jiffy-7 pellets and mold

I just started some tomatoes in the jiffy-7 pellets. It's my first time using them, but I covered them with plastic and have been airing them out for an hour or two a day, and this morning (3 days later), there is white, fluffy mold absolutely covering the pellets. My flats next to these are fine. I just sprayed with some strong hydrogen peroxide solution, but I'm wondering if this has happened to anyone else, and if so, are they still salvageable? It looks like one of the tomatoes might be germinating, and I'd hate to throw good seeds away!
Thanks,
Mara

You did the right thing, you dont have them too wet do you?
More help will be by, Sidney

I'm agreeing with Sidney. Sounds like too much water and warmth. Mine always have a tendancy to stay soggy, so I leave the plastic cover propped up until germination, then just take it off. If the seeds are of a particularly easy variety I don't cover at all. Your seeds will probably be fine because you caught the problem early. Good luck!

Mara, I assume you have them in one of those plastic trays with a clear top. It may not matter but if you have plastic wrap directly on them no air could flow, I would think. Good Luck

I was using plastic wrap draped loosely over the top. I guess I'll take it off and just mist if they get dry...I do have them over heat..
Thanks,
Mara

When you repot...and with tomatoes, you'll have to. Jiffy Pellets will not work for tomatoes till transplant.

Be sure to cut the netting off the outside of the pellets. It will not break down, contrary to advertised statements. It will choke your tomato roots and you'll get stunted plants.

For best results, tomatoes must be re-potted at least once before setting out in the garden. Usually, you just lift the seedling out of the potting mix with a little sharp instrument and plunk it down deeper into another pot of sterile mix. This encourages roots to form along the stem and you have a much healthier plant.

I usually do this when I get one set of true leaves and I use a little flat screwdriver to lift the seedlings out of the trays. I plant several of the same variety in the same tray and just break them apart and re-pot. Tomatoes benefit from having their roots disturbed...unlike some other plants.

As long as you don't pinch the stems..tomatoes are wonderfully forgiving.

Thanks for the transplanting tips, melody. I'll keep my fingers crossed! :)

This may NOT be the thing to do but I do it with success. I start all my seedlings, even tomatoes in the little jiffy pellets. In the little plastic trays, soak them (the pellets) good in a dish. Take the very wet but not soggy pellets out, plant seed and put them in the plastic tray with cover. Every morning, I take the cover off for about 15 minutes. When the seed sprout, I wait until they are several days old but before any roots are visible, I gently peel off the web wrapping and plant the whole pellet in a cup. This works for me. I like using the pellet to start but they dry out to much to continue in them. Good luck

Charlotte's method is exactly how I would handle these seedlings at this point.

Mara, If you dont have a clear cover, use something to hold that plastic up off the peat pellets. Using the plastic is okay but you want some air to circulate under it and not have it directly on them. Sometimes in desperation, I've even stuck toothpicks in the edges of a few pellets and help the plastic aloft. Remove it completely of course after germination of most of the seed :)

I've been using toothpicks to hold it up! I planted two in each and was planning to tear them apart when I transplant. The mold hasn't come back yet, so hopefully i'm in the clear!-
Mara