

Whichever you choose, it is probably best to use new potting soil for your seeds every time, perhaps even consider pasteurized or treated soils. Other schools of thought believe that these methods kill off beneficial microorganisms that would otherwise keep pathogens in check. It is an oft recommended technique for preventing fungal spores from ruining your seedlings, such as baking your soil at 140 degrees for 30 minutes. There is some debate on the subject of sterilizing your growing medium. You can prevent damping off by following just a few simple techniques and pieces of advice. There is no cure for damping off once it has started choking your plants, nor are there fungicides available for garden warriors to do battle, so it’s all about control. A balance needs to be found with temperature, watering and lighting amounts, and fertilization.

This would slow the growth of the seedling, allowing much more time for disease to spread and take firm hold. That’s not to say you should curb their fun by planting in cold soil. The warmth of indoor conditions get these party crashers going. The potting soil in combination with shared water makes it easy for them to travel from seed to seed. These fungal buggers are everywhere and do very well where they are, thank you very much. It’s nearly impossible to avoid contaminated soil. So keep a watchful eye! Biology of Damping Off Disease The symptoms can look very similar, but the treatment and prevention are vastly different. While you’re accounting for your plants’ symptoms, ensure that you don’t have other culprits to blame for these issues, such as beetles and cutworms. You may even see a white, cobweb-like substance in stricken areas. When disease is only present in the roots, plant growth is stunted, leading to wilting and death. Seeds that resemble the morning mush you used to eat before school are a sign of contamination, usually resulting in a plant that never makes it past the soil level. Symptoms of Damping Off Disease Thin and brown stems right where the stem leaves the soil: a surefire sign of damping off disease.

Once there, it doesn’t take a lot to destroy a bed of vulnerable young plants. Often these fungal spores reside in the soil and can be transferred by contaminated garden tools, blown by the wind, or born by insects. It can be exceedingly frustrating to lose an entire flat of seedlings in one go. Sometimes the seeds never sprout, other times they do and quickly turn to mush soon after. If you want to get really technical, fusarium and rhizoctonia are fungi and pythium are classified as oomycetes. They have fun-to-pronounce names like pythium, fusarium, and rhizoctonia. Usually the culprit is a fungal disease that has infected the seeds. You do your happy dance as the seedlings sprout, then wail in agony as they drop faster than they appeared. You’ve started your seeds with lots of tender loving care, watching over them like a hawk over the highway looking for road dinner. Microgreens often suffer from this frustrating disease. What is Damping Off? Damping off disease plaguing a tray of microgreens. Here you will find the information you need to keep your plants on a healthy track. Whatever your status, there are a plethora of ways to prevent the disease from taking over, forcing you to throw your trowel in the trash. Perhaps you’re suffering from extreme paranoia and just want to avoid the problem altogether. Perhaps you’ve got a serious case of damping off in your own gardens. It mimics my day without coffee: I may start off fine but eventually I shrivel up and collapse. Has damping off got you down? Do you weep with sorrow as your little green darlings turn brown? Do their roots sport white webbing like some Halloween decoration someone left outside until Christmas? Alas, I’m pretty familiar with this situation.
