Brown Thumbs 2014 Whatever

[DonH]

I'm thinking the problem might be that you put the sprouts right into big cups instead of cells in trays. When they're sprouts the roots are small and short, of course, so that means to keep the soil at the top moist enough, the soil deeper in the cup would have to be soaking wet. Which isn't a problem once the plants get to a certain size. Just a thought.

 

[BarG]

Has it actualy done it to any? Has the mold damaged your starts?

 

[Brown Thumb]

Has it actualy done it to any? Has the mold damaged your starts?

I have had some stems rot off at the mold line on my bigger plants.
The starts on the table are just sitting there they are 2 weeks old.
I can see a difference already between the trays I scraped last night.

 

[Knucklehead]

What are you scraping with? A fork might work pretty good. Just guessing, never tried it.

 

[Brown Thumb]

What are you scraping with? A fork might work pretty good. Just guessing, never tried it.

A utility blade.
Some of my other plants at 3 Weeks.
I would Love to get these babies outside but it's too cold for the greenhouse.

 

[Brown Thumb]

Just got one table done. Scraped and spiced with Cinnamon.
Only 500 more to go.

 

[grgfinney]

What is the cinnamon for? I was going to use peat mixed with cow poo and pearlite snd vermiculite to transplant might have to rethink now

 

[Brown Thumb]

What is the cinnamon for? I was going to use peat mixed with cow poo and pearlite snd vermiculite to transplant might have to rethink now

For the mold mildew problem I am having. It's Suppose to kill it or stop it. Heck I tried everything else. Smells good to.

 

[Knucklehead]

What is the cinnamon for? I was going to use peat mixed with cow poo and pearlite snd vermiculite to transplant might have to rethink now

Make sure your peat has been sterilized. Should be okay.

 

[Brown Thumb]

Make sure your peat has been sterilized. Should be okay.

I checked my bag and there is nothing on it about being sterilized.

 

[POGreen]

I really hope it works out alright for you BT.

 

[Knucklehead]

I checked my bag and there is nothing on it about being sterilized.

I misremembered. What I read in one of those links was that the peat moss used in name brand potting mixes, seed starting mixes, etc. is sterilized. I use Miracle Gro Seed Starting Mix and while I would imagine that the peat was sterilized, it doesn't actually state it on the bag either. This mix is 85-90% spagnum peat moss with the rest of mix being perlite. The peat appears to have been sifted cause it's really fine stuff. The largest stuff in it is the bits of perlite. The tiny bit of fertilizer is 0.03-0.03-0.03. I've started supplemental feeding after 26 days with the Urea Free 20-10-20.

 

[Knucklehead]

What is the cinnamon for? I was going to use peat mixed with cow poo and pearlite snd vermiculite to transplant might have to rethink now

Addendum: Everybody on the forum is using some form of peat moss in their mixture for seed starting. Many members are making their own mixture with peat as the main ingredient. I only know of one serious mold problem and that still hasn't been traced back to the soil. Use it with confidence.

 

[Brown Thumb]

Addendum: Everybody on the forum is using some form of peat moss in their mixture for seed starting. Many members are making their own mixture with peat as the main ingredient. I only know of one serious mold problem and that still hasn't been traced back to the soil. Use it with confidence.

I agree with Knucks,
Matty has it also. I do not know how bad.
One thing that I have not mentioned that may have caused the problem is I sifted thru a collinder about 1/8 inch plus of pure peat moss in the beginning and that is the part that scrapes right off the top of the cup which was the mold.
I also read some people sprinkle Cinnamon on top when starting the seeds just so they do not get it. Better safe than sorry?

 

[holyRYO]

I checked my bag and there is nothing on it about being sterilized.

Sterilized or not, exposed to the air it can still pick up germs while in storage. You could try sterilizing the mix yourself, fill a covered pot and heat in 250 F oven for an hour or so should kill most anything.

 

[TheOtherOne]

If you get it much higher than 250 though, you could start having problems. Around here loggers burn slash piles, and sometimes the piles get too hot, preventing anything from growing in the spot for a few years.

 

[deluxestogie]

If you get it much higher than 250 though, you could start having problems. Around here loggers burn slash piles, and sometimes the piles get too hot, preventing anything from growing in the spot for a few years.

That is an issue for forest seed that is dormant beneath the ground surface. It should not have any effect on seed that is added later. I would be more concerned about the heat altering the organic compounds in or added to the peat.

Bob

 

[holyRYO]

Doubt it would even get to 250 F, need 165 F to pasturize, 190 F to sterilize.

 

[holyRYO]

The Amish, across the street from where I lived for a spell, would use high pressure steam (212 F plus) for an extended period to sterilize their tobacco seed beds. They even had a old steam powered tractor that would tow a revolving drum with tubes sticking out of it that would inject steam into the ground of the tobacco fields. Could never miss it, steam whistle would blow repeatedly. Only wish I had an interest in how tobacco was grown back then.

 

[Brown Thumb]

Major Casualties.The cinnamon does work pretty good, some mold or wherever has returned.I think the milk and water mix may have caused it to get worse after googling milk & mold.Time to start some more since I mixed up my spares and threw them away Some are ready for a haircut also. This is going to make for a long harvest.