This year I had to deal with damping-off disease on both my true potato seeds (TPS) and broccoli. I was upset to find my organic seed starter mix contained chicken manure and feather meal. This lead to the soil born pathogens attacking my seedlings. This year I have been so disappointed in what I have locally to choose from.
Explanation of Dampening off syndrome
Stems of seedlings become thin, and the fall over.
The two fungi that are most often associated with damping-off are
Rhizoctonia
solani
and
Pythium
species.Most pathogens that cause damping-off diseases can also cause disease as the plant grows to maturity. Root rot, crown rot, stem lesions, basal rot, crater rot, bottom rot, and stem girdling diseases may all be associated with damping-off fungi attacking mature plants
TPS Potato seeds
On March 20, 2015 I found my potato seed had sprouted and look like this. I had them covered with plastic. But did not have them under a grow light.
In these photo you can see the plans are wet with a 2 to 1 solution of peroxide. I also sprinkled some cinnamon on the soil. Then added cocoa coir. I lost many of them.
This is what they look like on March 27, 2015
TPS True potato seeds
These are blue doll TPS Potato seedlings
The last photo they were started in a grow bag I made myself. The have Happy frog potting soil on the bottom, and cocoa coir mixed with vermiculite and peat on the top 2 inches of the soil. They came out with no issue.
On Feb 21, two days after the new moon I started seed for (Calabrese green sprouting) broccoli. An Italian heirloom brought to America in the 1880s; 5”-8” heads
and many side shoots. Harvest 60-90 days after transplant
On Feb 23, started seed for Broccoli, DeCicco (Brassica oleracea) Italian heirloom introduced to U.S. gardeners in
1890. Compact 2-3' plants produce a 4" central
head. After the central head is cut, many side shoots
will form. Very early, great for freezing. 48-85 days
from transplant. Great as both a spring and fall crop.
Germination temperature: 45 F to 85 F
- Should germinate in 3-10 days Germination temperature: 45 F to 85 F
- Will germinate at soil temperatures as low as 40 F
Days to emergence: 4 to 7
Seed can be saved 3 years.
Feb 21 seeds planted for VatesBlue curled kale (Brassica oleracea ?)
Compact plants yield tender, blue-green, crinkled leaves that are quite delicious, very cold hardy, and rich in vitamin A.
Days till harvest 60 +Zesty flavor is improved by light frost Feb 21, seed started for Rainbow Chard Open-Pollinated shades of red, purple, pink, orange, yellow and white. Rainbow chard was sold by Thompson and Moran Seed co. in the early
1970s, but disappeared in the U. S. by the early 1980s. It was later
discovered growing in Australia and introduced back to the market. 35 days to baby harvest and 55 days to mature harvest. Start planting about 2 to 3 weeks before last expected frost. Sow seeds
½ to 1 inch deep, 2 to 6 inches apart, in rows 18 to 24 apart. Like
beets, chard “seeds” produce more than one plant, and so will require
thinning. Thin to 6" to 12" spacings.
If you plan to harvest whole plants, make succession plantings through late summer. SAVING SEEDS Harvest seed stalks as they dry and thresh with a flail or by stomping.
After threshed use a ½" and ¼" screen to help with cleaning. Chard seed
remains viable for 4-6 years under cool and dry storage conditions.
Feb 23 started Snowball Cauliflower To
ensure plump heads, time indoor sowing so that plants are no more than 5
weeks old at transplant time. Sow outdoors when soil temperatures are
at least 60F. Germination: 6-14 Days Height At Maturity: 20"-26"Days To Maturity: 52-70 Days Feb 23 Cabbage (Early golden acre)
Golden Acre is an excellent early summer variety ball head cabbage. With
small to medium-sized green, round solid heads on compact plants with
few outer leaves.
Ideal for confined areas, it can be grown at 30cm spacings and give excellent small heads of first rate quality and flavor.
The heads are tightly folded, solid, 12 to 18cm (5 to 7 in) in diameter,
round, grey-green in color and weigh three to five pounds. Matures in
64 days. It is not a long standing variety but is Yellows resistant
Golden Acre is an old heirloom variety, earliest references are in 1927 seed catalogs where they say… “A first early type This Danish variety is highly praised by all who have grown it.”
By 1950 it was called... “The most popular variety for home and garden planting.” Germination 10-21 days. Dependable yields of good quality 2-4lb. round heads. Nice compact plant with a good, mellow cabbage taste. Average: 65 days
