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#1
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Seedlings going mouldy
My son is having severe problems with his seedlings which germinate fine but
then get covered in mould and die. He says the temperature is right and the compost is not too moist. They are in a heated outhouse with windows. Any suggestions? Also his oak tree seedlings which have been growing nicely in the conservatory all winter have mould on the compost. He is trying to grow wild and native trees and shrubs for his 2 acres of organic bird friendly garden. He wants to avoid using peat but found coir too fickle (either soggy or bone dry). Any suggestions for him - he hasn't mastered newsgroups yet! BarbaraB |
#2
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Seedlings going mouldy
"Barbara B" wrote in message . .. My son is having severe problems with his seedlings which germinate fine but then get covered in mould and die. do they start to shrivel up and die from the base? It sounds like it could be "damping off". Making sure all trays, pots etc are really clean before starting and water with copper fungicide after planting can help. Hayley |
#3
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Seedlings going mouldy
In article , Barbara B
writes My son is having severe problems with his seedlings which germinate fine but then get covered in mould and die. He says the temperature is right and the compost is not too moist. They are in a heated outhouse with windows. Any suggestions? better ventilation - spread the seedlings out more, take the lid off the propagator if there is one, remove any dead mouldy bits. It's less of a problem later on - try re-seeding. Also his oak tree seedlings which have been growing nicely in the conservatory all winter have mould on the compost. That shouldn't be a problem. Remove the mouldy bit. The seedlings should be OK. I'd have thought oak seedling would have preferred to be somewhat cooler over the winter - an unheated conservatory, for example, or even outside, though prolongue freezing s9olid of the soil in the pots could give drought problems. He is trying to grow wild and native trees and shrubs for his 2 acres of organic bird friendly garden. He wants to avoid using peat but found coir too fickle (either soggy or bone dry). I've found New Horizon (based on wood chippings) OK. I sow seeds in pots which I then stand in a waterproof tray, so if it dries out the tray catches the water and allows it to soak up into the pots. He'll also find a lot of the natives germinate better after a cold period - good approach is to sow everything, and anything that hasn't germinated in the first year, leave it outside (protected from waterlogging) over winter - next spring a host more seeds germinate. -- Kay Easton Edward's earthworm page: http://www.scarboro.demon.co.uk/garden/ |
#4
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Seedlings going mouldy
This is in no way scientific, just something that worked for us. My daughter
on a walk two years ago picked up an acorn. She put it in some potting compost and we left it on our bathroom window sill. (west facing) it sprouted and grew to about twelve inches over time. Last summer I put it out in the front garden still in its pot in the sun one day and promptly forgot all about it! Whilst out in the garden the other day I spotted it and lo and behold it has three small branches with a sticky bud on each, it survived the entire autumn and winter (the wettest in this area on record).Today I planted in a nursery bed it had a lovely big healthy looking root system. With a bit of luck her great grandchildren will tell the story of how it was grown. Im sure if we'd nurtured it we'd probably have killed it. We also have a chestnut tree a little over 6' tall now that one of the kids had for a game of 'conkers' seven years ago, again I just stuck it in some potting compost and left it on a window sill till it show'd some growth and put it outside, its lovely and healthy covered in sticky buds, when it's in full leaf I'll post some pics. Shan(Ireland) "Barbara B" wrote in message . .. Also his oak tree seedlings which have been growing nicely in the conservatory all winter have mould on the compost. He is trying to grow wild and native trees and shrubs for his 2 acres of organic bird friendly garden. |
#5
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Seedlings going mouldy
The message
from "Barbara B" contains these words: My son is having severe problems with his seedlings which germinate fine but then get covered in mould and die. He says the temperature is right and the compost is not too moist. They are in a heated outhouse with windows. Any suggestions? Also his oak tree seedlings which have been growing nicely in the conservatory all winter have mould on the compost. He is trying to grow wild and native trees and shrubs for his 2 acres of organic bird friendly garden. He wants to avoid using peat but found coir too fickle (either soggy or bone dry). Native shrubs and trees would probably be better off kept outside from sowing right through to germination and growing on. They would all grow on tougher and more hardy that way. Janet G |
#6
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Seedlings going mouldy
"Barbara B" wrote in message . .. My son is having severe problems with his seedlings which germinate fine but then get covered in mould and die. He says the temperature is right and the compost is not too moist. They are in a heated outhouse with windows. Any suggestions? Also his oak tree seedlings which have been growing nicely in the conservatory all winter have mould on the compost. He is trying to grow wild and native trees and shrubs for his 2 acres of organic bird friendly garden. He wants to avoid using peat but found coir too fickle (either soggy or bone dry). Oak trees should be grown outside all the time, it is wrong to try to grow them in sheltered conditions. Alan -- Reply to alan(at)windsor-berks(dot)freeserve(dot)co(dot)uk |
#7
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Seedlings going mouldy
"Alan Holmes" wrote in
: He is trying to grow wild and native trees and shrubs for his 2 acres of organic bird friendly garden. He wants to avoid using peat but found coir too fickle (either soggy or bone dry). Oak trees should be grown outside all the time, it is wrong to try to grow them in sheltered conditions. And they don't need peat or coir compost either! I plant native trees and shrubs in a shovelful of ordinary soil, if growing in a pot for convenience, and then just leave outside. They grow like mad. Maybe in a shady spot in the greenhouse over the winter, if something particularly prone to slugs or infestation, but definitely nowhere heated. However, if he wants really native shrubs, you might want to suggest he just doesn't mow the borders for a year or so, then goes round with a trowel moving the resulting saplings to the right places. My garden is full of hawthorn, hazel, oak, holly, elder and ash seedlings that have found their own way the I have no idea where the oaks come from, as the nearest oak tree is some distance away, but the hazels are self-seeding from the hedgerows, ash arrives by wind-power, and I'm fairly sure the elder, hawthorn and holly are delivered by bird-power! My problem is keeping the damn things down: I have enough trees already. Victoria |
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