Damp off

If you are a rose hybridizer you are well aware of Damp off and how quickly it can destroy your new little creation. In this post I will show you a little tip on how to save some of them. Below is a seedling that was attacked by damp off and you can see that it is rooting nicely again and has been given a second chance at life.

For demonstration purposes only, the dirt was washed away so you can see the roots growing and to show how close you can cut it back.

You can see the damage that damp off did to the seedling above.

Cut the damaged part of the root off and apply some rooting hormone.

I like to plant the seedling all the way up to the foliage. I found that a nice warm humid environment is the best for getting new roots. To create a greenhouse environment I push a tomato cage into the dirt of a 5 gallon pot and place a semi opaque trash bag over the top and tie it shut at the base and place it out in direct sun.