Goofey question #346 from Hugs about seeds... damping off???

Hi again :) I have been reading all kinds of stuff over the last week about starting seeds, and the term "damping off" keeps coming up again and again. I understand that it's bad news and that you can help prevent it with good air circ and light, but what is damping off exactly??

Thanks for bearing with a newbie seeder :)

Hugs :)

I think it's a catch-all term for a number of different things, mostly fungal in nature, that cause sudden seedling death. That's not very exact, is it? Best I can do.... :-)

Hugs...damp-off disease is one of the worst things that can happen to our seedlings. From what I've read it's a fungus that attacks the new seedlings at the soil level and rots the stem. Horrible thought! :-D

This year I began all over again with starting seeds. It's something I started *many* years ago but stopped trying because of damp-off. I have to tell you that (so far) I've been terribly successful with everything I've started this season. And you wouldn't believe it if I told how many flats and different kind of seeds I'm working with right now. LOL

There are a couple of tricks that make the whole seed starting *much* easier and far more reliable...for me, at least.

#1 - use GOOD seed starting soil mix (I'm using several brands)
#2 - Learn to control the water and the air circulation
#3 - Don't kill them with kindness. ;-)

I think the sterile soil *and* the fact that I learned about using Chamomile tea to keep the damp-off out of my starting system made all the difference in the world. Of course lighting and heat mats haven't hurt my success rate either.

Before you ask...the chamomile tea...I use it to water ALL my seedlings from the time I plant them. I just put two tea bags in a gallon (milk jug) of hot water and leave it stand over night. Now, I water with a rather strange method. I use a small squeeze bottle filled with the chamomile tea...and squeeze enough of the tea around (*not* on) the seedlings.

So far, using the tea...I've not lost a single seedling to damp-off. I have lost a couple from forgetting to water but that's it.

I hope I've helped you and not confused the issue. ;-)

~julie~

Way too high temps, watering improperly and misting seedlings to get the humidity really high (that they don' t need) is also a sure way to increase the chances of the fungal disease know as damping off. As you know air circulation is important too.
Preventatives like Chamomile tea and Hydrogen Peroxide can work to a point or in a pinch but it's better to spend some time actually practicing what not to do. It will go further to prevent the disease (and the spores of this are everywhere so simply sterilising soil is not enough) than teas and concoctions made to correct bad cultural conditions in the first place!!

Damp off, grey mold are blooms of the bacteria botryris cinera. It is common and it growth is encouraged by cool, damp conditions with no air movement. The use of a clean germination area,sterilized starting medium, a system to keep the soil warm and a fan to keep the air moving can help prevent damp off. There are chemical controls which work well. Jessamine

Actually, it's a collective term for a number of fungal diseases. Botrytis cinerea is a fungus tho, not a bacteria.

Here is some info:
http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/pp/notes/oldnotes/od14.htm
http://www.hort.uconn.edu/ipm/greenhs/htms/dampofgh.htm

Thank you!!! I have a much better understanding of it now :) Caron, thanks especially for the links, they were very clear. As far as the post-emergence goes... is there a "most susceptible" time? Or is there a time when you can be relatively sure that the seedlings are past the danger zone?

It seems (for me anyway) that by the time there are 3 or more sets of true leave the danger is past. Mostly between seed leaves and 1st true leaves when I've lost stuff to damping off.

Insurance, just in case 'Strawberry Fields' is a flop!
http://www.whiteflowerfarm.com/73400-product.html

Was excited to finally see a place selling plants instead of seeds :)

Caron, thank you for correcting my error. I haven't been thinking too clearly since I have had one of the longest lasting colds I can remember combined with allergies which are still new to me. I have been sneezing so hard I broke two teeth. Thank goodness for computer forums and people who proofread better than me. LOL. Jessamine

I lost the first round of seedlings to what I now guess is damping off. I am in zone 7b and it is between 46F and 52F most days, would it help to start my seeds outside rather than inside. If I do start outside, do I need domes over the containers or can I get by without them. If it is still too cold, I could start over again indoors. I have done all the preparatory work this time like sterilizing the soil and containers and know about watering with chamomile tea.

Another preventative is not planting too thickly... this falls into the category of air circulation, I guess. When planting small seeds, I often use sterilized coarse sand to get even distribution when planting.

sikeenah
waht seeds are you wanting to start?

I have a variety of seeds: cosmos, tobacco, sunflowers, wallfowers, heliotrope, petunias, coleus, marigolds, and a few others. Thanks.

Sikeenah, I'd use sterilized starter mix and bleach all containers for most of your seeds. The sunflowers, you can probably just plant directly outdoors when the soil warms up. Sunflowers planted indoors would require larger containers, planting a couple seeds to a pot, or germinating the seeds prior to planting. I start them indoors because our season is short, but if you have a good hot summer, you should be able to plant them outdoors instead.

I plant thousands of seeds every spring, and if I keep everything sterile and don't overplant seeds, I don't have dampening off anymore. I had not a single case this spring. I sterilize my starter mix in the oven (roasting bags @ 180F internal temp for 30 minutes). I used strong sudsy bleach water to wash any used containers and flats. I plant seeds to small containers within a flat, covering it with a sterilized plastic dome lid. I place the flat under lights and mist the surface of the containers and the inside of the dome every day. When germination takes place, I remove the container from the covered flat and place in in an open flat and begin watering from the bottom.

It is so disheartening to have seed starting failures. I hope this helps.

Thank you for your help. I was feeling pretty discouraged. It does help to know that if I get the process right, I can prevent the damping off.

Yes, you really can. The only time I have problems is when I try to cut corners by not sterilizing and I over plant and get things too crowded. You'll do fine.