Knowledgebase
Treat fungus in soil #865611
Asked April 23, 2024, 2:32 PM EDT
Hennepin County Minnesota
Expert Response
Hi Ruth,
Please give me more information.
Where is this soil with the fungus? Is it in potted plants, a bag of soil, on the ground?
Is the greenhouse a structure outside, or a small enclosure in a building?
What does this fungus look like? Please add a photo to this file — that would help a lot.
Thanks!
Hi Ruth,
You’re overfertilizing. Seeds should be sown in starting mix that is sterile and doesn’t contain fertilizers, which may be why your seedlings die shortly after germination. Very young plants can’t take fertilization.
Seedlings shouldn’t be fertilized until they have true leaves, and then they should be fertilized at half-strength. All the manure products you’re using also can create problems. They may contains salts and contribute to overfertilization.
If you’re starting the seeds in the same soil year after year the soil should be replaced or you need to start the seeds in separate pots and move them into the planters once they have true leaves. But I’d replace the planter soil anyway. It looks like you have powdery mildew, which can persist year to year if any plant debris is left around.
Make sure there’s enough air circulation in the greenhouse and water early in the day. Water only when plants are dry.
I wouldn’t expect to see pollinators in a greenhouse, or worms. Am I missing something?
More info is welcome. Let me know if this helped at all!