Sometimes I notice that a coating forms on the top layer of soil in the pot white. There is nothing good about this, since plaque indicates improper care behind a houseplant.
In order to understand what it is and how to avoid white plaque, you need to know why it appears. Based on this, you will have to create conditions that prevent its formation.
Soil waterlogging
White coating on the soil indoor plants is formed for various reasons.
- One of the main ones is not proper watering. Water, which flows in excess to the plant, begins to actively evaporate, forming salts on the surface of the soil.
- Their accumulation also occurs in case of poor watering. At the same time, it is saturated with water only upper layer substrate. I water the plants so that the water passes through the entire soil, but does not linger in it. To do this, I create a good drainage layer. It allows excess water to drain away after watering and not evaporate on the soil surface.
- Dry room air also leads to intense evaporation of water, and salts are carried faster to the top layer of soil. It gradually becomes saline, and this causes the plants to become sick. I now constantly monitor air humidity and have noticed that a crust of salts has stopped forming.
Oversaturation with fertilizers
A white coating forms on the soil if a houseplant is overfed with fertilizers. One day I bought a substrate in the store and over time I discovered that the soil in the pot began to become covered with a white coating. It turned out that I had purchased soil intended for planting vegetables. Manufacturers usually oversaturate such mixtures with fertilizers.
Improper feeding of the plant can also disturb the condition of the soil. During the growth period, it is important to accurately calculate the dosage. During dormancy, I do not fertilize indoor plants at all.
The cause of plaque can also be too much soil that does not correspond to the size of the plant and its needs. The roots will not fully absorb moisture, and its excess will begin to form salt deposits when it reaches the surface. Therefore, I always select a pot according to the size of each specific plant. The soil in the pot is also covered with a white coating because the water is too soft.
Biological processes
In addition to the physical processes that influence the formation of white plaque, biological factors also affect the soil surface. One of them is fungal microflora. It is formed, again, from excessive watering.
It happens that the purchased land already contains mold. For adults indoor flowers this is not as dangerous as for young seedlings. Sometimes this mold grows throughout the entire depth of the pot. I get rid of such substrate as quickly as possible. And don’t throw it in the garden! Somewhere further away under the fence.
What to do?
Eat different ways fight this raid. I think the easiest way is to remove the top layer and replace it with fresh soil. I add a little on top river sand and mix it with the top ball of soil. I had to get rid of mold only by completely replanting the plant and pre-treating the pot with laundry soap and boiling water.
Well, about how to prevent many other problems with indoor flowers, watch in this video:
A greenhouse is a closed little world in which high humidity and heat. Such an environment is a true paradise for fungi, moss and mold. Microorganisms that have settled in the greenhouse soil begin to multiply so rapidly that the soil in the greenhouse is completely covered with a smoky green coating, and then vegetable growers have to urgently understand why the greenhouse soil turns green and what to do about it. There is no single means of control - in order to disinfect the substrate, it is necessary to study the problem.
Signs of soil contamination in a greenhouse
Due to the nature of the operation of greenhouses, the soil contained in them is subjected to loads much greater than the soil in open garden beds. Due to this highly intensive use, the soil in greenhouses is quickly depleted and colonized by virulent bacteria, pathogenic fungi, bryophytes and lower plants.
Flowering soil in a greenhouse
The importance of soil quality and purity
Complete replacement contaminated and depleted greenhouse soil is a labor-intensive and costly procedure. To avoid extra expenses, it is necessary to regularly monitor the qualitative and microbiological composition of the greenhouse substrate and carry out agrotechnical measures aimed at improving it.
If preventive disinfection turns out to be ineffective and a greenish or whitish coating still appears on the soil surface, all the soil in the structure should be disinfected with some powerful chemical preparation, the choice of which depends on the etiology of the layers.
Moss on a greenhouse bed
The soil turns green and moss appears
If the soil in the greenhouse is covered with a green coating, it is most likely that the surface of the beds is filled with mosses. The spores of these bryophytes are constantly present in nature and penetrate into the greenhouse structure through ventilation, are carried into it on the soles of shoes, or fall along with irrigation water. Finding themselves in comfortable greenhouse conditions, single moss spores quickly germinate and give rise to extensive colonies of bryophytes.
