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Vegetable Gardening

A few seed starting questions

14 years ago

#1: We started a bunch of seeds in those 72 peat pod Jiffy starter trays and on a lot of them there is this white cotton candy looking fuzz covering them.

Some types of seeds consistently get it heavy (corn), and some don't (tomato).

Mold?

Good or bad?

#2: On some of our tomato's there is this thin layer of yellow/gold tinted color stuff that sees to be developing on the surface of the potting soil.

Mold?

Good or bad?

#3: Some seeds start out well and keep going like the tomato, squash, corn, and beans, but the onion, Brussels sprouts and leeks seem to stop growing and wither.

#4: The wife insisted we start some seeds that were "Plant directly into the ground" in the jiffy pods.

Corn, beans, lettuce, carrots, squash, water melon and the like.

They seem to be growing like mad!

Much faster than anything else that said was supposed to be started indoors.

Not a good idea as they grow too fast?

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Comments (4)

bomber095
14 years ago
1. That's normal. I think it might be some type of mold/fungus, but it's not harmful to the plant at all, in my experiences

2. See #1

3. Brussels sprouts grow slooooooooooooooooow.... even after transplanting them outside, they take an entire season to reach maturity. Patience is a virtue w. those. Leeks I havent started from seed, so I cant speak to that, but my guess is whatever is causing them to slow down is also affecting the onions (same family)

4. I'm not a big fan of starting carrots or any other root crop indoors for the simple fact that it's the root that we're after as far as harvesting goes, and I dont like tampering w. them too much. Squash grow like crazy as do melon vines. What zone are you in? Is it possible you started them too early?

You also, in #4, mention lettuce in there. The reason I bring this up is because lettuce is a cool season (below 75Â°) crop, and everything else you describe likes it warm (above 75Â°). Did you start them all at the same time?
joegardenpa
14 years ago
I think the leeks might be the same problem I had with my leeks, onions, started great then a bunch died. Was told it is called dampening off, when the ground is to moist, especially the top of the soil. The best for those are bottom watering.
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anney
14 years ago
The mold is surely quite harmless.
...soil fungus can be very difficult to totally eradicate because once you have it, the spores are everywhere. They are on your soil, your pot, your saucer, the plant stand or window sill, the window glass...get the picture. Every time you water or there is any air movement, they move around re-infecting your plants again. The good news is... most of these fungi, that grow on the soil surface, are just a nuisance and not detrimental to your plant. Roughing up the soil surface frequently will help the appearance, but the fungus is still there.

Here is a link that might be useful: GW Discussion -- White Mold on the Surface of Potting Soil
digdirt2
14 years ago
Agree that unfortunately it's a common problem because inexperienced growers tend to keep things too wet. But it isn't a problem to shrug off either as it can quickly progress to seedling death if not corrected. But it's easy to eliminate by just letting things dry a bit an increasing the air circulation/exposure for the seedlings.

You'll find many discussions about this and the other problems associated with growing from seed on that form - Growing from Seed. It has some great FAQs that cover most all the basics and i linked one recent discussion on this particular question below.

Dave

Here is a link that might be useful: cobwebs on the soil?

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