Trying to avoid last years problem.

[imafan26]

I have never had luck with those jiffy pot seed starters. They just hold way too much water. You need to be very careful watering those things. I had problems with them on an open bench without the bottom tray or the top. The pots stayed too wet even though they are outdoors and the media was soggy and got molding and sometimes an off white webbing on the top. The top of the pots grew algae and they smelled bad. Seeds either dampened off or rotted soon after and the seedling were often a sickly yellow.

[redneck647]

This wasn't the Jiffy pots. I think the dome originally covered a cake. It was open some around the bottom so some air could get in and move around and I had them by the space heater to help with the temp. Seeds are planted in soil in plastic cells.
I've used their pots before and was able to get them to work surprisingly. I just can't remember the details.

[redneck647]

Well might have found the problem. The cauliflower plants I started in more of the miracle grow soil have the same mold growing in the cells. These ones didn't use a dome and are in another room. The extra cayennes I started are in older soil that was left in trays from last year. They have no mold so far.
I'm guessing the molds in the soil and starts growing when it gets wet?
Also one of the first match of cayenne peppers sprouted in the mold but the seed leaves were yellow and shriveled. The stem looked fine but now its starting the bend and I expect it to soon die.