This is what moss looks like
The above reasons for the proliferation of mosses rarely act alone. Much more often, factors that provoke the growth of microflora are combined with each other in various options. Mostly unhealthy green color Those beds are acquired in which the soil is strongly acidified, compacted, has completely lost its looseness, and, moreover, is constantly damp from too frequent and abundant watering.
Greening of greenhouse soil is sometimes caused not by mosses, but by microscopic algae. Contrary to popular belief, these lower plants can live not only at the bottom of reservoirs, but also on the surface of the earth. Having penetrated into a greenhouse with rain or blooming irrigation water, small green algae quickly “spread” along the ground and form a bright emerald carpet on it.
Where does the white coating come from?
Mostly dry white coating on the ground in a greenhouse it is a concentrate of salts crystallized on the surface of the soil, contained in irrigation water or in liquid root dressings. This problem is often encountered by gardeners who use unfiltered very hard water for irrigation, coming from artesian wells, as well as vegetable growers who are guilty of excessive use mineral fertilizers.
Contribute to the formation of such plaque:
- very heavy mechanical composition, poor drainage and high capillarity of the soil (due to which saline solution accumulates near the surface);
- high temperature and dry air in the structure (both of these factors stimulate the evaporation of water, which leads to the removal of salts to the surface of the bed);
- scanty frequent watering (with such irrigation, the water never washes the soil to a great depth, so all the salts remain in the surface layer).
White coating on the ground
Lime-salt deposits can cause a decrease in yield, but it does not pose an immediate threat to the life of vegetables. A much greater danger to plants is the white coating formed by the mycelium of proliferating molds.
It is very simple to distinguish the second from the first - if the mineral concentrate looks like a hard salt crust, then the organic, moldy coating, upon closer examination, looks like a soft velvety cover woven from thousands of thin whitish fibers.
Mold on the soil
Mold in a greenhouse and the reasons for its appearance
Mold is not only white, but also gray, green, black and even pink, and it can settle in any greenhouse or greenhouse, regardless of its design and material of manufacture. Having settled in a greenhouse structure, the mold actively multiplies and quickly spreads over the surface of the earth and frame parts, and then spreads to the plants. Mold is especially dangerous for immature young seedlings.
The reasons why mold grows in a greenhouse are similar to the factors that contribute to the proliferation of mosses, so there is no point in listing them again. In addition to the previously mentioned conditions, the growth of mold mycelium is favored by the high humus content in the greenhouse substrate.
Mold on the beds
Terms and rules of disinfection
Proper preparation soil for planting seedlings is not limited to just digging up and applying fertilizers - so that the vegetables growing in the greenhouse do not get sick, late autumn or in early spring greenhouse soil must be treated in some way disinfectant.
How to treat a greenhouse in spring
The main work on sanitizing the greenhouse is usually carried out after harvesting. However, some of the pathogenic soil microflora avoids death from autumn disinfection, successfully survives the winter and, as soon as the sun warms up, begins to multiply rapidly.
To prevent the germination of surviving spores, 15-20 days before planting the first vegetable crops carry out additional disinfection of the soil in the greenhouse. The choice of disinfectants approved for use in the spring is very small. Most chemical antifungal and antibacterial drugs, due to their high toxicity and long decomposition time into safe components, cannot be used immediately before planting seedlings.
Shortly before the start of operation of the greenhouse, it is permissible to disinfect the soil only with steam, boiling water, potassium permanganate, Carbation, Fitosporin, Trichodermin, Baktofit or preparations from the Baikal series.
"Fitosporin"
Spring pre-planting treatment of the greenhouse includes:
- washing transparent parts with laundry soap, followed by wiping them with a sponge soaked in a thick purple solution of potassium permanganate;
- whitewashing the wooden parts of the frame with lime:
- processing metal elements structures with a concentrated solution copper sulfate;
- prolonged ventilation;
- soil disinfection using one of the above-mentioned environmentally friendly means.
