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Seedlings & sulphur

-- [ From: for-pac * EMC.Ver #2.5.02 ] --

To help anwer the question of using sulphur to help control damping-off, the
answer is probably useful.

There are a handful of soil-born fungi that attacks seedlings, collectively
called "damping off" fungi/disease. If you understand the conditions for the
disease, then prevention is pretty easy.

First, the fungi is in virtually all soil, and spores are typically spread
by moving water. What triggers the disease to go its killing rampage are the
soil conditons. Just as seeds need favorable conditions to sprout, the fungi
need thier own set of conditions. What triggers the fungi is - a) excessive
moisture in the soil, b) cold temp., c) poor air circulation, d) alkaline
soils (pH greater than 7.0), e) nitrogen fertilizers.

Second, knowing the trigger agents, you can control damping off by - a')
Improving soil drainage with a seed-starting soil mix that drains better (ie
: including perlite and sand), b') warmer seed-starting conditions which
increase water evaporation, c') fewer seedlings per flat and/or natural or
artifcial air circulation which again aides in keeping water from settling,
d') soil mix is nuetral, sterile, or acidic, and e') and hold off on
fertilizing until seedlings have gotten their secondary leaves and/or gotten
past the "succulent" stem stage.

Since sulphur adds acid to the soil, it does help somewhat in controlling
damping off, but its not the cure-all.

f-p

-------- REPLY, Original message follows --------

Date: Thursday, 02-Apr-98 04:13 PM

From: Thomas Olenio            \ Internet:    (tolenio@world.std.com) To:  
veggie-list@eskimo.com   \ Internet:    (veggie-list@eskimo.com)

Subject: *rooky* Seedling Question

Hello All,

I have a question regarding seedlings (tomato, pepper, broccoli).

Is it OK to add a little sulfur to the mister I water my seedlings with?

I use sulfur on a regular basis on my peach tree to keep down disease. 
Would it have the same effect of vegetable seedlings and prevent damping off
?

Sorry if this is a real rooky question, I always bought seedlings prior to
this year.

Thanks in advance.

Tom



-------- REPLY, End of original message --------
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