The Slickster
Member
Wanted to share some info I found on using chamomile tea as a natural no-damp to prevent damping off, especially for seedlings. Here is some info on chamomile tea as a treantment:
"To spray diseased plants. Applied as a plant spray, chamomile tea has been used to control a condition known as "damping off," a post-germination fungus disease that kills seedlings by cutting off water and nutrient intake. This disease often strikes seedlings that are planted too closely together. Spraying seedlings and soil daily with chamomile tea is a safe way to treat damping off."
http://www.herbaleducator.com/herbs_chamomile.html
"Chamomile is a concentrated source of calcium, potash and sulfur. The sulfur is a fungus fighter."
They also mention sea kelp (bacterias), horsetail tea (rich in silicon, increasing light absorbing capabilities{heat}), and sprinkling cinammon (fungicide) on the soil surface here:
http://www.ghorganics.com/page15.html#Seedlings: Damping off disease
While listed with potash, calcium, and sulphur, there must be some phosphorous P in there as well if they are the dried flowers portion, which would then assist in rooting.
Sulphur is used by itself for fungal diseases such as powdery mildew. Some rooting powders use fungicides for the same purpose; to control damping off and other soil borne diseases. So it seems a bit reasonable, just gave some chamomile tea to the seedlings a few days ago and they seem happy.
There are probably many more natural methods for assisting in damping off, for instance garlic which is also high in sulphur and anti-fungal compound (phytoncide). But it is also allicin, an antibiotic in ways that may inhibit beneficial bacteria, yet not necessarily so. Perhaps hydrogen peroxide, while helping in a similar fashion and providing oxygen would also inhibit beneficial bacteria initially while in medium.
Powdered charcoal or ash can be sprinkled on the surface of the soil. Also cloves and stinging nettle can be used as natural fungicides. It seems right for rooting baby seedlings as chamomile is used for teething human babies and to calm them from stressors.
"To spray diseased plants. Applied as a plant spray, chamomile tea has been used to control a condition known as "damping off," a post-germination fungus disease that kills seedlings by cutting off water and nutrient intake. This disease often strikes seedlings that are planted too closely together. Spraying seedlings and soil daily with chamomile tea is a safe way to treat damping off."
http://www.herbaleducator.com/herbs_chamomile.html
"Chamomile is a concentrated source of calcium, potash and sulfur. The sulfur is a fungus fighter."
They also mention sea kelp (bacterias), horsetail tea (rich in silicon, increasing light absorbing capabilities{heat}), and sprinkling cinammon (fungicide) on the soil surface here:
http://www.ghorganics.com/page15.html#Seedlings: Damping off disease
While listed with potash, calcium, and sulphur, there must be some phosphorous P in there as well if they are the dried flowers portion, which would then assist in rooting.
Sulphur is used by itself for fungal diseases such as powdery mildew. Some rooting powders use fungicides for the same purpose; to control damping off and other soil borne diseases. So it seems a bit reasonable, just gave some chamomile tea to the seedlings a few days ago and they seem happy.
There are probably many more natural methods for assisting in damping off, for instance garlic which is also high in sulphur and anti-fungal compound (phytoncide). But it is also allicin, an antibiotic in ways that may inhibit beneficial bacteria, yet not necessarily so. Perhaps hydrogen peroxide, while helping in a similar fashion and providing oxygen would also inhibit beneficial bacteria initially while in medium.
Powdered charcoal or ash can be sprinkled on the surface of the soil. Also cloves and stinging nettle can be used as natural fungicides. It seems right for rooting baby seedlings as chamomile is used for teething human babies and to calm them from stressors.
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