Why do I have mold in my flats?

I have some seeds in some of the little jiffy things you get with the domes. Holds about 50 of the little jiffy pots.
Idid exactly like I always have and what instructions say. In fact, seeds ore already coming up, but in places there is that white moldy stuff. Some of the seeds are just growing right through it. I thought maybe I should take the lid off for a couple days or something, but wanted experts to tell me what to do, ......................So come on and give me that expert advise. I'll be so mad if I kill those plants. (PS I try to be really careful not to let it get too wet.

Lack of air circulation can help the mold grow. I've heard a very weak cammomile tea solutions sprayed over the media will help, although I haven't tried it myself. Sorry I can't be more help!

Also, dilute some peroxide with water and mist the soil around the plant, it is supposed to killl fungus and mold.

A.

Those little dome things don't have holes or anything so I don't know how the air circulates. Should I punch holes

no, don't punch holes if you plan to reuse the domes, use a stick to lift one side, or a couple of sticks. You can leave it open for a couple of hours a day. I would not use domes if at least 80 percent of the seeds already germinated.

I don't have that many already up, but I do havae a lot. I took the top off for a while today and someone told me cinnamon would help????

When do I take the domes off completely?

I take them off when I have at least half up. (sometimes less)

If your domes have more than just the barest mist of moisture in a small spot, your mix is too wet to begin with. That's the problem with peat. It's terribly unforgiving to newbies. It's hard to regulate the moisture properly. Either the top part is too dry, or the bottom part is too wet.

Some folks swear by peat pots, some swear at them...I'm among the latter group.

Seedlings need much less moisture than most folks realize. A tiny root the size of a thread can only take in so much water. The rest sits around and generates mold.

There's some good advice for getting rid of mold above, but if you'll get some air circulating, (a small fan on low) it will help dry out the pots a bit. Seedlings can survive just fine with some mold, as long as the soil isn't wet all the time.

Thanks all of you!!! Since I'm new to all this (I've been buying plants) but now I'm obsessed with growing them from seed!!
I did prop it up some. Also I noticed some of the seeds are already touching the top of the dome, and yes, they are leggy. I guess I don't have enough light on them.

Sounds like they need light. I use 2 shoplights (4 bulbs total) to light 2 flats. I keep the bulbs about 2" away from the tops of the leaves. I leave the lights on 16 hours a day.

Windowsills usually don't have enough light, and that's why the little plants are stretching.

I got some 2 bulb shop lights yesterday, so they have light now. I have the lights about 2 inches above, should it be 1?

I've have the lights at 1" and 2" and both worked fine. Another help with mold for me is to bottom water ie. use a house plant style watering can with a thin spout can so you can pour the water into the tray and don't water the surface. I keep the surface of the soil moist by misting but just til the seeds germinate and then I don't water the surface at all until they have 4-6 true leaves. I've been told that this also makes the new roots "reach" for the water so develops a stronger root system but that may be a myth? I only use peat pots so I'm not sure how this would work with other growing methods. oh I don't use domes but know many, many others that do with great success.

Same here. No domes, bottom water, lights between 1 and 2 inches. I just use plastic rather than peat.

One of you said to use peroxide mixed with water. What amt of peroxide in what amt of water

The ratio I have always used for the 3% Hydrogen Peroxide purchased from a grocery or drug store is 1:10 - that is 1 part HP to 10 parts water. The stronger HP will need to be diluted down to 3% before doing the 1:10 ratio. Good luck. Dotti

Thanks, ya'll have really helped. I noticed yesterday, there was an established houseplant in the room I'm germinating in and it has a little mold too.
Must be too damp in the room?