Seed cells with green moss on surface

Hi--newbie here to seep propagation. I have three Park Seed Bio-Dome trays under lights, with the tops off since the pansy seeds have germinated. The seedlings are presently between 3/8 and 1/2 inches tall, with two leaves. I am watering them from the bottom--keeping about 1/4 inch very lightly fertilzed water in the trays-- per the instructions that came with the Bio-Domes. I notice that there is a veryf ine green "moss" growing on top of some of the cells. Is this a sign of too much water? Will this result in the dreaded damping-off? I do have a small fan blowing some air around, but I am wondering if there is something else I should do? bottom heat? chamonile tea? Stop with the bottom watering? I am so ignorant about all this!
thanks in advance,
Emily

Hmm if you where in england then my guess would be ... to humid.. stop watering with weak fertilizer and maybe the compost wasnt sterilized.
The moss its self isnt a problem except when its starts crowding out your seedlings. It can choke young plants, but other than that its not a major problem.
Watering from above can help as it moves the compost around a little (rolling stones gather no moss) so it stops the moss from getting started.
Have fun
Mike

Definitely sounds like too much moisture, I don't have the Biodomes so don't know why their instructions are the way they are, but I would never leave them sitting in water--when they need water you can put some in the tray for them to soak up from the bottom but to have them sitting in water pretty much guarantees they're getting too much. I don't think you need to stop bottom watering, just do less of it. Once they dry out a little, watering with chamomile tea or a little hydrogen peroxide diluted in the the water might be a good idea to help prevent fungus if it's not already too late.

Good advice... the moss or algae won't cause damping off, but I've read that it can keep oxygen from penetrating down into the soil surface... so in addition to letting the suface dry out a bit, you might want to just pick off that top layer of green stuff if you can do so without injuring the seedlings.

Hi, CapeCodGardener-- now that it's July, please tell us how your BioDome worked out.

I have heard others say they are great for seed starting. Do you agree?...

thanks. t.

Hi Tabasco:

I'm very glad that you asked this follow-up question, because it led me to go back and reflect on my experience with the Park Seed BioDome. Interestingly, the build-up of green moss didn't seem to have any effect on the future viability of my pansy seedlings--they grew like gangbusters--or of any other seedlings, for that matter. I kept the little fans going until all my seedlings were ready to be planted out--sometimes they got up to 2-4 inches high since I probably started them in the BioDome too early for this climate! (Such a newbie.)

I will use this system again (along with the bottom-heat.) There was such good germination and I never had any problems with damping-off, which I also attribute to the fans. Planting the seedlings out was generally not a problem--the little "plugs" that they grew in settled in fine. The only seeds that refused to germinate well were some hybrid tuberous begonias. I knew nothing about growing tuberous begonias from seeds and apparently, they KNEW it.

The good news is that the the BioDome system can be used over and over.

Hope this helps, and I am SO flattered that someone would ask me a question about this!

Thanks, CCG, for responding. (I am a newbie gardener myself--having started gardening very seriously just 3 years ago).

I am interested in different ways to start seeds. I first started with the Wintersowing Method for perennials, which built up my confidence for seed starting and I think is great for perennials.

Now I am looking for easy ways to start annual seeds quickly and efficiently under lights so that they are nice sized for planting out when the weather warms up.

I think the Biodome might be a good way to go. Especially after hearing your remarks..

http://www.parkseed.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/StoreCatalogDisplay?storeId=10101&catalogId=10101&langId=-1&mainPage=prod2working&ItemId=6529&scChannel=Top%20Ten%20Main

Please tell us what else you started in the BioDome and please let's see some pics of your garden when you have time to post! t.

Hi Tabasco!

I feel that the BioDome system was a very efficient method to gain lots of plants. "Floating" the seeds in their little plugs above water (in adddition to using bottom heat) to me makes all the difference in achieving good germination as well as avoiding problems with damping-off. I would definitely purchase the book, Park's Success With Seed, by Karen Park Jennings (available on the Park Seed website). I did just what the book said and had more plants than I knew what to do with (memo to self: do NOT feel you have to sow ALL the seeds in one packet!)

I am sure that more experienced gardners under lights might have other methods that are simpler and work beautifully, but for the newbie, the BioDome system seems to work well.

The ornamental seeds that germinated excellently for me were dwarf dahlia, viola, pansy, marigold, sweet alyssum, tithonia, sunflower, Italian parsley, coleus, and geranium--nothing difficult, which is probably half the battle. In addition, I purchased several packets of seeds from Park Seed Co, in their "Whopper Vegetable" collection. All germinated beautifully into healthy seedlings and are presently growing all-too-well in my veggie garden (do I really need all these zucchini, not to mention the cukes, melons, peppers, eggplants, and tomatoes? Oh well.)

Hope this helps!

CCG,
What you don't eat or give away could also go to soup kitchen or a co-op for folks who can't buy groceries.
When i had a lunch shop 30 years ago the soup kitchen would pick up leftoverss at 2 PM when the shop closed.
;)

Thank you, sugarweed, for the suggestion. I will look into it--I'll ask at out church, tomorrow.

CCG-- Don't forget to show us some photos on the Perennial or Cottage Garden forums--or have you already and I've missed them?!

(I love to look at others' garden pics. Can you tell? ...not that I'm nosey or anything! LOL )

Thanks for the posting-suggestion, Tabasco. I haven't posted any garden photos this season mostly because the photos I take of my beds all look sort of like tangled messes (there, I've admitted it!) This year's bumper crop of annuals has resulted in, shall we say, an eclectic method of garden design, which is mostly governed by trying to find room for yet one more plant. "Design" may be too flattering a word for it!
Anyway, here's one front bed, with the coleus, pansies, and dwarf dahlias I grew under lights. (I highly recommend the dahlia mix: "Fireworks Mixed Colors," Thompson & Morgan--great gemination, nice in borders. I used them all over the garden.) In the back are lilies, astillbe, and bearded iris, planted last fall. This is my first year for this bed.

Isn't it amazing that you can grow those pretty plants from seed?! (Well, it is for me, anyway!) Very pretty lilies too and the color combination works well, together.

My camera is kaput 'til I find my battery and charger (left at hotel, of course) so I can't show you my flower border, but when you said your scheme was basically trying to find spots to plant I felt some compassion for you! Spent the day trying to make sense out of my mess and of course I wanted to save every little (filler) annual I grew from seed like it was a newborn baby...