Fungicide for mold that is not toxic for humans.

[richardhole]

Hello

I have some Drosera seedlings and there is white mold growing on the surface of the peat moss among the seedlings. Do you know of a good way to kill it or stop it spreading that does not involve a chemical that is toxic to humans? It would be good if there is something that is safe to spray or water on the surface where no gloves or mask is needed.

I also have slimy algae on the surface of the soil and it would be good to also find something to reduce that.

I have tried 1 part pasteurized cows milk and 10 parts water and also 1 part 3% Hydrogen peroxide and 3 parts water. However, they did not make much difference. I heard that alcohol could work but I am not sure how much water I should mix with it and how much to apply to the seedlings. I read that cinnamon can help but it also is a growth inhibitor.

I do have some Azamax which I think is similar to Azadaracton or neeme oil which supposed to control fungus. However, my Azamax is about a year past it’s used by date.

Some other suggestions are below. However, I am not sure if they could harm the plants.

•1 tablespoon of baking soda
•½ teaspoon of liquid soap
•1 gallon of water
See gardening.about.com/od/gardenproblems/a/PowderyMildew.htm

Soak 1 cup of cornmeal in 1 gallon of water overnight. Strain the liquid and use as a spray on susceptible plants. See gardening.about.com/od/naturalorganiccontrol/qt/Cornmeal.htm

Mix 25 drops of grapefruit seed extract in a spray bottle full of water.
See www.ehow.com/how_4690493_make-killer-grapefruit-seed-extract.html

Do you think any of the above would be a good fungicide for Drosera seedlings and should I water the mix in or is it best to just spray it on?

Your help is appreciated
Regards Richard.

[Aidan]

Everything is toxic to one degree or another.

The first concoction will kill everything and the other two likely be about as effective as the witches brew you have already tried.

Moulds on the surface of peat usually burn themselves out and disappear after a while without causing any harm to plants.

[richardhole]

Hello

By “The first concoction” were you referring to 1 part pasteurized cows milk and 10 parts water? I read this is good for mold on gardening sites and is recommended by Gardening Australia that is on ABC TV. See www.abc.net.au/gardening/stories/s1484689.htm . Do you know people that have tried it and found that it harms their carnivorous plants or Drosera seedlings?

I read elsewhere that mold can be harmful to plants. However, it is good to read you say it does not.

It would be good to get a few people's opinions on this if possible because mold is a common problem and many people worry about it and I thought that people may have tried a number of non toxic solutions.

Your help is appreciated
Regards Richard.

[unstuckintime]

If you spot treat (think q-tip or tiny paint brush here) with some store-bought hydrogen peroxide, it may help. I tried this once long ago, on some Sarracenia seedlings. A few of then died, as did the mold, but it was a while ago and the Sarracenia could have just died from my lack of experience!

[frederick]

honestly, I don't stress much about mould, unless it grows back and is overwhelming. I spot clean the area too, but I do have to admit that when molds develop on a dormant plant like Dionea or temperate sundew I treat with half diluted fungicide, and if possible reduce the humidity a little.

[Dave Evans]

Well powered sulfur will work, but I'm not sure how the seedlings would react... I doubt it would hurt them as I've used it on garden seedlings to help fight dampoff. Try a very light dusting and see how that works.

[richardhole]

Hello

For mold, a gardening expert suggested to use Betadine that contains iodine and to mix 2 ml per10 liters of water and then to water in the soil. However, I did a search and could not find any examples of where people used it for carnivorous plants so I am not sure if you know of anyone that has tried it.

Some of these natural fungal controls that I have listed may be very affective as a preventative if they are watered in the soil or sprayed on the surface on a regular basis. The water based fungicide mixes could also be used as the only water source for the seedlings. They could be watered in from the top when the seedlings develop and perhaps sprayed on the surface and added to the water tray before the seeds germinate. What could be done is a number of the seeds of the same species could be grown in a few different containers where each one is watered with a different one of the non or low toxicity fungicides. The same number of seeds could be sown in each container. The growth of the seedlings would then be compared in each container and to another container where no fungicide is used and to another one where a commonly recommended fungicide for carnivorous plants is used.

It would be good if a few people did this experiment because different people have different conditions and they have different plants. We need to determine if any of these fungicides have any detrimental affect on the growth of the plants. The growth rate and germination rate of the plants could be noted along with how much fungi or algae develop. The same peat moss mix from the same bag would need to be used for each container for consistency. A number of different species could be tried in this manner. Could you please post back what results you get and encourage some people to do this experiment. Also, it would be appreciated if you could do a search to find if anyone has done this experiment or tried any of these non or low toxicity fungicides on carnivorous plants.

