A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2004 Preventing Damping-Off Tips...

I just found these tips in a garden magazine & I thought I would share them. Some of them I have heard & or used before, but a couple were brand new to me.

Help with Damping-Off...

Soak your seeds in a small amount of water and a clove of crushed garlic to prevent damping-off.

Cinnamon acts as a fungicide & prevents damping-off, may be shaken on top of soil or mixed in to potting mix.

Mist your plants with Chamomile tea as a preventative measure to guard against damping-off.

Spread sphagnum moss in a thin layer on the surface of your soil to prevent damping-off.

Fireplace ash on the top of your seedling soil prevents damping-off.

Thanks Chrissy,
I will tell my neighbor those hints and tips!
She planted some tomato or cucumber seeds and her's died from that! I'll send 'em over tomorrow!!

Thanx!

Weezie

I use chamomile tea with success to water seedlings. The key is to just mist or sprinkle, you still don't want to saturate the soil. I make a quart of tea at a time by tearing open 4 tea bags and emptying them into a 4 cup measuring cup. Then I pour 4 cups of boiling water over the tea leaves, cover the measuring cup with a plate and let it cool to room temperature before using. obywan59@hotmail.com

Wow! Cool tips!

I'm interested in the cinnamon-shaking one. I wonder if one ought to keep the cinnamon off the seedling, though? Anyone know?

Bess....I've been starting seeds for the first time this year and heard of the cinnamon recipe, so I have been using it...I just sprinle it on top of the soil and some ALWAYS gets on the seedling....it doesn't seem to be bothering any of them....but maybe someone else has more experience. I sure haven't lost any seedlings to damping off when using this.