Hydrogen Peroxide at 1 to 10 parts water as a drench would not hurt them if they haves fungus.
Marea

Fungicide - and in the future, better aeration.

Hi Marian,

Are you talking about seeds or seedlings? If seedlings, are they in cups or in the ground? If seeds, do you have them soaked in hydrogen peroxide and distilled water? If so, have you changed the water at least every three days? Are you keeping them in a dark closet? If they are in cups, did you cover the seeds with potting medium or leave them uncovered? If they are in cups and sitting in water, have you changed the water every 2-3 days?

Let me know asap

Nancy

They are seeds that I planted in potting medium. They sprouted just like last year. Then about 10 days later they started stuggling and dying. I think the main thing may very well be from lack of air movement. I didn't have this problem last year and it is very frustrating to me.

I turned the fan on low around all the daylilies and sprayed them with a soloution of bleach water and they are looking a little better this morning. But I'm still not holding my breath. Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Happy Gardening, Marian

ugh, so sorry to hear about your struggling seedlings.

is that 'white and fuzzy mold' right near the soil?

if your seedlings are valuable or important for your hybridizing program, i would treat more aggressively than peroxide.
take all your seedlings out of the mix with the fuzzy stuff, rinse the roots really well with plain water. throw the mix out (unless you want to send it in to determine whether you have Pythium, Phytophthora, or Rhizoctonia, downy mildew also sometimes presents like this) and then repot your seedlings in clean and fresh mix which is barely damp. turn your overhead fan up one notch (if you have one).

there is a product for professional growers that can also be used, it is rather expensive and if used inside a greenhouse has reentry restrictions.

That's heartbreaking, Marian. What kind of potting mix are you using? About all I can tell you is what I am doing. I no longer cover my seeds with potting mix. I do put a loose-fitting sandwich bag over the cups. As soon as they start showing green shoots, I take the sandwich bags off. (I watch them pretty close.) I move them outdoors immediately into an aluminum foil roasting pan with a few inches of water. They are sitting on the edge of a covered porch where they get 4-5 hours of sunlight. I do lose one occasionally, but once they start growing, they do really well. If the outside temperature is going to drop down to 34 degrees or below at night, I just haul them all inside, and then back out into the sunlight the next day. You aren't that far from me as the crow flies, so I think you might try that, if you haven't already.

I started off by using a pro mix potting soil last year, and had really bad luck getting the seeds to grow. It was too heavy. Next, I used Miracle Gro Seed Starter, until this year I got tired of having to pick out rocks and chunks of wood. I started mixing my own, by buying a bale of peat moss. I use a 50% peat moss, 25% vermiculite and 25" perlite mix now. It gives good drainage. I add Schultz's Expert Plant Food (1 scoop/gallon of water) once the second leaves begin to grow. I do change the water every 3 days.

A friend of mine discovered it was better to just make a small depression for the seeds, and not cover them until they start to grow. I just sift some regular dry potting soil down in the holes as needed once they start growing, just to keep the roots covered.

I tried using the chamomile tea, but it didn't work for me.

I sure hope you can get this problem solved. I feel for you. Keep us posted.

Nancy

You are experiencing damp off. A light sprinkle of cinnamon on the seedling will stop it. I've never had luck with peroxide or Physan but the cinnamon worked each time.

Increase the air circulation in the area, reduce the watering and if possible, water from the bottom of the container. Keeping the surface area dry cures most of the problem. It is better for the roots to reach for the moist media than to have the media soaking wet around the tender young sprout where they make contact with each other.

Brooke