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Post by daylilydude on Mar 30, 2019 7:05:37 GMT -5
I think that's what it's called...what causes it, and how do you fix it once it happens?
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Post by pondgardener on Mar 30, 2019 9:36:14 GMT -5
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Post by pondgardener on Mar 30, 2019 10:03:37 GMT -5
And hydrogen peroxide is used as a algae control in aquariums and ponds. I use a diluted solution when starting seeds, spraying the top of each cell.
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Post by brownrexx on Mar 30, 2019 11:56:18 GMT -5
I don't get that much of it and it doesn't seem to hurt anything so I don't worry about it. I start my plants in sterile seed starting mix so there really isn't much of anything else that grows in there.
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Post by carolyn on Mar 30, 2019 14:23:30 GMT -5
well, it depends on what it looks like if I do anything but... I spray my starter mix when I plant my seeds with greensheild after I water in the seeds if I have it mixed and in a sprayer in the greenhouse. a fan helps with circulating the air around the soil too. I am not a fan of cinnamon but try it if it suits you. I don't think it works but it may have something to do with minerals, softness, ph or maybe even what type of cinnamon it might be.
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Post by Laura_in_FL on Mar 31, 2019 11:15:03 GMT -5
My anecdote about cinnamon after using it for a number of years is that it slows down, but doesn't prevent, the green algae scum from forming. I used to use it every time I started seedlings, but the last couple of years I haven't bothered.
I tried hydrogen peroxide once with no effect, but my peroxide may have been too old.
The algae and mold spores are everywhere, so even if you use sterile mix and keep it covered until germination, as soon as you take off the dome the algae and mold will immediately colonize if conditions are favorable.
In my experience, the best way to reduce the green slime (and white molds) on the soil surface is - AFTER the seedlings are up - let the top of the mix dry out a bit before each watering. You don't want to wilt your seedlings, but try to wait until just before they wilt to water. And use just enough water to moisten, not soak. Keeping the soil from getting too moist helps reduce damping off, too.
Ultimately I always get some green or white coating on the soil. But if I am careful with watering there is not much until it's almost time to start hardening off the seedlings. That is the cure - getting the seedlings outside into some sunlight. Any algae or mold always disappear once as soon as I start hardening off my seedlings outside. I only get algae or mold on the soil of pots in the sun if they are literally standing in water mucky wet all the time.
Exposing the seedlings to sunlight through a window often doesn't work, because most windows filter out a good portion of the UV.
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Post by hairymooseknuckles on Mar 31, 2019 12:37:31 GMT -5
I don't know. I guess I haven't noticed it. I use jiffy pellets then when ready to transplant, I tear off the netting and put the whole peat pot into a foam cup with potting mix. Unless like tomatoes where there are several plants, they get separated and planted. I don't keep things under a dome long, so maybe that's why I haven't noticed it forming.
I take the dome off as soon as I see a few emerge. I don't keep my plants in a drafty location, so they really don't need a dome for long.
I also water from the bottom mostly. You really don't want to keep a plant too moist. In my opinion.
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Post by brownrexx on Mar 31, 2019 15:17:35 GMT -5
The algae and mold spores are everywhere, so even if you use sterile mix and keep it covered until germination, as soon as you take off the dome the algae and mold will immediately colonize if conditions are favorable. Not in PA where we struggle to keep the humidity in our homes above 30% at this time of year when we are starting seedlings!
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Post by september on Mar 31, 2019 16:15:10 GMT -5
I normally only get it on the cells that have not sprouted for a long time, and I keep watering them hoping for something to rise up. If I do get any on my slower growing peppers, I have not noticed that it harms anything since it's so shallow growing. Easy to scrape off and replace the top 1/8 inch of soil. I usually crumble off any thin layer of algae when I transplant to larger pots.
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Post by Laura_in_FL on Apr 1, 2019 9:34:43 GMT -5
brownrexx, the spores are still there...but that sub-30% indoor humidity you have makes the conditions unfavorable so they stay dormant! My winter humidity is more like 50%-60% most of the time, though in cold spells it does drop into the 40s and sometimes lower. But your point is very valid. I bet the humidity level in your seed starting area makes a lot of difference in whether you have algae or mold issues with the soil for your indoor seedlings. september, I don't think that the green algae does any direct harm, either. But a thick layer of algae or mold, especially if it forms early when the seeds haven't germinated or the seedlings are really young, probably indicates things are too wet. When I transplant peppers or some other plant that I am going to plant at the same depth, I scrape off most of the algae and replace the top layer of soil, too. But if it is something I am going to re-pot much deeper, like tomato seedlings, I just bury the algae. I figure it's organic matter and if I bury it deep enough to block out light, it will die and decompose into plant food.
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Post by brownrexx on Apr 2, 2019 12:08:20 GMT -5
the spores are still there...but that sub-30% indoor humidity you have makes the conditions unfavorable I agree with you somewhat but in the winter the algae and molds are not actively growing outdoors so they are not shedding spores. Yes, some spores are still in the air but probably not nearly as many as in warmer climates. Additionally we do not have windows or doors open, except briefly, in the cold winter and I use a pleated filter in the furnace that filters out particles as small as pollen which is mainly why we use one of these and change it every 3 months but it would filter out spores too.
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Post by carolyn on Apr 2, 2019 17:25:52 GMT -5
bottom watering helps to minimalize it too. if you have it started already water only from the bottom. it actually acts like a plug or seal if you get a thick enough layer of it but watering from the bottom interrupts its growth by drying it out.
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