Encanto Farms Nursery > Categories > mold on cuttings

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wisniewskia

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Posts: 5

Hi,  I am trying to root cuttings for the first time.  They were in a clear plastic bin that I was using as a green house.  There was a bit too much humidity and fuzzy mold is growing on the cuttings.  I removed the lid to drop the humidity.  Will the cuttings be ok?  Should I try to remove the mold?  Thank you in advance for any suggestions and info!

hoosierbanana

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Posts: 2,186

Welcome to the forum, post a pic if you are really worried.

If the mold is just growing around the tops of the cuttings, on like dead leaf sheaths, then just wipe them off with a moist paper towel and actually fan the bin with the lid at least once a day for awhile. If it is on dead tips then just clip them off without hurting the healthy tissue below and fan with the lid. If the fluffy mold is in the potting mix then you have got real trouble.

wisniewskia

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Posts: 5

Thank you!  I'm not too worried, just not sure.  The mold isn't in the potting mix mainly on the cuttings.  I'll wipe them down and should be ok.  

Some of them seem to be doing ok but others I think I burned the tips. I had them out side for first couple of days since we had some warm weather, it got a bit to warm for them.  This is my first time!  You learn from your mistakes right!

pitangadiego

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Mold is mostly an issue of not enough fresh air.

wisniewskia

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Posts: 5

I uncovered the lid and wiped them down.  Will need to drill some holes to get air flowing through there!

Gina

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Posts: 2,260

Instead of drilling holes in your container, just put the lid on crooked so a bit of air can flow through the top. That way you will retain full control.

Darkman

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Posts: 629

This spring I had cuttings in six plastic boxes with clear lids (think Chinese take out). The lids seal quite well in these. Each box had anywhere from 2 to six cuttings. I had two boxes of cuttings out of six that developed some off odors and mold.  Most of the cuttings in those boxes did not root but some did. I gently washed the moldy ones and then put the cleaned cuttings into different boxes that had sucessfully rooted cuttings. I retained the previously used mix from the new box and did not add any water. The moldy medium I tossed and then ran the empty boxes through the dishwasher to sterilize them for use next time. Hopefully next month I'll have some more rooted cuttings to pot up.

satellitehead

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Posts: 3,687

Sage advice from Gina.  Sometimes the easiest and most obvious solutions escape us ;)

rcantor

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Posts: 5,727

Another forum member recommended physan 20 as a good mold killer.  I've had good results with not losing cuttings that were moldy and rooted ones that were exposed to mold.  So far the moldy ones look healthy but no roots yet.