Ventilation of the greenhouse
If during the winter the soil in the greenhouse is completely covered with mold or last year there were outbreaks of fungal diseases, vegetable growers no longer have to think about environmental cleanliness and the preservation of beneficial soil microflora.
In such cases, we are talking about the very possibility of operating an infected structure. With such massive soil invasions, “heavy artillery” is forced to be used. No later than three weeks before planting, the greenhouse soil is spilled with a formaldehyde solution or the entire greenhouse area is fumigated with a sulfur bomb.
Fumigation with a sulfur bomb
Autumn disinfection activities
Preparation of the soil in the greenhouse in the fall begins with spring cleaning. After harvesting, remove completely from the greenhouse garden tools, all plant remains are collected in bags and burned outside personal plot. After that, the rope trellises are dismantled, and the tension cords themselves and the twine used to tie up the plants are disposed of.
The parts of the empty building are washed and treated in the same way as they are done in the spring. The earthen clods in the beds are carefully broken up with a rake and all the roots are removed from the soil. The substrate, cleared of organic residues, is loosened and leveled. Having finished cleaning, the greenhouse is well ventilated, after which the soil in it is disinfected.
When deciding how to disinfect the soil in a greenhouse in the fall, they proceed from the general condition of the soil and the degree of its contamination.
Cleaning up trash from the greenhouse
If the soil in the greenhouse is of high quality and the vegetables growing on it in the current season have not suffered from any disease, for preventive and disinfection purposes, the beds are generously spilled with boiling water three times (at three-day intervals) or treated once with a solution of potassium permanganate, and the room itself is fumigated with sulfur.
In the case when the soil is clearly acidic and there is a suspicion or certainty that it is infected with root-knot nematodes, clubroot cysts or late blight, it is disinfected (and at the same time deacidified) with freshly slaked lime, which is scattered over the soil at the rate of: 5-7 cups per 1 m², after which the beds are dug up.
To destroy nematodes, arthropod pests, fungi that cause fusarium, gray mold and verticillium, the greenhouse soil is etched with a 2% Carbation solution, watered generously (so that the drug penetrates into the depths) and after the beds dry, they are dug up deeply.
If the substrate is heavily contaminated with mold and whitefly larvae, a working solution of formalin is used to disinfect it, which, due to its very high toxicity and pungent odor, is rarely used in private households.
Important! Disinfection of beds with a formaldehyde solution is carried out using an industrial respirator! The solution is prepared by mixing 1 liter of a standard forty percent strength preparation with five buckets of water and adding it at the rate of 10-12 liters per square meter. After such treatment, the greenhouse is tightly closed, and after three days it is opened wide and ventilated for at least two weeks.
Soil liming
Maintaining cleanliness – preventing infectious diseases
It is easier to prevent any disease than to cure it, so in order not to rack your brains two or three years after the start of operating a greenhouse because of the fact that an infection has multiplied in the greenhouse, it is necessary to constantly maintain cleanliness, namely:
- regularly weed the beds and dispose of weeds immediately after this operation;
- promptly tear off and burn fungus-affected ovaries and leaves;
- dig up and destroy plants that are sick with root rot, and fill the remaining holes with a solution of copper sulfate;
- prevent the formation of puddles in passages and under bushes; to do this, adjust irrigation and eliminate leaks in watering taps and hoses;
- When watering, do not splash water on the leaf blades of tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers and promptly tear off those that touch the soil.
Greenhouse treatment
How to treat the soil
The soil in the greenhouse is used very intensively, which is why some preventive measures to maintain it in a healthy state is usually not enough. Therefore, vegetable growers inevitably have to resort to the help of chemical disinfectants. However, before disinfecting the soil in a greenhouse with formaldehyde, copper sulfate, bleach or potassium permanganate, you should try harmless environment ways to naturally heal the earth.
Disinfection of soil with copper sulfate
Treatment with copper sulfate is justified in cases where the soil in the greenhouse is contaminated with pathogens of late blight, peronosporosis or bacteriosis.
Copper is a microelement necessary for the normal development of any plant, but it has the characteristic ability to accumulate in the soil and vegetables growing on it. Fruits and tubers saturated with copper become toxic, in addition, copper sulfate does not separate representatives of the soil microflora into “good” and “bad”, but burns them all indiscriminately, which is why after its use it takes a long time to populate the “dead” soil beneficial bacteria.
