DAMPING OFF why me! wtf am i doing wrong??

so this is my second order of seeds from seedsman and the first batch of 6 seeds all caught the damping off disease and died after sprout or after second set of leaves popped it toppled over with thin stem. so this order of seeds I was careful with handling and soaked them in a light chamomile water mixture. so far one seed has sprouted and it has a brownish colored stem. I put some cinnamon sprinkled over the tops of the soil on the ones that haven't sprouted yet to stop the spread. should I get rid of the one that already has it? will it die for sure? I've looked for cases of damping off recovering but it looks like its slim to none.

The temperature in my tent stays between 72 and 77 F.
Im using jiffy start mix, vermiculite, and soil mix
soaked them for only 6 hours then did paper towel method until pop. then planted.
WHAT AM I DOING WRONG?

My first grow that I did was perfect. and I never payed any attention to mold or any of that and even used old soil that had been in the garage and didn't ph my water EVER! everything turned out perfectly. so I'm not getting what I'm doing wrong.

It could be because the medium is too wet and/or not enough light.

If they fall over they aren't lost yet, prop 'em up with a wooden skewer or toothpick or something.

Dampening off is typically caused by too much moisture. You don't want the medium soaking wet and don't use a dome.

Small plants need two things to get strong, light and wind.
20W spiral CFL over the seedling 1.5 to 2 inches away at ll times. Fan just barely moving the seedling once it pops.
No humidity domes or things like that. Medium should breathe and drain well and have very few nutrients in the immediate area of the seed if you plant into a big pot, or use a seedling mix if you start in a small pot. seedlings need to be watered maybe once after 7 days.

GoO back to your old ways, change things one at a time.

over watering seedling

Don't water the "stem area" water the circumference of the pot...they die such a slow death when damping off happens...I've tried burying them deeper you name it...once it starts at the stem/dirt line it's basically over...its def water that's the issue...g/l

Damping off is caused by fungus that grows when your medium stays saturated for too long.

Like others have said, I believe you're simply overwatering.

I would also raise the temps.

MickFoster said:

I would also raise the temps.

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Raising the temps will only encourage the fungus that causes damping off.

Too much watering. That is a damping off thing. Try coco in a root pouch next time. you can not water that shit enough sometimes

Too much moisture dude.

Try using a turkey baster to help get you through that sensitive seedling phase. They're marked for liquid measurements, so you can be consistent, and the shape of it allows you to keep the water away from the stem area of the seedling and water the outside perimeter to force roots to grow and find that water.

Aside from having enough light to keep them from getting too stretchy, and giving them a little food to grow right from the start, that should get you to the "young plant" phase.

I find in the seedling phase I use a very small watering can and just go around the plant. Less is better. It is really tough at the beginning it took me 2 years to get to here and i still screw it up all over the place. But not with watering....not with PH....with other stuff

OldMedUser said:

Raising the temps will only encourage the fungus that causes damping off.

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That's not totally true. If pythium is the fungi that caused the damping off - it thrives in wet cool conditions. According to a study done at the Univ. of Minnesota the damping off pathogens thrive in cool wet conditions. Just saying.

Wilksey said:

Too much moisture dude.

Try using a turkey baster to help get you through that sensitive seedling phase. They're marked for liquid measurements, so you can be consistent, and the shape of it allows you to keep the water away from the stem area of the seedling and water the outside perimeter to force roots to grow and find that water.

Aside from having enough light to keep them from getting too stretchy, and giving them a little food to grow right from the start, that should get you to the "young plant" phase.

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Perfect idea to not go crazy !. I would bet overwatering is the single biggest seed killer among new growers of all time!. Followed by nutes and hot soil (ocean) get the happy frog. OR do coco.

Walter9999 said:

once it starts at the stem/dirt line it's basically over...its def water that's the issue...g/l

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Not true, I have seedlings fall over all the time because I just stick them in my low light mother chamber without blasting them. They stretch and fall over. I just prop them up, try to get them more light, and they're fine.

Here's one that fell over last night, you can see the narrow stem at the bottom. Propped up with the strain tag, it will be fine in a week...

2 parts perlite to one part vermiculite, put sprouts in 2" square pots in about a quarter inch of water and they will self-regulate moisture, add adequate light and a propagation mat and you'll never damp off again!
-good luck!

Quit screwing with paper towels and stuff. It's a seed.

Fill cups or pots with soil. Water until moist and let drain good. Plant seeds and leave them alone until the soil is dry.

More light. If they stretch real bad then it makes it worse.

You are over complicating things. The extra steps like paper towels can damage fine root hairs and allow a place for bacteria to enter. You are also most likely over watering.

Plant them and don't water for days.

Observe & Report said:

Not true, I have seedlings fall over all the time because I just stick them in my low light mother chamber without blasting them. They stretch and fall over. I just prop them up, try to get them more light, and they're fine.

Here's one that fell over last night, you can see the narrow stem at the bottom. Propped up with the strain tag, it will be fine in a week...

View attachment 4140327

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That's Falling Over For A Different Reason.

Are you sure they're damping or are they only falling over and need re-potted?

Damping signal is a typical "pinched" looking spot on the stem usually right above the soil line, it will go soft n flimsy and look sucked in relative to the stem above and below, almost never come back from this (can't recall 1 time where one came back.)

If they are falling over re-pot and bring the soil line right under the cotyledon (or bury it whatever you like.)

With damping off it is difficult to rule out karma, especially if you are an asshole that domes seedlings.