Tomatoville® Gardening Forums - View Single Post - Diatomaceous Earth as a seed starting medium

b54red · August 7, 2012

I am heading to Auto Zone today and see if they have it here. I have been having a terrible time with damping off due to the high humidity in my greenhouse. I haven't found a product that will maintain a dry surface to prevent damping off during times when our humidity levels are near 100% and that has been most days lately.

Ray does the surface stay dry enough to prevent damping off? Is dust a problem since I will be working with it in a greenhouse? Do you have to keep bottom water available all the time of do you just water them every few days that way?

Ray I am really excited about this. It may be the solution to my damping off problems. The last few bags of Jiffy and MG seed starting mediums I bought had mold inside the bags when I opened them. Quality control seems to be a big problem with most of the products I have tried with one bag being great and then the next one will be lacking in some way. I am also going to try coconut coir and may do a comparison.

Thanks for posting this information.

August 7, 2012	#56
b54red Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Alabama Posts: 7,068	I am heading to Auto Zone today and see if they have it here. I have been having a terrible time with damping off due to the high humidity in my greenhouse. I haven't found a product that will maintain a dry surface to prevent damping off during times when our humidity levels are near 100% and that has been most days lately. Ray does the surface stay dry enough to prevent damping off? Is dust a problem since I will be working with it in a greenhouse? Do you have to keep bottom water available all the time of do you just water them every few days that way? Ray I am really excited about this. It may be the solution to my damping off problems. The last few bags of Jiffy and MG seed starting mediums I bought had mold inside the bags when I opened them. Quality control seems to be a big problem with most of the products I have tried with one bag being great and then the next one will be lacking in some way. I am also going to try coconut coir and may do a comparison. Thanks for posting this information.