In view of the above circumstances, total disinfection of the soil in a greenhouse with this pesticide is possible no more than once every five years.
Carrying out such processing is simple. In the fall, after harvesting and thoroughly cleaning the greenhouse, the soil in it is spilled with a fresh solution of copper sulfate prepared from a bucket warm water and a tablespoon (according to another version - a teaspoon) of crystalline vitriol.
Preparation of copper sulfate solution
The use of potassium permanganate for disinfection
Potassium permanganate is a very powerful oxidizing agent that destructurizes any protein compounds, and is therefore destructive to all soil microflora. Looking for a way to neutralize the soil in a greenhouse from diseases, many vegetable growers settle on inexpensive, relatively harmless, accessible and very effective potassium permanganate.
In autumn, and more often in spring, 10-15 days before planting seedlings, greenhouse beds are generously spilled with a dark purple solution of potassium permanganate, prepared from three buckets of warm water and a full tablespoon of permanganate crystals.
Potassium permanganate solution
Is it necessary to change the soil in the greenhouse?
Some vegetable growers claim that every three years it is necessary to change all the soil to a depth of 70 cm. However, if small greenhouse changing the soil is not so difficult, so how to change the soil in a greenhouse with an area of 20-30 m²? This is hellish work and a very large financial investment!
Complete replacement of the soil in the greenhouse in the fall is an extreme measure, which should be resorted to only after no other conservative methods of treating contaminated soil have been tested and have not helped.
In normal cases, to prevent outbreaks of diseases in vegetable crops, it is enough to fumigate the greenhouse with a sulfur bomb every fall, water the beds with potassium permanganate in the spring, and renew the top 10-15 cm of the substrate every other year.
Replacing the top layer
Soil treatment with phytosporin - video
Chemical antiseptics and fungicides act powerfully, but not selectively. After using them, healthy soil microflora is restored for many years, and toxic products of the decomposition of pesticides remain in the soil for a long time. Biological disinfectants are completely free of these shortcomings; they naturally suppress the proliferation of virulent fungi and bacteria, and are absolutely safe for warm-blooded creatures and beneficial microorganisms.
Such environmentally friendly disinfectants include Fitosporin-M, an innovative systemic bacterial fungicide that suppresses the proliferation of two dozen types of pathogenic microorganisms.
Before disinfecting the greenhouse with this product, the soil in it is dug up again, harrowed with a rake and carefully leveled.
6-7 days before planting the seedlings, prepare a working solution of “Fitosporin” (for which 1.5 teaspoons of the powdered preparation are diluted in a bucket of slightly heated water) and generously spray the surface of the greenhouse beds with it.
Video: Instructions for tillage
Timely and high-quality disinfection of greenhouse soil prevents widespread plant diseases, protects them from invasions of insect pests, and thereby significantly increases the chances of getting bountiful harvest first-class vegetables.
A white coating on the ground in seedlings is a sign that something went wrong when growing it. This is a fairly common problem not only for seedlings, but it can also appear on the top layer of soil of indoor plants. There is no need to worry about this, because if you detect the problem in time, you can deal with it quite successfully.
Signs and causes of plaque
Most often, plaque is a colony of fungal microorganisms. Fungal spores fall from the air into the soil, where they actively begin to multiply, after which the surface layer of the soil becomes covered with white mold (sometimes it looks more like yellow - this depends on the strain of the mold. Often the coating from the soil spreads to the inner walls of the containers in which your seedlings are growing.
Fungal spores are present in the air, but they begin to multiply only when they find themselves in an environment favorable to them. The following factors favor them:
- Excessive air/substrate humidity.
- Poor lighting.
- Temperatures below 20 degrees Celsius.
The second option for covering the ground with a white coating is efflorescence, that is, small crystals of salts. It manifests itself only in the soil and does not spread to the walls of pots. It is easy to distinguish it from mold: it is harder, and when you try to knead it, it simply crumbles. If you look closely, you can see the crystalline structure.
