Content
The soil under the seedlings became covered with mold: mistakes that caused this to happen
25.02.2023 03:30
Updated: 14.04.2023 07:41
When transplanting seedlings, it sometimes happens that a white coating begins to form on the soil at the base of the plants. Not all new gardeners understand what it is, but such a cottony substance is mold.
The fungal disease is extremely toxic to plants, and in order not to lose seedlings, it is important to eliminate it in a timely manner.
Why does mold appear?
First of all, because the soil is not always properly prepared. It does not have sufficient structure, and in addition, the bulk of its components are saturated with water. The soil does not have enough nutrients, and it quickly becomes sour, dense, and excessively wet.
If the plant nutrition is good, but the soil looseness is weak, then the crop may suffer. This is especially noticeable in young seedlings.
To identify the cause of the mold, you need to carefully examine the stem of the seedling: if dark spots appear on it, then you need to water the seedlings with caution.
If the stains look like mold, they need to be removed and the layer that has already formed covered with fresh soil.
How to Fight Mold and Prevent It from Appearing
- You need to water the seedlings with settled boiled water at room temperature, but at the same time you don’t need to overwater them.
- As a preventative measure, you can spread gauze soaked in vinegar over the surface of the soil, and then mold will not appear.
- The base of seedlings showing signs of damage can be sprayed with a weak solution of copper sulfate.
- You can also water with a chlorophos solution. It is applicable when the crop is over-watered. But it should be remembered that an excess of this substance is especially harmful to young shoots, which can die if used incorrectly.
- Interestingly, excessive potassium chloride in the soil does not promote mold formation. But watering the seedlings at the root with a weak solution of potassium permanganate will not help much.
