Learn about the details of seed saving if you intend to save seeds from your vegetable plants.Throw the seed out if it less than 50% germinates. Check the germination rate after 7-10 days. Roll up the paper towel, place it in a plastic bag with some holes and set it on top of the refrigerator. You can test the germination rate of questionable seeds by placing 20 seeds on a moistened paper towel.Otherwise, place seed in sealed glass containers and store in the coolest and driest location in the home. Leftover seeds from other crops should be stored in the refrigerator or freezer if possible in small glass containers.Onion, corn, leek, and parsley seed, in particular, are short-lived (1-2 years).Only buy what you will use in one or two seasons.Always purchase seed from reputable seed companies. Low seed vigor is a function of the age and storage conditions of the planted seed as well as the health and maturity of the plant from which the seed was harvested.Infected plants should be pulled up immediately, indoors or out in the garden, and composted. This treatment will make them more susceptible to soil pathogens. However, do not pre-soak bean and corn seeds in water. When the radicle (new root) begins to develop, remove seeds and plant in garden soil. Check the germination rate after 5-7 days. Seeds can also be pre-sprouted to give them a head start. If you've had a problem with damping-off, mix in aged compost but avoid incorporating un-decomposed organic materials prior to planting (straw, leaves, fresh manure, etc.). Plant on raised beds if your garden soil stays wet for days following rainfall. IN THE GARDENĪvoid planting seeds or transplants in low-lying, poorly drained areas. Plant seeds and transplants in loose, well-drained soil. Allow the top of the growing mix to dry slightly before watering. ![]() Don't overwater seedlings grown indoors or in a greenhouse or cold frame. Use soilless potting media for growing transplants. Management of damping-off TRANSPLANTS AND SEEDLINGS ![]() Damping-off is more likely to infect large seeds (corn, bean, pea). ![]() Rhizoctonia girdles or constricts lower stems (known as "wirestem") and pythium causes stunting, browning, and malformation of the root system.Above-ground symptoms include leaf yellowing and browning, stem cankers, and stunted and wilted plants. Symptoms are more likely to be observed on slow-growing, weak plants. In the garden, the disease can be a problem on poorly drained soils during cool, wet, and cloudy spring weather.Seedlings grown inside homes under fluorescent lights and in greenhouses succumb to damping-off if the media is poorly drained and kept too wet.Damping-off can affect seeds in the ground prior to germination as well as young seedlings.These pathogens are water molds - they must have free water to grow and reproduce. Three pathogens - Phytophthora, Pythium, and Rhizoctonia- are collectively referred to as "damping off".A number of soil-borne, fungal and bacterial root rots affect a wide range of vegetable crops.
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