry between waterings.

As mentioned, air circulation helps and peat is no good past cotyledon stage for seedlings.

Good luck.

Kevin

btw, that's 3% pperoxide.

Kevin

Applying chamomile tea, cinnamon, or spraying with a hydrogen peroxide solution are all after the fact solutions and you want to prevent damping off not try to control it.
Most every recipe I have seen for using Hydrogen Peroxide is 1 tablespoon of 3 percent H2O2 in 1 quart of water. Too strong a H2O2 solution will kill the plants as well as the pathogen. Generally the Peroxide you purchase will be a 3 percent solution.

kimmsr: I use 4:1 water to peroxide and my plants are just fine. I've watered 3 times with it already this season.

Maybe it's the 20% stuff that needs that amount of dilution?

> "Most every recipe I have seen for using Hydrogen Peroxide is 1 tablespoon of 3 percent H2O2 in 1 quart of water. Too strong a H2O2 solution will kill the plants..."

I have used H2O2 at somewhat higher concentrations than that on seeds, seedlings, and in starter soil with no ill effects - and no damping off.ÃÂ In a few cases I have used 3% right out of the bottle, injecting into wet or damp environments. No dead plants yet.

Dennis