Fungal Diseases and Damping-Off
That telltale rotting at the soil line or failure of seedlings to emerge often signals damping-off, a fungal affliction that thrives in cool, wet conditions. I’ve rescued only a handful of seedlings from the fuzzy gray mold that spreads like wildfire in dense plantings—such a headache when you’re eager to see sunflowers shoot skyward!
Combat fungal foes by sowing in well-draining soil and avoiding overhead watering. A dusting of cinnamon on the seed row can act as a natural fungicide, and thinning crowded seedlings at the first true-leaf stage breaks up humid microclimates where spores love to reproduce.