Is this a disease on my seeds? (Golden Cane Palms)
By Click_it
NSW,
Australia 
I buy Golden Cane Palm seeds in bulk, usually I just throw them straight into Styrofoam boxes sitting on potting mix and covered with course sand (works a treat and they grow without problem)
This time however I'm in Winter here and these are tropical plants, whilst cold tolerant it's not really ideal throwing them under wet sand that is likely to remain around 0-10c (32-50f) for the next 2-3 months. So I placed them in plastic ziplock bags, laid them out in my bedroom closet floor on top of an electric blanket on its low setting placed a CFL Floodlight shining on them all day (this is to prevent a fungus that can take over in warm & DARK conditions
So all seems well, temps are consistently around 19c (66f) but it seems the pure humid environment trapped in those ziplock bags has caused some sort of fungus stuff to grow anyway. I figure doing nothing is suicide for the seeds so I've moved the lot into my bath, washed with a mild soapy mix, gotten 90% of the "white stuff" off the seeds and placed them back in the closet this time sitting on top of plastic sheet with nothing covering the top. They will breath now.
Has anyone seen this problem before? Can I expect to have taken care of the problem or will it continue to take over now anyway? I figure I have ended the conditions that allowed it to prosper so I'm hoping the last 10% of it will die in time.
Any feedback would be greatly appreciated, thanks!
On plant
Dypsis lutescens
3 Jul, 2009
Answers
I would say that it's some sort of mildew. The combination of the ziplocks and heated blanket will possibly give them too much warmth and humidity.
I would suspect that removing the bags but keeping the warmth from the blanket would do the trick.
I don't know about these particular seeds, but do they NEED to be in the dark? If so, then fine, but if not, as most seeds need light, then maybe move the blanket and seeds into a lighter position. Either way, I'd keep the ziplock bags off.
Tropical plants either need warm humid conditions or warm dry conditions depending on their origin. As you seem to grow these on a regular basis, that fact should help you to at least simulate the correct conditions.
I hope you get them sorted. :o)
4 Jul, 2009
Thanks guys! Yes Mildew is probably the correct word rather than fungus! And I'm glad we all agree on the conditions that created the problem in the first place.
To Llew: Your correct, they NEED light and I actually have a CFL (Compact Fluro Flood Light) shining on them 24/7. It is the equivilant of a 120W Halogen but only uses 23W and generates no heat. I don't really expect germination in these conditions over the next 2 months but if they do start to germinate I'll just move them into soil, by then the worst of the winter will be past anyway. Otherwise by default they all get moved into soil in Spring.
Thanks very much for the replies guys I really appreciate it!
4 Jul, 2009
Oooops, soz Clickit. I see you did mention your light. I didn't read properly. :o)
Anyway, good luck with them and let us know how you get on.
Just out of curiosity now, I am wondering about the 24/7 light. Do they need that? If trying to simulate nature, then obviously they'd need dark too, but as I said, I know nothing about these particular seeds so I'm curious.
4 Jul, 2009
Hehe thats okay.
Yeah about the lighting I'm sailing new waters here because normally I don't have to do any of this at all. I originally had the light on a timer - 18 on 6 off. Whilst they are ungerminated seeds I'm not sure if it matters? But maybe it does. Probably won't do any harm to put it back on a timer though. Good point.
5 Jul, 2009
Ha, ha.
The lengths we go to to grow a few plants eh?
I really want to know how you get on, so don't forget to let us know. :o)
5 Jul, 2009
Hehe aint that the truth!
Absolutely, I'll be back to tell how it all pans out. I'll also build up my personal page in coming weeks with all the plants I have around here.
5 Jul, 2009
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My only thought is that it may be last of air movement and/or they are too damp. Some seeds esp. fresh ones of certain plants suffer from it. I had it happen to different seeds ive grown. nothing bad has seemed to come it thou as i washed them to.
3 Jul, 2009