Topic: green algae on my sown seeds

[moment]

hi all,
 every year i sow my seeds, put into cold greenhouse (march/april time)-and before long most of my sown seed trays are covered in a green algae and i get bad -if any-germination.
my friend thinks it might well be the watering from my butt,and to use my hose for all the watering. this is a bit cumbersome but i`ll do it this way if i have to. i do clean my trays with jeyes (are we allowed to say that!)-andcant find a way to scrub out my butt as it only has a 3 inch hole at the top.
SO! i want you all to tell me what you think of this idea of mine! what if i put into my full butt an amount of that pond algae killer-the one that gives clear water? does anyone think this could work for my problem?? ??? ::)

[OllieC]

I think that the algae is a symptom of a problem rather than the problem itself. Personally I would never use algae killer in a pond either! In a pond I would have plants & a filter to use up the Nitrates, rather than throwing chemicals at the problem. And if I got green water but everything was alive & healthy, I wouldn't really care.

I'm not sure of the chemistry involved but would be very surprised if something that works to kill one type of plant organism would be helpful to the germination of another.

Always happy to be wrong, but that's my initial thought!

[asbean]

Don't use butt water for watering seedlings, I've seen that mentioned before, possibly on this forum and in books etc.  I always use butt water for well established plants only.

[Tee Gee]

Firstly! your compost? you don't mention what type it is but I think choose which one you use, it is not free draining enough!

I would add anything from 25%-50% silver sand to your seed/cutting mix and this should improve matters.

Regarding watering I would not use 'butt' water if possible, but if this is all you have then needs must!

I use water from my butt for for all of my seedlings but it comes from a tap out of the butt and this leaves the silt undisturbed in the bottom of the butt and any algae that may develop on the surface of the water.

But I think drainage is your main problem and perhaps you are using too much water on your seeds.

I find that I only need to water prior to sowing and most things germinate before I need to water the trays again.

OK there are sometimes exceptions so I keep a pump/hand spray handy and give them a light spray if I deem it necessary!

This link might help; http://www.thegardenersalmanac.co.uk/Data/Seed%20sowing/Seed%20Sowing.htm

[flytrapman]

Try sieving vermiculite or sharp sand on top after sowing seeds and let the top dry a little before watering.
I would either boil the water from the butt or take some water from home for seeds and seedlings