How do you stop seedlings dying from fungus?

[migraineur]

Dear cactus experts

What methods do you use to prevent your cactus seedlings dying from fungus? I have successfully grown cacti from seed but I've also lost many to damp off. Do you experience the same problem?

[junkheadrev]

I use this stuff called captan and spray my seedlings with it every few weeks to a month until about a year old . It's also good to clean the soil (bake it or sterilize it).

Letting them get some air by taking of the humidity cover a few minutes every few days isn't a bad idea either

[Philocacti]

You could always let them dry out (at any stage) between watering, they can stay in dry soil for longer than what we think, even right after they germinate.

Then again, I'm no cactus expert ;)

Edited February 5, 2014 by Philocacti

[hostilis]

Drying out does help stop fungi once you already have it. It's better to do preventative measures beforehand though. I've dried out very young seedlings for over a month once. They looked like shrivelled raisins. I put them back in humidity and moisture and they puffed back up in a couple days. They can take a lot of abuse actually.

[dawnbeaver]

I use Thiram anti-fungal spay.

[shortly]

A little cinnamon powder mixed into thesand i sprinkle over the seed did the trick for me

[Nailthesnail]

Someone said something about copper emulsion or some shit like that, I swear I saw that somwhere

[Evil Genius]

Cover the soil with Quartz Sand and dont water too much. And only when it´s hot. I hardly water cacti outside growing season.

[prier]

You'll want to include regular applications of fungacides in your watering schedule. I always water in seed with a fungacide straight up, something like copper oxychoride is good as it deals with algae too. Also what EG said, lightly top dress with sand, helps stop a bunch of stuff.

[M S Smith]

I simply blow a super light coating of root-tone with fungicide over the seedlings and soil.

[Evil Genius]

Yeah, just follow the Tips here and you´ll be able to increase your survival Rate tremendously! Beginners tend to water cactus seedlings WAY too much when it´s cold. So i guess that´s your problem! You´d be surprised about how few water a small cactus seedling only needs, when it´s not hot.

[zelly]

I simply blow

Damn Michael, how could I pass up this zinger.....

[Brendo]

I was advised to use a weak vinegar solution on my seedlings. I had a fungus attack on one of my containers few months back, I mixed about a teaspoon white vinegar into a 300ml spray bottle of water. I applied this twice over about a week & it worked fine

[Evil Genius]

Well yeah, Vinegar is alright. Works as a weak fungicide. But it can mess up your ph levels so dont overdo it.

[Swiper]

For starting seedlings I use tap water, the residual chlorine helps to disinfect, I read somewhere.

I only use propagating sand with no organics.

[Philocacti]

I guess some fungi have built tolerance to chlorine in tap water, however I only use tap water and I never have problems with fungus, then again I live in a dry weather and I've come to learn that seedlings can stay in dry soil for some time.....so this is what I do to prevent fungus