Mold in the soil
Hi y’all, i’ve been having mold growth in the top layer of soil of my Monstera. My other monstra had it too a couple of weeks back so i just manually plucked all of the tainted soil out and it didn’t come back yet.
Now my other monstera’s got it and i’d like to know what causes this mold, if it’s a known thing to happen with monstera’s and if i should be worried or take specific action. #Monstera soil">#moldysoil
Now my other monstera’s got it and i’d like to know what causes this mold, if it’s a known thing to happen with monstera’s and if i should be worried or take specific action. #Monstera soil">#moldysoil
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@MorePlants13 i’m using an Elho pot with a built in drainage system and inside i’m also using a bottom layer of those pumice things for draining (not sure what theyre called in english.)
So the mold/fungus is caused by the soil staying too wet with a lack of airflow.
In my opinion the soil looks very dense (lacks amendments, looks like it has gotten kind of chunky and dry and hard in area and damp in others). And pairing that with lining a pot with rocks (raises water table in soil, doesn’t allow water to drain properly), it’s creating a damp environment for mold to grow.
All soil basically starts with fungus spores (you can potentially kill it before you pot with heat, but they’ll probably make their way in again), it is your job to encourage them not to grow.
This stuff itself is not harmful, but in abundance could cause hydrophobic soil.. but it does point to potential root issues/rot in your future because the soil lacks proper aeration.
In my opinion the soil looks very dense (lacks amendments, looks like it has gotten kind of chunky and dry and hard in area and damp in others). And pairing that with lining a pot with rocks (raises water table in soil, doesn’t allow water to drain properly), it’s creating a damp environment for mold to grow.
All soil basically starts with fungus spores (you can potentially kill it before you pot with heat, but they’ll probably make their way in again), it is your job to encourage them not to grow.
This stuff itself is not harmful, but in abundance could cause hydrophobic soil.. but it does point to potential root issues/rot in your future because the soil lacks proper aeration.
@Alinaa i used special ‘hydrograins” that i bought at the garden center for drainage and the plants are directly under little vents that i have above my window so i’m inclined to think that constant dampness isn’t the issue 🤔 i think i’ll take it out by hand again as my other monstera hasn’t have it come back and make sure to aerate the soil every now and then.
I’m not sure what you mean by hydrograins…. Leca sitting at the bottom of your pot?
Typically putting things at the bottom of your pot raises the water table in your pot and the soil would hold moisture much higher in the soil than it normally would. There’s a neat video I’ve shared on here before demonstrating it, see if I can find the link to it again.
I still stand by your soil is way too dense, like it looks like it’s just pure clumpy peat moss lacking any amendments, meaning very little airflow moves through the soil. Pair that with the raised water table and that dampness can breed it. When you water do you water the entire pot, or are you just watering a little bit in the center?
Also the clumpy nature of the soil is concerning, when peatmoss does that in planted pots it tends to become hydrophobic. Nowadays most people are growing monsters in chunky aroid mixes or pure leca as it makes for much higher airflow to the roots, but in turn that higher airflow is going to cut down on mold.
Typically putting things at the bottom of your pot raises the water table in your pot and the soil would hold moisture much higher in the soil than it normally would. There’s a neat video I’ve shared on here before demonstrating it, see if I can find the link to it again.
I still stand by your soil is way too dense, like it looks like it’s just pure clumpy peat moss lacking any amendments, meaning very little airflow moves through the soil. Pair that with the raised water table and that dampness can breed it. When you water do you water the entire pot, or are you just watering a little bit in the center?
Also the clumpy nature of the soil is concerning, when peatmoss does that in planted pots it tends to become hydrophobic. Nowadays most people are growing monsters in chunky aroid mixes or pure leca as it makes for much higher airflow to the roots, but in turn that higher airflow is going to cut down on mold.