Mold On Sprouts – How to Prevent Them?

Sprouts are a rich source of vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and proteins. Compared to full-grown versions of the same plants, sprouts contain more nutrients. Poor hygiene, inefficient draining, and lack of air circulation can cause mold. Do sprouts have a way to prevent mold?

Rinse the sprouts twice a day in the water. Drain the water. Now repeat this process with care. Make sure the water drains at a 45-degree angle. Keeping the sprouts as spread out as possible is the goal. 

Drain the remaining water by resting the jar at a 45-degree angle in a bowl. As a result, the bottom won’t accumulate moisture. Place a paper towel at the bottom of the container. It will help keep the sprouts healthy by absorbing any remaining moisture. 

Are Sprouts With Mold Safe To Eat?

You may experience diarrhea, fever, or abdominal cramps when you eat moldy sprouts. These symptoms can appear 12 to 72 hours after infection. The use of some approved plant treatments can reduce contamination. 

What Is Cilia Hair? Is It Harmful To My Sprouts?

Most people mistake cilia hairs for mold. Cilia hairs are tiny white hairs growing from sprout roots. They are harmless since sprouts produce cilia hairs when they need water. 

Cilia hairs do not smell or feel slimy. They disappear when you water the sprouts. There is no reason to throw away sprouts because of cilia hairs. 

Soak the sprouts in cold water for about 15 minutes to remove cilia hairs. Drain them as usual. You will no longer see cilia hairs.

Mold is quite different from cilia hair. Mold smells unpleasant and has a dark color and a slimy texture. They may grow on any part of the sprout. Adding water or rinsing the sprouts does not remove them. Make a fresh batch of sprouts by removing the moldy ones.

How Do You Get Rid Of Mold On Seedlings?

Spread moldy seeds out on a tray first. Mist them with distilled white vinegar, hydrogen peroxide, or isopropyl alcohol. Keep misting and stirring them until they are damp. Spread the seeds again and expose them to direct sunlight. Wait until all the liquid has evaporated. 

Remove the mold. Scrape or pull off the top soil with care to remove the mold. Use a spoon or knife to collect as much as you can. Dispose of mold by wiping it on a paper towel.

Provide some ventilation for your seedling trays. Use a popsicle stick or pencil on one end to prop the tray covers open. As moisture evaporates, mold will have a more difficult time growing. Consider removing the lid if all seeds have sprouted.

Turn off the bottom warming. Once all seeds have germinated, turn off the bottom heat mats. A high temperature promotes mold growth and damages seedlings. 

Allow the soil in the trays to dry out by controlling watering. The soil should not be soggy from overwatering. Ventilate the trays or use a fan to blow through them. Maintain a balanced soil moisture level to help seeds sprout. 

You have more control over misting the tray than using a watering can. Wait until the soil’s top layer is dry before watering. 

How Do You Prevent Mold On Microgreens?

Observe whether the white fuzzy mass extends above the soil line. Mold is most likely growing up the stem of full-grown microgreens. See if they disappear when you water them. 

Check the health of the roots and stems. Transparent, recyclable plastic trays make it easy to check microgreen roots. Examine the roots beneath the white fuzzy growth. Dark brown or decayed roots show mold infestation.

Pay attention to the root density as well. Healthy microgreens should have a matted, tangled root system. When microgreens are struggling to survive, they may show bald spots or spindly roots.

Improve ventilation since mold dislikes moving air. Microgreens thrive in the fresh air. Add some ventilation slots to the side of your lid and position a fan beside the tray. Once an hour, run the fan for 15-30 minutes. 

You can let some fresh air into the room by cracking a nearby window. Install a proper ventilation system in your greenhouse for microgreens. 

Mold prefers dark environments. Lighting, whether natural or artificial, is essential for microgreens. Using sunlight to prevent fungi is efficient and cost-effective. Sunlight can inhibit mold growth and even destroy it. Keep microgreens in indirect sunlight to avoid damage from intense light. 

When natural sunlight is unavailable, artificial lighting is another option. LED grow light or fluorescent lamp is effective in this regard.

Clean all your trays and other equipment with hydrogen peroxide. Using a 1500ml spray bottle, mix 50ml hydrogen peroxide with 50ml white vinegar. Use normal water for the remaining 1400ml. Use food-grade 3% hydrogen peroxide in the same ratio for your microgreens.

Place the seeds in a water bowl with a teaspoon of food-grade 3% hydrogen peroxide to sanitize them. Let them soak for a couple of hours. 

Mold thrives in humid or moist environments. High humidity indicates warm and wet environments. Set your dehumidifier around 50-60% humidity.

Spread your seeds instead of bunching them to reduce moisture and allow airflow. Using hydroponics to grow microgreens can lower the possibility of mold growth. Ensure proper air circulation by preventing overseeding. 

What Are The Most Effective Methods To Prevent Mold On Seedlings?

Fuzzy white, gray, or black mold causes seedlings to decay and collapse at the soil level. This fungus-related problem is damping-off.

Seedlings experiencing damping-off fail to emerge from the soil. The stems become water-soaked and thin, almost threadlike. The cotyledons become soft and may appear grayish brown. 

The young leaves turn green-gray to brown as they wilt. Roots are missing or have grayish-brown sunken spots. Fluffy white cobweb-like growth may appear on the infected plant. 

The chance of infected seedlings surviving and growing to a vigorous size is rare. 

You will have to destroy infected seedlings most of the time. By following several easy steps, you can prevent moldy seedlings. The damping-off pathogens prefer cold, wet conditions and stagnant air. 

Avoid starting seeds indoors with garden soil. It may contain spores that can cause fungal infections. Use a seed starter mix containing a well-draining mixture. Seed starter mixes sold in stores come sterilized and free of living fungi. 

Sterilize your trays or pots with diluted bleach to destroy any lurking pathogens. Scrub the tools using a mixture of 10% bleach and 90% water. Once you have scrubbed, rinse with clean water.