A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2006 Does anybody know?

When i raise plants from seed, sometimes after a couple of days the soil can get spots of fungi. It looks harmfull to the young plants! Now i've raid that Superol tablets (used for your throat) can help as a disinfectent against fungi and bacteria attacks! Mix one tablet with water and you can spray it over the soil. Is that true, and has anyone tried it before?
Love to here about this 'wondercure'!

I would not do it because you do not know if it is phytotoxic to your seedlings or not. Also if it kills bad fungus it it can kill good fungus too.

Is it fungus or algae on the soil surface?

What type of media are you using?

Are you fertilizing?

Hi Buglady,
Thanks for your reply, it's a sort of fungus with little grey hairs. I use ordinairy potting compost and i'm not fertilizing the seedlings.

if you are using a compost and not a peat / pearlite bagged media it is just some opportunistic fungus living in the compost. I would not worry, I personally would not treat.

Might want to start you seeds in a little cleaner mix if it bothers you.

Would sterilizing your soil in a hot oven work. Or is that just for weeds?

well first of all that will make a skink like you don't want to smell... also that will kill the beneficial bacteria and fungi that are the part of the benefit of using compost.

I used a very light seed mix for starting seeds then move them up into a compost blend.

and yes cooking soils will kill most weed seeds.

I use a sterile seed starting mix when starting seeds. Potting soil tends to hold in moisture and cause disease more then a sterile seed starting mix. I also spray my seedlings after they have their first set of true leaves with a product called Soap Shield. All seedlings need air circulation also. use a small gentle fan to keep the air moving.

What about using a peroxide???
Diluted??
Isn't there like a stronger peroxide and a household one too???

there are medical grade peroxides, but again it will kill everything in the soil. Also high concentrations can be caustic to handle on your skin. Now granted once in the soil after about 15 minutes it breaks down into H20 and oxygen. Also it would have to come in contact with every part of the soil.

I don't use sterile seed starting mix, mine has beneficial bacteria in it but I made sure to use seeds starting mix. it typically is finer then potting soils so that the seeds can have more surface contact with the media, allowing moisture to penetrate into the seeds better. (its actually the water vapor that gets the moisture into the seed)

Alsoooo, what are the watering practices..
and heat amounts???

*now that I went back and re~read..*

Heat depends on the seed species. I am sure if you google what you are growing and germination temperatures you can get what you need.

Also it help seeds if you imbibe them, pre soak the seeds in water.

I meant the heat for growing that fungus....

Like don't they like it really moist and really warm.. and if you kept the seeds a bit more cooler and drier, the fungus may not like those conditions??? not sure..

Some fungus can grow in cool environments. Plus you will get slower germination and less chance of the plant out competing the pathogens.