Tried Something Different - Got Damping Off
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JRinPA
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Re: Tried Something Different - Got Damping Off
If I had left them under the dome, unwatered, they would have got leggy since I still have bottom heat there trying to get the Dancer to sprout. (it almost always comes down to logistic problems due to varied seed sources or types). The Dancer cup wasn't getting much heavier sitting in water, so I top watered that with sprayer. I needed to that anyway since the seeds need to be moist.
The Santana, already sprouted, I was just going to sit them in a little water for 10 secs and put them back on the mat, but decided not to..didn't want them to get leggy. So, to put them with the peppers under the lights, I wanted them to have more water because the fan is running constantly. As dry as they were, they'd be folded up in no time.
I never had as much trouble re-moistening stuff as this year. I am out of peat since mid Feb, so it is just straight compost for this cup. In a loose cup, compost seems to dry out fairly quickly and not rehydrate well with bottom watering. Whereas soil blocks with 50%peat 25 perlite 25 compost would suck up the water rather quickly and hold onto it for a good long time.
I checked the Dancer and still no movement. I guess I will sprout some Dancer, bare, like the very, very successful carrot seeds I started. These were extra, it is three year old seed...approaching 100% germination. I'll do the eggplant and maybe those giant tomato seeds in there too.
The Santana, already sprouted, I was just going to sit them in a little water for 10 secs and put them back on the mat, but decided not to..didn't want them to get leggy. So, to put them with the peppers under the lights, I wanted them to have more water because the fan is running constantly. As dry as they were, they'd be folded up in no time.
I never had as much trouble re-moistening stuff as this year. I am out of peat since mid Feb, so it is just straight compost for this cup. In a loose cup, compost seems to dry out fairly quickly and not rehydrate well with bottom watering. Whereas soil blocks with 50%peat 25 perlite 25 compost would suck up the water rather quickly and hold onto it for a good long time.
I checked the Dancer and still no movement. I guess I will sprout some Dancer, bare, like the very, very successful carrot seeds I started. These were extra, it is three year old seed...approaching 100% germination. I'll do the eggplant and maybe those giant tomato seeds in there too.
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JRinPA
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- Joined: Sat Jun 13, 2020 1:35 pm
- Location: PA Dutch Country
Re: Tried Something Different - Got Damping Off
Looks like only two of those Santana were affected - the one that damped off, and one next to it. Both were near the edge of that plastic cup, so probably the beaded/soaked in heavily there. It is certainly something I have to constantly fight, since I use real compost, even more this year. The DE on top seems to do a pretty job of keeping it down, but not yet foolproof.
Previous years with normal soil blocks at 50/25/25 it was typical to get myco webs on top, a couple weeks into the life of the block. I was never positive what they were but they never hurt the plants. Top watering is what hurts my seedlings with the chance to damping off.
NOTE from here on out I will strive to use the correct term...it simply must be dampening off. I have played along for over a decade, but dampening involves water, damping is for vibration, there I said it (don't hit me)
"if you dampen that vibration, you'll just make it rust"
Previous years with normal soil blocks at 50/25/25 it was typical to get myco webs on top, a couple weeks into the life of the block. I was never positive what they were but they never hurt the plants. Top watering is what hurts my seedlings with the chance to damping off.
NOTE from here on out I will strive to use the correct term...it simply must be dampening off. I have played along for over a decade, but dampening involves water, damping is for vibration, there I said it (don't hit me)
"if you dampen that vibration, you'll just make it rust"