Potential Problem...HELP

Arctic Palm · Post by **Arctic Palm** » Wed Apr 25, 2007 11:21 am

Hey everyone,

I have a questionfor those who have sprouted seedlings before. I have several (Veitchia merrilli) seeds that I have had incubating for a couple of months now. I opened the little greenhouse top they are in to check on them and I found some funny looking white-ish crystal fuzz on some of the seeds and their surroundings. I am no expert but that cannot be good. Maybe the soil is too moist, should I replant? Some of the seeds have begun to sprout and one even looks like it is about to send up a shoot or something.
Like I said I am new to this so any help would be great.
Thanks

Knnn · Post by **Knnn** » Wed Apr 25, 2007 1:43 pm

Just let the container air out overnight, a chamomile tea solution, (1-2 tea bags per gallon), will also get rid of that.

Looks like you have some growing

Arctic Palm · Post by **Arctic Palm** » Wed Apr 25, 2007 4:23 pm

Knnn,

Any idea what that is? Do you think my soil to to moist?

Knnn · Post by **Knnn** » Wed Apr 25, 2007 5:01 pm

Just a fungus/mold of some sort, (high humidity, just the right temp & lack of air flow)

From my experience the white stuff is pretty harmless and easy to control, usually just letting things air out a bit takes care of it. The Chamomile tea solution is a mild fungicide which will also kill it. The green and black molds are a bit nastier and require heavier treatment, ( Daconil,etc) You may want to take the lid off for a couple hours each day just to let the very top dry out.

Knnn · Post by **Knnn** » Wed Apr 25, 2007 5:10 pm

PS - A germinating medium with an organic base will almost always have these spores present in it.
You may want to think about switching to a sterile medium like Perlite, Vermiculite, or some of the other non organic mixes.

Kansas · Post by **Kansas** » Wed Apr 25, 2007 5:34 pm

I second the Perlite and I second and third and forth the Vermiculate. I am a big fan of vermiculate.

Arctic Palm · Post by **Arctic Palm** » Wed Apr 25, 2007 6:47 pm

I will look for that next time I am out. Do you think it will hurt the seeds if I replant them?

Knnn · Post by **Knnn** » Wed Apr 25, 2007 7:15 pm

Moving the ones that have germinated into deeper containers would probably be a good idea. Something at least 6"/15cm deep ( styrofoam cups work good

Arctic Palm · Post by **Arctic Palm** » Wed Apr 25, 2007 7:40 pm

Knnn,

Do they still need to be kept really warm once they germinate? Reason I ask is because once I remove them from their little greenhouse I have no way to keep them really warm. I am using Christmas light under the containers now and it seems to be working well.
Any ideas?

Knnn · Post by **Knnn** » Wed Apr 25, 2007 9:57 pm

After germination they really don't need to be kept at a higher temp. A warm spot in the house would do.
Also indirect bright light for the first leaves / no direct sun ( Most Palms start off as an understory plant for 2-3 years)

Good Luck with them !!

Arctic Palm · Post by **Arctic Palm** » Wed Apr 25, 2007 10:04 pm

Knnn,

What is a understory plant?

Also, a quick question, I planted my T. FOrtunei yesterday. Tonight (currently) it is 6c. It is supposed to rain...a lot...tomorrow. I went out and wrapped christmas lights around the base and middle shoots. DO you think I overreacted?

Knnn · Post by **Knnn** » Wed Apr 25, 2007 10:57 pm

Understory in the sense that it is under the canopy of other foliage. In habitat, most palms will take several years before they grow into a full sun position.

DO you think I overreacted?

Not at all ........It will probably be the middle of May before I feel safe enogh to put all the Winter protection stuff back into storage

Kansas · Post by **Kansas** » Thu Apr 26, 2007 4:57 am

Here is what I do, and it seems to be working well, but I would listen to KNNN before me

After they pop, I take another container (3" containers are what I use to germinate) and put that one upside down, on top of the one with the seeds. This gives the radicle 3" more to grow while still giving it a greenhouse feel. I also leave it on bottom heat.
After the radicle reaches the top of the container, it is at least 6" tall, so I pot them in styrofoam cups and put them in a sunny spot in the house (take them off bottom heat). I leave them there for about a month. Then I put them out in the greenhouse.

Arctic Palm · Post by **Arctic Palm** » Thu Apr 26, 2007 9:48 am

Thanks Kansas!!!

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Potential Problem...HELP

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