germinating in tupperware

[palmtodd]

Hi I've been trying to figure out how to germinate seed in sealed tupperware style containers with barely damp peat for a couple months now. I keep running into problems with fungus. It doesn't happen to every container but around 60% of the time I see mold start to grow. I've seen lots of photos in threads of other peoples success using this sealed container method (or baggy method). I normally use community pots outdoors but for winter I need to bring the seeds inside.

So, what's the secret to keeping the fungus out of the containers and/or baggies ?

any tips would be great

[Succulentum]

I put the zip bags with mix and water 10 min for two baggy (open), in micro-wave with max power, I put my seeds 5 min in hydrogen peroxyde at 20% with water and no fungus.

[Matt in SD]

Use coco-peat instead of peat moss. Coco-peat never molds.

Matt

[Succulentum]

I put the zip bags with mix and water 10 min for two baggy (open), in micro-wave with max power, I put my seeds 5 min in hydrogen peroxyde at 20% with water and no fungus.

[John in Andalucia]

Too high temperatures can also bring on mould in sealed containers. I try to make sure that my germination temps never top 30 Celsius (86F).

[PANGEA EXPRESS]

I use folded damp paper towels in a plastic container and ive never had a problem with mold.

[Jeff zone 8 N.C.]

Use "long grain spagnum moss instead of peat. This is the live peat that grows on top of the peat bogs. Peat is the decomposed version of dead spagnum. You usually find it in bags shaped like small blocks in the orchid supply section of big box stores. It is a lighter blond color and is actually long strands of peat. You can also collect it in the wild. It has excellent anti-mold and rot qualities and is open and airy. I squeeze all the moisture I can from it after wetting so that it feels barely damp (of course the seeds are pre-soaked in distilled or rain water). Make sure the seed is surrounded with it and leave a generous air space at the top of your container (at least a half inch or so). Filling the container to the top always seems to work poorly. Do not microwave this stuff as it has beneficial microbes or compounds that combat rot. I also have microwaved my other seed starter mixes but seal the bag and wait for it to puff up with steam before using it. That works pretty good too, if you sterilize the seed, but if you get any airborne mold spores inside, while putting the seed in, the mold can go crazy growing in there with no competition from other microbes.

I'm editing this to say I have bought a darker brown version of this long grain stuff that was probably dead too long, as it did not work as well. Make sure you get a lighter blond type of long grain spagnum. If the tips of the moss are green and look like it may actually be alive then it probably is and that is good but don't worry if it isn't. The recently dried moss, with no signs of life, seems to work great.

Edited January 8, 2012 by Jeff zone 8 N.C.

[awkonradi]

Hi palmtodd, like erictehhurdler, I have been germinating seeds using damp paper towels inside tupperware, with fair success. I have been treating seeds with 10:1 water / bleach for 30 minutes, prior to germinating them. I think this bleach treatment may be too rough for some palm seeds, but CIDP seeds are fine with it. I am experimenting with suppressing mold growth by momentarily dunking seeds in 0.5% chloranthonil in acetone solution, prior to germinating them. Andrei