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ms_minnamouse

Fungicide for damping off of food producing plants?

ms_minnamouse
14 years ago

What would be a systemic fungicide that could be used to treat and prevent damping off when growing food bearing plants?

Comments (8)

  • muddydogs
    14 years ago

    A systemic fungicide for veggies or other edible crops is wrong. Let better growers raise healthier plants naturally.
    Maybe some neem tree spray?

  • ms_minnamouse
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Neem oil does absolutely nothing for damping off...

    I've since found a systemic fungicide. It's a product that contains beneficial bacteria. It's even organic if that floats your boat, though I personally don't buy something just because it claims to be organic. Therefore, systemic fungicides for edible crop plants are not "wrong". I wish people would stop making bold statements like that about chemicals without even knowing what they're talking about.

    Many synthetic chemicals are perfectly safe when you follow the manufactures' directions and use common sense. On the same note, many organic chemicals can be just as dangerous or even more so than synthetic chemicals.

  • rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
    14 years ago

    As I recall, you've struggled with damping off diseases for a couple of years or more. This is a problem that is one hundred percent preventable, without the use of chemicals of any kind.

    And neem oil (cold pressed) is well known to be effective against several fungal disorders, including those that may cause damping off symptoms. The objective here, of course, would be to use it as a preventative.

  • xylosma
    14 years ago

    There is a product called SoilGard 12G. There is another one called Root shield. They are fungal strains that are antagonistic to root rot diseases. So they are organic. They actually grow on the roots. They can be mixed with your planting medium. The SoilGard 12G is a granular product. Root shield comes in a packet and is a fine granular product. Check out the labels and see if they might work for you.

  • ms_minnamouse
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Xtlosma: Thanks, I have a lot of choices now as per my other post, contacting companies and your suggestions: SoilGard 12G, Root Shield, FloraShield, Subculture M, Aquashield, Draconil, Hygrozyme and a couple others.

    Rhizo_1: What part of "neem oil doesn't work, I've tried it" don't you understand? And if damping off is 100% preventable, why is it that adding a fan for circulation, keeping moisture levels in check, monitoring temperatures and pH and lighting, using chamomile, cinnamon, hydrogen peroxide and other home remedies didn't prevent it? I've been gardening for more than half my life now (part of which includes taking horticultural college courses). I can safely say that it is not 100% preventable. Though, I am not about to sit here arguing back and forth with you as I am familiar with your other posts and how they usually turn out.

  • rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
    14 years ago

    I think you should amend your all encompassing statement regarding Neem from "neem does absolutely nothing for damping off" to "I've tried neem for damping off and for some reason, it didn't work for me."

    It does appear to work for others, you see.

    Have you investigated the type of potting mix you're using? Or containers? If, for some reason, moisture hangs around too long problems can occur. Even germination flats (or pots) need to have excellent drainage and ample gas exchange within the root/soil system.

  • Mokinu
    9 years ago

    Damping off is not just caused by one thing, according to Wikipedia (and it may also be caused by other things than fungi). That might explain why neem oil works for one person, but not another.

  • barrie2m_(6a, central PA)
    9 years ago

    As a small commercial grower I'll relate that my Damping off problems have been eliminated over the past 5 years by using a potting media containing Mycorrhizae. The Pro-Mix by Premier Tech contains it. It is organically approved although I also use the BX product with added fertilizer which is not. As an additional preventative they offer the Pro-Mix potting media with Biofungicide. The entire package costs me an additional $2.80 per 3.8 cu. ft. compressed bale over the original base Pro-Mix media, well worth it IMO.