I'm pretty new to growing things and this is the first things I've tried to start from seeds. I'm growing organic catnip in cardboard egg cartons on a window sill. They've sprouted and are do well but over night the soil and 1 of the 2 egg cartons is covered in these tiny densely packed orange spheres! I thought they may be eggs or fungus.
Please help!
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Erica Lane
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Orange spheres covering soil
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Erica Lane
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rainbowgardener
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But your little seedlings are way spindly and leaning toward the light. They aren't getting nearly enough light. You either need to put a lamp on them (shining directly on them from just a few inches away, 12-16 hrs a day) or get them outside as soon as you can get them hardened off to it as applestar suggests (gradually increasing their exposure each day).
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GardeningCook
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Ugh - that's mold from overwatering, & your seedlings are already about to die from both that + the lack of light.
As "rainbowgardener" stated above, you need to provide appropriate artificial light asap. Unfortunately, bringing them outside in the state they're currently in will most likely fry them or rot them asap. They're just not up to it. You could try it by placing them in a shady location for a few days, but the soil is SO very wet-looking, can't say that will work.
If I were you, I'd start over with new seed. Catnip sprouts EXTREMELY easily from direct-sown seed. I'd just sow new seed either in-ground or in outdoor containers in a sunny location. Frankly don't think it's worth it to try & save what you now have.
As "rainbowgardener" stated above, you need to provide appropriate artificial light asap. Unfortunately, bringing them outside in the state they're currently in will most likely fry them or rot them asap. They're just not up to it. You could try it by placing them in a shady location for a few days, but the soil is SO very wet-looking, can't say that will work.
If I were you, I'd start over with new seed. Catnip sprouts EXTREMELY easily from direct-sown seed. I'd just sow new seed either in-ground or in outdoor containers in a sunny location. Frankly don't think it's worth it to try & save what you now have.
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applestar
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Mold-fungus growing paper and pulp based container like this is pretty common. It's because the material dries out and wicks away moisture easily so you do have to water heavily and often to compensate. Plus the potting medium that was used here appears to contain large chunks of woody material or mulch like material, which probably contained the fungal mycelia.
So I would not immediately rule these seedlings doomed, though it's true that sometimes, you will get superior results when new seeds are started after the first ones experience set back like this.
One thing I would try here would be to add more potting mix to the containers (which are only half filled) from two sides of the seedlings. Hold something like a (piece of) old credit card on one side of the seedlings to protect them and pile in the potting mix, then repeat on the other side. You can bury the seedlings up to just below the seed leaves. -- it's OK if some of them are buried. They need to be thinned anyway.
You can spray the outside of the egg cartons with diluted rubbing alcohol or hydrogen peroxide. You should still be careful not to get the spray on the seedlings in case they are too delicate to handle the solution.
So I would not immediately rule these seedlings doomed, though it's true that sometimes, you will get superior results when new seeds are started after the first ones experience set back like this.
One thing I would try here would be to add more potting mix to the containers (which are only half filled) from two sides of the seedlings. Hold something like a (piece of) old credit card on one side of the seedlings to protect them and pile in the potting mix, then repeat on the other side. You can bury the seedlings up to just below the seed leaves. -- it's OK if some of them are buried. They need to be thinned anyway.
You can spray the outside of the egg cartons with diluted rubbing alcohol or hydrogen peroxide. You should still be careful not to get the spray on the seedlings in case they are too delicate to handle the solution.