Dampening Off!

doniboy · Jan 24, 2017

Hello, I'm doing my first CoCo grow (well trying to anyway). I've wasted about $100 worth of seeds so far with this problem. I purchased a bale of General Hydroponics CocoTek, rehydrated in PH'd 6.0-6.5 tap water. Tap water was around 200 ppm, and coco run off including tap water was around 350 ppm or so. I added about 20-30% perlite to the mix as well. I've germinated using the paper towel method, planted the seeds in the coco, and the seeds either died afterwards, or the seedlings grew above ground, looked healthy for a couple of days, and then the stem of the seedling fell/belt over dead. (FYI: planted in new clean Solo cups with holes drilled for drainage, tried planting in coco with and without mild hydro nutes (canna coco), temps 65-78f at plant sight, T5 HO lights used)

I've always grown in FFOF, and never had this issue, so it took me a few weeks and a lot of wasted money/seeds before I figured out what the cause was. I guess my question is, has anyone else had this problem before? I currently have two HUGE totes full of the infected coco coir. Is there a tried and true way to save it? I'm heard of people pasteurizing and/or adding a mild peroxide solution to sterilize growing mediums. Anyone have experience with that also?

im4satori · Jan 24, 2017

its hard to really say much

nothing in the info you've provided would provide any indications that I can think of

theres nothing wrong with the paper towel method.. lots of people do it and it works... this likely has nothing to do with your issue but,
I prefer to sow my seeds directly into the medium after soaking the seeds for a couple hours in a glass of water and then put them in the medium
my opinion; and its just an opinion, the seeds get less stress compared to moving them around and there is less of a chance of your towel drying out accidentally

when do you begin using fertilizers?

don't feed your beans any nutes until they show yellowing in the lower starter leaves

every time I get eager to give sprouts nutes to soon I loose them quick

start with an EC 0.5/roughly 500ppm and use bloom nutes until the roots are going

for me ... if I loose my sprouts.. often its cuz I fed them too much too soon

backtracker · Jan 24, 2017

try this stuff, http://www.johnnyseeds.com/organic/...9804.html?cgid=organic-supplies#sz=18&start=1

AimAim · Jan 24, 2017

Damping off is the #1 reason why seedlings disappear from germ to 10 days. Botrytis is the most common but there are a multitude of other fungal pathogens that cause it and they are literally EVERYWHERE.

Even planting in sterile medium (unnecessary) you will get damping off if you water incorrectly. If after they germinate you keep them in 100% humidity with a dome on for 2 days you will get DO, I promise.

For medium I use 50% seed starter mix (basically peat moss) 25% each pearlite & FFOF. Yes FFOF.

Mix it up and get it all wet, pack your containers and let them sit 12-24 hrs.

Make a hole around 3/8" deep w/a pencil, drop in a seed, lightly cover and tamp it in, cover lightly w/ saran wrap, put in a warm place like 80ish. Top of fridge works well, sunny window, top of water heater etc.

The moment you see one or 2 breaking ground get the plastic off and get some light on them. I use a combo of sunlight w/cfl's at night, light 24/7. Small fan if possible.

I only add water with a misting bottle a couple good squirts once a day. Realize there is still abundant moisture 1" and deeper where the tap root is heading. I also use clear plastic cups so I can monitor root development. The "light hurts the roots, grows green mold" arguments are bullshit. Started hundreds this way never had a problem. They're only in the Solo for a month.

After about a week the roots have gotten to the bottom of the clear plastic cup. I'll still mist from above, but also set them in a shallow tray of water for a couple minutes when I water, which might be once/week. Will also add weak nutes 1/4 strength at least once after a couple weeks from germ.

Learn to water by guaging the weight of the container. There should be a noticable difference between a watered plant of any size and what it weighs when watering is needed. I've seen untold numbers of seedlings/plants that were overwatered. OTOH underwatering is pretty much unheard of unless you are braindead, they will show you when they really need water by droopping, water them well and 3 hrs later they look just like new.

Anyway this is a 100% method for me, maybe not for you. Screw the paper towells and shot glasses etc, put the seed where it belongs in the soil.

im4satori · Jan 24, 2017

AimAim said:
Damping off is the #1 reason why seedlings disappear from germ to 10 days. Botrytis is the most common but there are a multitude of other fungal pathogens that cause it and they are literally EVERYWHERE.

