A Gardeners Forum Forums General Discussion Plant pests and problems Dampning off?

What does this term mean? Did I even spell it right?

Damping-off generally refers to sudden plant death in the seedling stage due to the attack of fungi or toxic materials in the soil, excess or deficient soil moisture, temperature extremes, etc... Now if you were wondering how to prevent it in your flats (greenhouse things with your seedlings in them) keep good air circulation one they sprout start opening the lid (i learned that from kennyso), avoid over watering, some light misting might be enough if the soil was saturated thoroughly prior to planting, and when it does need watered water around the base of them to avoid getting it on the foilage, but be carefull not to over water...

I figured it was something along those lines. I am going to have to make sure to find a good balance between keeping the lid closed and when to open it to allow circulation. Thanks againg :)

on mine since my seeds have sprouted and gotten a lil taller ive been opening it during the day time and been closing them at night, everything seems to be going good but during the day i have mine on the kitchn table in front of a windo and have a ceiling fan turned on for extra circulation...

Scott's right on the money. I now try to bottom water most of the time (it might be harder with peat pellets in a green house, but works great with small pots) try to keep the top of the medium slightly drier, or put a thin layer of vermiculite over the top to conserve moisture and to keep a drier surface. just from my experience, peat pellets give me a lot of trouble with DO, so I mostly use a soil/-less mix. In short:
-bottom water
-keep a dry surface
-there's a product called 'no damp' you can try
-PLENTY of air circulation
-keep medium just moist (must be well draining)
-do not reuse soil
-use sterile pots and medium (from a bag or make your own soil-less mix)

A fan is a good idea actually, not just for circulation but it helps strengthen the roots because it simulates the wind outside....I mean I wouldn't put a fan on high right next to them...but on low from a distance.

Air ciruclation is key.

Damping off: "A fungus, usually affecting seedlings and causes the stem to rot off at soil level. Sterilized potting soil and careful sanitation practices usually prevent this."

A Glossary of Gardening and Landscape Terms

damping off can be several different species of fungus. I use a beneficial fungus and inoculate my soil to prevent those nasty fungi from taking hold. I use the product RootShield because its approved for use in organic production by OMRI.

I also start all my seeds in wood fiber pots because they are so porous, and air can get to the roots. It also help its my husbands business so i can get all the pots I need :)

Thanks to everyone for their replies. I have read that sphagnum moss will help prevent this also. Does anyone know if this is true?

I've heard that about sphagnum moss also, but haven't tried it. I water susceptible seedlings with chamomile tea. That also prevents damping off.

Thanks :)