A white layer is shown on the potting soil of your houseplants. Read here whether it is mold and what you should do.
You pour your houseplants and suddenly you notice a white layer on the potting soil? In many cases, it is mold. But why does the potting soil mold and are there also harmless causes of the white spots?
Why does my potting soil mold?
If the potting soil of your plants is moldy, this can have several causes. By far the most common reason isToo much moisture. If you pour your plant too often or tilt more water to earth when watering than it can absorb, the earth remains permanently moist. And wherever it is damp, molds have optimal conditions to multiply.
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But also oneBad ventilationCan favor mold in the potting soil. If the plant has a very dense foliage, so that hardly any air reaches the top layer of the potting soil, the important air circulation is missing. Even if the plant is in a room where rarely is ventilated, this can favor mold on earth.
Another risk factor is added in winter:too little light. Because mold thrive particularly well in a dark environment. Many plants therefore develop mold faster on the potting soil in winter than in summer.
What helps against mold on the potting soil?
Once mold has formed on the potting soil, you should remove it as quickly as possible. Otherwise it can attack your plant and favor root rot. Spring at the latest is the best time to repotted.
Have only a fewsmallMold stains formed on earth, you can simply remove the upper layer generously. If the mold problem is larger, you should replace the entire earth as a precaution. So you are sure that there are no more harmful mold spores and the mold will soon come back.
Because mold can not only affect the earth, but also the roots of your plants, you should be those affectedalso dry. Get them out of their pots and free them from all excess earth so that the root system can dry. The drying time can take a few days. During this time you shouldn't water the plants. Then you can stuff them again.
Dry affected plants in bathtub
If you have a bathtub, you can dry the plants in it. This is how you keep the dirt that arises when the plants are plugged in. It is best to make the tub with some newspaper beforehand, which also makes cleaning easier. No bathtub? Then put a tarpaulin under or a large tub.
By the way:If the waterlogging has been present for a long time, an unpleasant smell is noticeable when it was placed. If the smell is extreme, it may be that the worst case has occurred and the roots are already rotten. In this case, your plant can probably no longer be saved.
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Prevent moldy potting soil
In order to prevent your potting soil from molding again from the start, you can consider a few simple tips:
- Pay attention to the correct irrigation. Do not pour your plants too often and make sure that excess water can run well. So a lower pot with holes is a must!
- Use relaxed potting soil in combination with a substrate. The small grains store moisture and ensure that the earth and roots of the plant remain well ventilated.
- Pay attention to the right location. Ventilate several times a day and place your plants at a bright location if possible.
Professional tip:With a moisturizer for plants (there is for 10 euros at Amazon*) Can you find out quickly and reliably whether your green friends still have enough water or whether it is time to water.
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White spots on the potting soil: not always mold
If the white spots on the potting soil are not "fluffy", but rather remind you of dry chalk, then we can calm you down. In this case, it is probably just limescale deposits from the irrigation water. The plant's damage and do not have to be removed.
If you still want to avoid the deposits, you can first free the irrigation water from the lime with a water filter or you collect rainwater - this also gets most houseplants best.