Here's what causes it to appear:
- Pot too big size or simply overwatering. In this case, the plant does not have time to absorb the entire volume of water, the moisture evaporates, and the salts contained in it are drawn to the surface.
- Use for irrigation of hard water.
- Dry indoor air.
- Absence drainage holes in a container.
- Excess fertilizer.
What to do if you find a white coating?
The easiest way to “defeat” crystalline plaque:
- Dry the soil thoroughly. The best way To do this, place the pot in the sun.
- Filming thin layer soil with a coating.
- We loosen the soil underneath.
- Next, water the seedlings only with settled water (at least 24 hours), making sure not to overwater.
If the ground is covered with mold, it will be a little more difficult to remove the plaque. First of all, we also dry the soil and remove the layer of soil. But usually this is not enough, and after watering, the growth of the mycelium resumes with renewed vigor.
To prevent this from happening, it is necessary to disinfect the soil. You can do this in one of the following ways:
- We are preparing a solution of potassium permanganate with a low concentration, the water should be slightly Pink colour. We spill the soil with this solution, making sure that its entire surface is wetted.
- We use hydrogen peroxide, the required concentration: 5 milliliters of a 30% solution per liter of water. There is no need to water the soil with peroxide; we spray the surface with a spray bottle.
- If all else fails, you can use special fungicides (substances that selectively destroy fungi): trichodermin, trichocin. We use them according to the instructions.
Mold thrives in soil increased acidity, That's why good option The way to combat it is to use special deoxidizers sold in stores ( dolomite flour, tree resin or ordinary lime).
They need to be applied to a surface that is free of fungus. The effect can be enhanced by adding leaf soil and humus to the deoxidizing agents.
Another good remedy to combat mold - Fitosporin-M. It can be used not only when plaque has already appeared, but also in advance. This drug protects against any bacterial and fungal diseases, is safe, environmentally friendly and is itself an organic fertilizer.
It is a culture of bacteria beneficial to plants, Bacillis subtilis, preserved in the substrate, which hunt harmful microorganisms, preventing infection. The drug is diluted in accordance with the instructions and is subsequently used to water the seedlings every third time (two waterings with ordinary water, the third with Fitosporin-M).
Preventive measures
The best way to combat plaque is to prevent its appearance even before the ground turns white. First of all, the soil used for growing seedlings must be disinfected.
This can be done using temperature treatment: heating in the oven or, conversely, freezing for up to several days. Next, the soil is washed with a weak solution of potassium permanganate and then dried. You can begin planting work.
After the seedlings are planted, it is worth mulching the soil (covering it with mulch on top for protection). It is best to use ash as mulch for seedlings, charcoal or crushed Activated carbon. This helps retain moisture at the roots of the plant and prevents mold from forming.
The next important element of prevention is proper watering. Be sure to take these tips into account:
- Using hard water is almost guaranteed to lead to salt deposits. If you are unlucky with the quality of your water supply, use a special filter. In extreme cases, let the water sit for at least 24 hours.
- You can additionally soften the water by immersing a rag bag filled with peat in a container with it while it settles.
- There must be water room temperature, too cold or hot will not work.
- Under no circumstances should you water too often or overwater.
Follow all these measures - and you won’t have to watch the surface of the soil turn white, and your seedlings will be strong and healthy!
If you find mold on the ground or plants, begin treatment immediately. The fungus that causes moldy crust spreads quickly and can infect all plants in a few days.
Unfortunately, when it appears visually, it may mean that the spores have already spread throughout the greenhouse, and the harvest is in doubt. Nevertheless, it is important to do everything that depends on you on time.
What fungus can infect plants:
- Gray mold - grows in buds and leaves, looks like white and gray dots.
- Blackleg is a putrefactive mold that causes seeds to germinate poorly, leaves to turn yellow, and stems to turn black.
- Powdery mildew is a white coating that affects flowers, leaves and fruits. A common disease in cucumbers.
Note: a white coating on the soil is not always mold. If you are planting seedlings in peat pots and noticed something similar, it could be salt deposits. In this case, remove it with a spoon and then water the plants with settled warm water.
Why does mold appear on soil and vegetables?
