Expert: Christopher Littrell - 9/28/2009

Question
Hi,
I'm trying to grow Drosera and Dionaea.  I'm a beginner and threw myself in deep end.  I'm trying to grow some seeds in a terrarium and others in a bog garden.  Small flowers and berries fell into my bog garden and now and I'm noticing a green algae / fungal growth in it.  Can it harm my seedlings?  Does it mean I'm overwatering?  I noticed some fuzzy fungal in my terrarium as well.  Should I be worried? I put live Sphagnum moss in my terrarium and I don't know if some of the green I see in my terrarium are spores or algae.
Thanks for any help.

Answer
Hello Ryan,

Terrariums do tend to provide an excellent home for fungus more so than carnivorous plants. You can use neem oil extract in ready mixed spray or sulfur powder sprinkled on the affected areas.

A bog garden might be a good idea, but you would need to have established plants to put in the garden before trying to get seedlings going. Those seeds will likely be devoured by birds and ants before fungus can get to them. The green fuzz could be a species of spirilla algae or fungus. The algae is not all that harmful, but the fungus will eat whatever organic matter it comes into contact with, including tiny seeds and seedlings.

Best bet is to grow seeds indoors in a regular pot under florescent lights or in a strongly lit window where you can spray the soil surface with water once or twice a day and control what pests and conditions you have until you obtain fully established plants. Once you have some plants you can plant them in the mini bog.

Christopher