Fungus problems :(

Hi Bip,

Well with the mold on the soil, I suggest that you carefully remove the top layer only by sliding a butter knife blade just under the surface.
The other fungus on your plants: is it white and cort of cottony-looking?
I sometimes get mold on my seedlings, especially if I have germinated them in an incubator or covered them with a plastic bag. The whits, fluffy fungus typically appears at the base of the stems where they go into the soil. I carefully remove it with tweezers and let the soil dry in the open air and the plants usually does ok after that.
I have just performed this on about 16 seedlings week before last and they are all surviving.

The spider mites you can get rid of by making a solution of spiritus (~2-3 tablespoons), thick liquid soap (~2 glops) and water to make a quart (liter).
Stir it all until the soap has disolved, then turn your plant container upside down, holding the soil in place with your fingers (for instance: the plant stem sticking through your middle and ring fingers as all your fingers cover the soil atop the pot) and submerge the foilage into this solution and turn it and shake it about while keeping it submerged for about 2 minutes. Then set the plant upright again and let it air dry.
Save the solution and repeat this in two days if you can still see them in creeping their webs.

As for your withering little plant, I would have to see it before venturing a guess at removing it or not...but having said that, why not use the 'cure' above and just see if it makes it. They most often do not, but it's worth a try--what do you have to loose?

I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you on this one, but I honestly am optimistic.

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Sjoerd http://www.volkstuindersvereniginghoornenomstreken.nl/Page11.html

No, no Droopy...spiritus is not booze here in Nederland. "booze" is ethel alcohol and this is more a methanol-type stuff. It's also called "white spirits" or spirit of...... there?? We use it to wash windows with or burn fondu lamps to cook with. I know you have it there Bip, but I just cannot think of what you folks call it.
It is clear or colourless. A sort of methalated spirits, or something like that. They sell it in the supermarkets here.
But if you get some detergent-type soap and leave the spiritus out, that will work as well, although you may have to 'baptize' them more than once.

You can also use posinous sprays if you want to do that...but you must hold the can more than 12 inches from the tender seedlings. and only give a couple of short bursts.

_________________
Sjoerd http://www.volkstuindersvereniginghoornenomstreken.nl/Page11.html