What has grown on top of my potting mix?

[elight]

Hi all,

I mixed all my potting mix and placed it in my containers last week, but it wasn't warm enough to transplant my seedlings yet. So I covered the tops of the containers with plastic bags and left them outside. The potting mix was thoroughly soaked at the time. I came back a few days later and found the following white stuff on top of the potting mix:


Anyone have any idea what it might be? Can I remove it? Leave it? I'd love to know before I put plants into these pots!

Thanks!

[babice]

We'll see what other more experienced folks say but it looks like the white dusty stuff I've sometimes gotten on the top of my soil. And from what I've read about it's harmless. I read you can just mix it up with a fork. But, it could come back as well. I found that a spray with the diluted chamomile tea works to get rid of it. Also a dilution with hydrogen peroxide can help as well.

[elight]

Thanks, Babice! How diluted would you recommend making either of those two sprays?

[babice]

Hi - I can take no credit for these, btw. Got these "antifungal" remedies from TVs on this site. I have a bunch of chamomile tea at home so it works good for me. My understanding is you can use any tea you have though. The deal is, you brew it once and then use the tea bag to brew it a second time which is weaker and sans the tannins. So, I make myself a cup of chamomile tea, steep it and and then sit back and sip it while I steep a 2nd cup with the same tea bag. I believe I read you add this weak tea to a gallon of water. What I've been doing is putting the weak tea in a spray bottle and then filling it the rest of the way with water. Then I spritz the soil if it has that white stuff on it.

I've also read that you can put a capful hydrogen peroxide in a quart of water. You could spray the soil with this if you want.

[swamper]

looks like pythium to me,

[JamesL]

I think swamper is right. Basically what you get with damping off.

Babice,
I use that same version of tea, except I use a combo of camomile and regular black tea.
Cup should be mixed into a quart, not a gallon though.
I add regular tea as I use it to soak seeds for seed starting and the tannins help weaken the seed coat.
Aslo use it to spray for damping off.
google - byron's world famous tea recipe

elight,
Are using actinovate this year? That will definitely do the trick. I would definitely treat this for safety before planting. your could skim the top layer for treatment and add it back later.

[elight]

I do not have Actinovate but can check to see if it's available at the local store. Is it a spray, or something that must be added to the potting mix?

[elight]

And yes, now that I've looked at pictures of Pythium, I'd have to agree that this is what it is.

I'll try both the tea spray and the Actinovate over the next few days to try to get it under control before transplanting.

[JamesL]

Actniovate - biological fungicide. Powder you will mix.
http://www.naturalindustries.com/ret...id=13&Itemid=3

i am going to try both of amideutch's methods this year
mixed with biota max on plant out - see post 25
http://www.tomatoville.com/showthrea...ght=actinovate

And mixed with exel LG and molasses as a preventative
http://www.tomatoville.com/showthread.php?t=17203


some more info here on using it as a preventative spray
http://www.tomatoville.com/showthrea...highlight=exel

[JamesL]

Elight,

here is another one I got off the board that forgot to mention. I am going to have it on hand if needed.
active ingredient, potassium bicarbonate
greencure fungicide
http://www.greencure.net/