On another note I read on the label that AzaMax seems to be toxic to humans as indicated at
www.genhydro.com/genhydro_US/product_labels/AzaMax.pdf
The label reads:
"Hazards to humans and domestic animals
Caution. Harmful if absorbed through skin or if inhaled. Avoid breathing vapor. Causes moderate eye irritation. Prolonged or frequently repeated skin contact may cause allergic reactions in some individuals. Avoid contact with skin, eyes, or clothing. Wash thoroughly with soap and water after handling and before eating, drinking, chewing gum, or using tobacco. Remove and wash contaminated clothing before reuse."

I am not sure if you have had any reports of it harming people’s health

Your help is appreciated,
Regards Richard

[sundewman]

Well, until you mentioned that, I really didn't pay much attention to the hazards of neem oil. Odd thing is they don't really say what it can do to you. They make it seem as though it could be carcinogenic. If it disrupts the hormones of fish and insects, then I suppose it could do the same to humans... but what I do to avoid the awful smell of Neem oil is that I apply the neem solution outdoors, wait until the insects/fungus dies (keeping it in my outdoor porch over several days during this time) and then I thoroughly rinse the pot, and then move it back indoors. So even if it does pose a health risk, if you use it responsibly, I don't see why it should be an issue. To be safer, wear gloves, and then the only issue would be if you end up accidentally swallowing it, or getting it in your eyes somehow, which isn't likely.

As for Betadine, that sounds more harmful than AzaMax. Iodine is very poisonous to humans and the vapors can be fatal. www.jtbaker.com/msds/englishhtml/i2680.htm
Anyway, I'd just use AzaMax outdoors and take care of the fungus issue. Are the seedlings germinated already? If so, the quicker you fix the issue, the more likely they will be able to survive.

[taz6122]

Neem doesn't smell awful unless you can't stand the smell of oranges.

[richardhole]

Hello

It appears as if pure or concentrated Iodine can be hazardous. However, Betadine only contains a small percentage of it.

At www.abc.net.au/health/thepulse/stories/2008/11/06/2399550.htm it states
“To boost our abnormally low iodine intake Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) – the country's food regulator – is making bread manufacturers use iodised salt in the manufacturing process.”

So low concentrations of Iodine are good. For the plants it is recommended to add only 1ml of Betadine per 5 liters of water.

I found that diluted pasteurized milk or hydrogen peroxide did not kill the mold. However, I have not tried it as a preventative yet. It may work if it is applied before the algae or mold appears in order to prevent it. However, I heard that milk and baking soda is alkaline so it may be detrimental to the plants. That is why it would be good to do some experiments on a few plants first and compare how the plants grow. Please let me know of anyone that is interested in doing this.

Your help is appreciated
Regards Richard.

[kulamauiman]

www.google.com/search?hl=&q=cinnamon+fungicide&sourceid=navclient-ff&rlz=1B3GGGL_enUS213US214&ie=UTF-8

[richardhole]

Hello

Thanks for the info on Cinnamon. I have recently been eating it together with some honey after an email I received that suggested how good it is.

Have you tried it as a fungicide on carnivorous plants and if so, did it kill the mold and were there any adverse affects on the plants? Many of the links suggested to sprinkle it on the surface but a better way to ensure it makes contact with the soil and in the soil would be to mix the cinnamon with water. A problem with just sprinkling the powder on the surface is that in places where the Drosera seedlings are thick it would hit the leaves and not the soil underneath where the fungi is. If you suggest mixing it with water, how much should be mixed per liter of water? I thought I could perhaps add about a teaspoon to a cup of water and water it over about 1 square foot of peat moss in the seed tray. It could also be heavily sprayed on the surface. Another way could be to dust the cinnamon on the surface and then spray water on top of it to soak it in the soil a little. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

www.gardenerscorner.org/subject071693.htm states:
"Mist foliage and sprinkle on or make a paste and brush on. One post
I saved said they used hydrogen peroxide to mix with the cinnamon;
others use water."

Also, I read it could have adverse affects if too much is used. At forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/carnivor/msg0709385027182.html someone stated “Although the key ingredient in cinnamon bark, cinnamaldehyde, is a good fungicide, you should limit the amount you use. Cinnamon bark contains traces of iron, calcium, manganese, and probably additional trace minerals which your plant may not appreciate.”

I found some other suggestions for fungicides that are non toxic to humans by searching Google for 'non toxic fungicide'
Please let me know of anything you find out.

Your help is appreciated,
Regards Richard

[kulamauiman]

Have never tried it myself. thus far have never needed to. A good friend of mine mentioned it in passing in an e-mail that he was using it. I think he said a fine, light, dusting. My e-mail is at home will check back. A few species of cinnamon (not the really good ones) are established in Hawaii and becoming weeds. might be something that can be used to help keep them in check.....

[richardhole]

Hello

Thanks for the feedback. Please let me know any more information that you find out or of any experiments that compare the different fungicides that are low in toxicity as described above. Do you know anybody that has done an experiment like this?

Your help is appreciated
Regards Richard.