The greenhouse itself favorable environment for the development of fungus, since it is warm and humid by default.
The main causes of mold growth lie in the creation of improper conditions:
- You do not ventilate the greenhouse well, so the air in it stagnates.
- Stagnant air, in turn, becomes oversaturated with moisture - if you do not monitor the humidity level, the fungus will be grateful to you.
- Poor regulation of temperature balance. Heat combined with humidity is the perfect formula for disease development.
- Do not check the acidity of the soil - the higher it is, the more nutritious it is for the “pest”.
However, even if you do everything correctly, fungus can develop. To prevent crop infection as much as possible, take preventive measures.
Preventing mold in a greenhouse
The main and simplest method of prevention is proper care for plants and greenhouse. Ventilate the room well, do not create puddles during watering. To maintain sufficient humidity, you can place containers of water around the greenhouse.
Before planting vegetables, prepare the seeds and disinfect the soil and the greenhouse itself.
Advice on how to prevent mold from growing in garden beds:
Ways to combat mold in a polycarbonate greenhouse
How to deal with mold in a greenhouse?
If the plants are affected gray mold, and you notice it in the initial stage on the leaves, remove the affected areas with alcohol-soaked scissors.
If you find a black leg, remove the plant along with the substrate.
If there is white rot in the greenhouse, then you need to remove the damaged areas and spray the plant with phytosporin. In case of extensive damage, the plant must be completely removed.
If you have acidic soil, loosen the soil with wood ash, increasing its alkaline component.
If you find plaque on the ground, check to see if there is a leak from the irrigation pipes. Seal or replace a section of the pipe, spill the soil with the same phytosporin.
How else can you treat the soil and greenhouse against mold? Mulch with peat mixed with lime and copper sulfate.
Unfortunately, the fungus spreads very quickly from plant to plant, so you need to carefully monitor your vegetables and not delay treatment. See how cucumbers affected by white rot are processed:
Remember: timely treatment will help get rid of mold in the greenhouse and preserve the harvest. Watch your vegetables carefully and pick only healthy fruits.
Alexandra
Mold on the ground in seedlings: why does the ground become moldy, what to do and how to get rid of it?
When planting seedlings in greenhouse soil, mold often appears on the surface of the soil. Why does greenhouse soil become moldy? Is everyone gray plaque Is mold appearing on the ground? This article contains qualified answers to questions asked, as well as recommendations on how to get rid of mold on seedlings.
Is gray or white coating on the ground mold?
The deposit that appears on the surface of greenhouse soil is not always mold. Often, this is simply a salt crust that has protruded to the surface, which is formed when there is excess salt in the soil. minerals. The layer of saline soil should simply be removed by adding a new portion of soil. It is useful to sprinkle the top layer with coarse quartz sand, which will protect the delicate stems of seedlings from the formation of hard salt rings that injure young plants. Water for irrigation should be settled; such water will contain a smaller amount of dissolved salts, which precipitate when settled.
Advice! When settling, you can put a gauze bag of peat in a bucket of water - this will help reduce the hardness of the water for watering plants or seedlings.
Mold appeared between the seedlings
The appearance of real mold is caused by the rapid growth of the mycelium of moldy fungi that have entered the greenhouse soil. Mold cannot cause much damage to adult plants, but for young and weak seedlings- this is a real problem.
The following reasons can provoke the development of mold:
- Overmoistening of the soil in a greenhouse bed.
- The soil is too heavy.
- Musty air, lack of periodic ventilation of the greenhouse.
- Thickened plantings of seedlings.
- Contaminated soil.
There are several ways to get rid of mold, it all depends on the degree of contamination of the soil. General steps to take when soil is contaminated with mold:
Advice! The development of mold is directly related to the high content of silt and humus in the soil. Prepare the soil for seedlings in the correct ratio, add sand.
We should not forget about ventilating greenhouses and providing adequate lighting for planted seedlings.
Special attention It is worth paying attention to the soil that fills the greenhouse beds. By inspecting the soil in advance, you can promptly notice traces of mold and take timely measures before planting greenhouse plants in the soil.
How to deal with mold on seedlings: video