mouldy newspaper pots

[magz.mccarthy]

hi all,

I started using newspaper pots for the first time this year. I planted some onions and leeks around a week ago (oh the impatience!) and now they are starting to show signs of mold along the ends of the paper pots. Has anyone else experienced this?

Margaret

[BrideXIII]

not on newspaper ones, cos i still have toilet roll middles for using, but i did get mold on them, i just wiped it off and watered from the bottom, but i do have them stood in a small amount of compost.

it hasn't come back though, might have been cos they got too wet at first..

[pigletwillie]

They always do, damp and compost = mould. Generally you should be ok but i tend to sow seeds into plastic pots and only use the paper ones for larger sedlings.

[magz.mccarthy]

whew! i was hoping to not have to chuck them all out. I'll wipe them off this evening and hope for the best!

[Mcbee]

i got mold as well and whilst it didn't seem to effect the plants, i don't use the paper / cardboard anymore.

[Digger-07]

I only use newspaper pots and toilet roll inners for larger seeds, peas, beans, sweetcorn etc and get mould every time but have never had a problem with the mould stopping germination.

[Two_Sheds]

I only use paper pots when the weather is drier & warmer, ie in April for quick growing sweetcorn, squash and French beans. They work really well (make the pots on a rainy day as it quickly becomes a tedious chore)

I have used loo rolls for my autumn-sown Sweet Peas, and they are mouldy. I knew they would, and I still did it, because I couldn't afford more root-trainers. They'll be okay, the mould doesn't harm the plants.

[andrewo]

I never use paper, it goes in the compost, I just reuse pot and root trainers. Paper is a false economy, every plant I've ever grown in paper has not done as well as in a pot or a root trainer.

[allaboutliverpool]

Paper pots always go mouldy.

Presumably the commercially available jiffy pots etc have some antifungal agent to prevent them doing the same. It appears that we cannot escape additives unless we do things ourselves.

The question has to be asked, which is the most harmful, mould-retardants or printing ink?



The photo shows a mouldy loo roll tube with the long tap-root of a carrot demonstrated

My allotment in Liverpool

[Rocketron]

Nothing to worry about printers' ink,these days. not sure about the coloured inks.

[kitchengardner]

I never use paper, it goes in the compost, I just reuse pot and root trainers. Paper is a false economy, every plant I've ever grown in paper has not done as well as in a pot or a root trainer.

I have run a couple of head to head comparisons between loo roll middles and commercial root trainers and have never found a difference, except the cost.

With regards to the mould on your paper pots or loo rolls it is nothing to worry about if it is white. This is a type of mould that only affects wood-based products (you also see it on several commercial organic composts) when they are too wet, it does not grow on living plants. However the plants might suffer due to the overwet conditions

regards

Kitchen Gardener

[kate&rob]

apparently, if you put loo rolls in the microwave for a minute then you don't get mould. i've never had any probs with loo rolls even when mouldy.

[Two_Sheds]

Paper pots always go mouldy.

Mine don't, only if I over-water

[maytreefrannie]

I've a few tomatoes and broad beans in the kitchen in loo roll centres and I was wondering about the mould that's come on them. Certainly I was keeping them too wet I think.

Thanks everyone - you've answered all my questions.

[Jenegade]

Nothing to worry about printers' ink,these days. not sure about the coloured inks.

How do you find out what chemicals each newspaper uses? I've found lots of information about ink being safe (and some saying it's not), written by the general public, but I don't know where to find the source of this information!