Even planting in sterile medium (unnecessary) you will get damping off if you water incorrectly. If after they germinate you keep them in 100% humidity with a dome on for 2 days you will get DO, I promise.

For medium I use 50% seed starter mix (basically peat moss) 25% each pearlite & FFOF. Yes FFOF.

Mix it up and get it all wet, pack your containers and let them sit 12-24 hrs.

Make a hole around 3/8" deep w/a pencil, drop in a seed, lightly cover and tamp it in, cover lightly w/ saran wrap, put in a warm place like 80ish. Top of fridge works well, sunny window, top of water heater etc.

The moment you see one or 2 breaking ground get the plastic off and get some light on them. I use a combo of sunlight w/cfl's at night, light 24/7. Small fan if possible.

I only add water with a misting bottle a couple good squirts once a day. Realize there is still abundant moisture 1" and deeper where the tap root is heading. I also use clear plastic cups so I can monitor root development. The "light hurts the roots, grows green mold" arguments are bullshit. Started hundreds this way never had a problem. They're only in the Solo for a month.

After about a week the roots have gotten to the bottom of the clear plastic cup. I'll still mist from above, but also set them in a shallow tray of water for a couple minutes when I water, which might be once/week. Will also add weak nutes 1/4 strength at least once after a couple weeks from germ.

Learn to water by guaging the weight of the container. There should be a noticable difference between a watered plant of any size and what it weighs when watering is needed. I've seen untold numbers of seedlings/plants that were overwatered. OTOH underwatering is pretty much unheard of unless you are braindead, they will show you when they really need water by droopping, water them well and 3 hrs later they look just like new.

Anyway this is a 100% method for me, maybe not for you. Screw the paper towells and shot glasses etc, put the seed where it belongs in the soil.

that all sounds good to me

doniboy · Jan 24, 2017

AimAim said:
Damping off is the #1 reason why seedlings disappear from germ to 10 days. Botrytis is the most common but there are a multitude of other fungal pathogens that cause it and they are literally EVERYWHERE.

Even planting in sterile medium (unnecessary) you will get damping off if you water incorrectly. If after they germinate you keep them in 100% humidity with a dome on for 2 days you will get DO, I promise.

For medium I use 50% seed starter mix (basically peat moss) 25% each pearlite & FFOF. Yes FFOF.

Mix it up and get it all wet, pack your containers and let them sit 12-24 hrs.

Make a hole around 3/8" deep w/a pencil, drop in a seed, lightly cover and tamp it in, cover lightly w/ saran wrap, put in a warm place like 80ish. Top of fridge works well, sunny window, top of water heater etc.

The moment you see one or 2 breaking ground get the plastic off and get some light on them. I use a combo of sunlight w/cfl's at night, light 24/7. Small fan if possible.

I only add water with a misting bottle a couple good squirts once a day. Realize there is still abundant moisture 1" and deeper where the tap root is heading. I also use clear plastic cups so I can monitor root development. The "light hurts the roots, grows green mold" arguments are bullshit. Started hundreds this way never had a problem. They're only in the Solo for a month.

After about a week the roots have gotten to the bottom of the clear plastic cup. I'll still mist from above, but also set them in a shallow tray of water for a couple minutes when I water, which might be once/week. Will also add weak nutes 1/4 strength at least once after a couple weeks from germ.

Learn to water by guaging the weight of the container. There should be a noticable difference between a watered plant of any size and what it weighs when watering is needed. I've seen untold numbers of seedlings/plants that were overwatered. OTOH underwatering is pretty much unheard of unless you are braindead, they will show you when they really need water by droopping, water them well and 3 hrs later they look just like new.

Anyway this is a 100% method for me, maybe not for you. Screw the paper towells and shot glasses etc, put the seed where it belongs in the soil.

I prefer the paper towel method. Served me well. I have successfully grown using FFOF plenty of times, but I'm trying out soilless now. I believe the issue/pathogen with the coco occurred while rehydrating it and it being soaking wet for days. Trying to come up with a way of not having to waste the rest of it by somehow sterilizing it.

Dampening Off!

doniboy

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im4satori

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backtracker

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AimAim

Well-Known Member

im4satori

Well-Known Member

doniboy

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