• Do you need help identifying a 🌶?
    Is your plant suffering from an unknown issue? 🤧
    Then ask in Identification and Diagnosis.

seeds Green algae on my seedlings soil?

rshortt

rshortt

Hey guys, since the past few days I've been noticing what looks like green algae growing on my soil. I hope it's algae and not mold! I may have been over watering which may have caused this. I've since switched to bottom watering, and trying to do so less often.

My seed starter mix seems to dry out quickly and I'm a bit afraid of these little guys drying out under my lights and on the heat pad. This may have led me to over water to compensate. The lights there are on 24/7 but I'm about to move them to a 18hr on 6 hr off timer.

Here's some pics but I don't think you can see it on the soil in the pics:







Thanks for any advice.
 
Seedlings do not need 24 hours of light. And I really believe and have tried it more times than I care to mention - if they are not wilting, they don't need water. I've had plants laying in their side, almost dead to the world, and after a decent bottom watering, the next day they look fantastic.

YMMV,

Mike
 
or....dust a little corn meal on the top of the soil...the corn gluten will kill the algae...
 
Thanks for the advice guys.

I just spent some time scraping most of it off with a teaspoon. I'm going to pick up some chamomile tomorrow and use it as a precaution. I do have some cornmeal in the cupboard so I'll read up on that.

I'm going to stop using 24/7 light soon. I am using the light partially to keep them warm with the heat mat since my basement is pretty cold this time of year.
 
Algae grows with lots of moisture and an over-abundance of light. You seen to have both problems. Definately cut back on both.
 
24 hours light is great for seedlings in my opinion. As for the algae, just add a little "soil" on top and start bottom watering while leaving the surface "soil" dry
 
if the tea and corn meal do not work try a little spray of hydrogen peroxide and water. 1 gal water to 1 cup peroxide, 3% is what you get in most stores. some heatlh food stores carry 35 % but you have to cut it down to mix,or 1 tabl plus 1 teas.to a gal of water.you can get all kinds of info at www.using-hydrogen-peroxide.com great site. have fun ALex
 
willard3 said:
If you have light, heat, water and food, you will have algae.....it's ubiquitous.
Click to expand...

Not true - I have had thousands of seedlings growing in containers that have light, heat, water and nutrients and never had algae. But I water from the bottom and don't let the top get wet (well, at least most of the time.

Mike
 
If you just let the growing medium dry out on top a few times before you water it the green stuff should go away.


Alan
 
a little corn meal spread on the top of the soil will take care of that...the corn gluten kills it...

or...1 tbsp heroxide per gallon of water will also take care of the issue, however, the peroxide also kills you beneficial bacteria...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top