2 days ago I put down 44 new leaves using seed starter mix I use with violets; the leaves were in a covered tray under lights.
Tonight I checked the tray and there is a fuzzy white growth covering part of the tray. I have removed the humidity dome so they are exposed to the air. Have I ruined the leaves or is there something else I can do before the leaves are affected.
At the moment all the leaves are turgid and look good.
Please reply as soon as possible!!
Help! fuzzy white growth on soil of new leaves
First thing is leave the top off until they dry a bit.If it's just the soil,that may be all you need to do and move them to good light.What bothers me is the fuzzy growth.You may need to use a fungicide.
You didn't say if they are in a community tray or in individual pots.Spraying above them,but not directly on them with Lysol should help.So would putting a fan in the room,not pointed straight at them.If they are all in the same community tray and some are looking worse than others,pull those out and put in a seperate pot.
I personally don't dome AV leaves unless they arrive very wilted.Rehydrating them by putting them in some water usually helps right away.
Good luck with them!! ^_^.
Lynn
Lynn, thanks. I guessed and have done everything you suggested. I,too, wonder why the fungus like growth.
This is newly made batch of mix that has not been exposed to moisture until I moistened it with plain water.
The only thing I can figure is, I have previously used the dome and did not disinfect it before putting on these leaves.
None of the leaves look at all harmed, yet. They are in insert trays sitting in a larger tray. This is the newly planted tray before I domed it.
Usually if it's fuzzy,it is a mold caused by wet conditions and low air circulation.It happens pretty easily on plants without roots.You can scrape it off if you want to.If any got on the base of the stems you can just touch it with a Qtip dipped in hydrogen peroxide.
Your leaves look great!! It shoudn't spread as long as you keep the soil just damp,not wet,and give them a little air.
Another thing that can help is adding extra perlite or the like to your potting mix to lighten it and keep it from holding too much water. I think there are some folks here who are successfully rooting leaves in straight perlite or vermiculite. I use at least half perlite and half good potting mix, and I also sterilize the mix in the microwave, which might be an unnecessary step but gives me peace of mind! :-)
One thing to consider, too . . . it may not be mold/mildew at all . . . it could be the good microbial-shtuff too . . . looks alot like a layer of cotton on the top of the soil
Oh my gosh!! It's soooo great to to see Syru and Critter Posting!! ^_^
Aww, shucks!
I know I haven't posted much lately . . . I'll try to do better. :-)
echoing the "shucks"... I meandered back to the AV forum this spring but have been mostly lurking. My plans to re-fill my gessie shelves are on hold while I deal with treatments this summer, but in the meantime I've been having fun following some of the threads here. I do have a couple of leaves putting up ears, though.. just couldn't resist sticking them. :-)
I get that cottony stuff on the surface sometimes, never thought that it could be "good stuff." LOL I usually just pick it off and try to keep the surface of the potting mix on the dry side. A little spritz of hydrogen peroxide water (1 tablespoon of 3% HP per quart of water) can help, also, if you're not sure what kind of mold you have. (Flashing to an image of Glinda the Good Witch asking in that sugary voice, "Are you a good mold? or a bad mold?" -- apparently it's past my bedtime & I'm getting loopy. LOL)
I read about peroxide and its ability to help with a number of problems so am going that route for the time being. Will be interesting to see what happens.
Yeah, the stuff does look like fluffy cotton. I tend to think "bad" when I see fuzz on my plants......kinda the mentality I have about snakes-------------if it's a snake kill it..................if it's fuzzy and in my flowers..........panic............ask questions later.
Thanks
Lane
Kill the fuzzy stuff, but not the snakes! I need snakes in my garden.. more snakes = fewer voles. :-)
Critter, I ain't as bad as I make my self sound. I don't bother the snakes, I just don't pet them!! Now my 40+ year old son is another matter on snakes!! It took a $50,000 hospital bill to cure his wanting to measure "little" moccasins he found around his property--he even made a movie of the thing before it got disgusted enough to say "Enough!" My comment to him "You, idiot!"
I mostly don't pet snakes either.. around here, it's likely to be a little garter snake, and while they're not venomous, they are mean and short-tempered. So they do their thing and I do mine. :-)
Water moccasins have to be at the top of the "don't pet" list for me... they have the bad temper of a garter snake with venom to back up their threat!
i know i don;t care for snakes, just hate to see them, i don't know why. i played with baby garter snakes when i was a kid, now they scare me half to death.i would not hurt them, but i move when i see them.
mrsbonnie