Is this damping off?

[abrogard]

I transplanted some ginger plants - they were young but had single shoots as much as two foot with leaves well developed.
They were in potting mix.
I transplanted into a 'vegetable mix' from a soil provider. Much heavier. Like a sandy loam. When wet almost as thick as wet sand.
Now they've fallen over and are rotted through at soil level.
Would that be normal fungal/pathogen 'damping off' or would it be because of the soil I've put them in being too thick and me giving too much water - and will the ginger shoot again... ?

 

[Chuck]

Damping off disease shows as the stem of the plant at soil level becoming very thin and usually a whiteish color. It doesn't look like rot at all, it looks more like the plant is shrinking instead of rotting. Also damping off normally affects only young small seedlings. It sounds to me as if the plants stayed too wet too long and succumbed to root rot.

 

[abrogard]

perhaps over watering? i get the feeling that the 'thick' sand retains moisture more than the loose flaky potting mix does. though sand is known as well drained soil, I think, right?
Perhaps I should see if I can post a couple of pics...
'root rot' from a tuber: i.e. ginger - could that be? It would mean the whole tuber is rotted? wouldn't that show in the upper leaves before this... ?

 

[abrogard]

here's a couple of pics showing the damage, the soil they're in and a healthy plant ( so far )

 

[Chuck]

here's a couple of pics showing the damage, the soil they're in and a healthy plant ( so far )

That is NOT damping off nor does it look like root rot. What it appears to be is something chewing off the plant at soil level, sort of like what a grub worm does. Where one of the stems is completely broken pull up the entire thing and look at the root system to see if it is normal.

 

[abrogard]

okay. you mean if such a thing exists it would be chomping away at the roots, too? could be something that came with the 'vege mix' I got from the soil provider I guess. gotta do it tomorrow. too late tonight. they're ginger, you know? pull up the entire thing it'll go back in alright, no harm, if it turns out it does look okay?

 

[Chuck]

okay. you mean if such a thing exists it would be chomping away at the roots, too? could be something that came with the 'vege mix' I got from the soil provider I guess. gotta do it tomorrow. too late tonight. they're ginger, you know? pull up the entire thing it'll go back in alright, no harm, if it turns out it does look okay?

Very possible. Just be careful pulling the ginger. It might be better to dig them up carefully and wash away the soil as you do not want to damage the young roots.