Gray coating on the ground. White coating on the ground in flower pots

Often there is a white coating on the ground in flower pot not from too hard water, but as a result of the appearance of mold on the soil in the pot. How then to distinguish one raid from another?

So, mold on the ground in a pot looks like a fluffy, soft shell has covered the surface. In fact, it is a mold, often with a large number of spores.

The reason for the appearance of fungus on the ground in a flower pot is too intense watering, which significantly increases soil moisture. If the temperature is high and the room is not ventilated or lit, we will create ideal conditions for the development of mold on the ground in a flower pot. This is a much more dangerous phenomenon for our plants than plaque formed from excessively hard water, since mold in a flower pot is harmful to plants.

Adult plants usually do not suffer much from this, but there is some danger. But young seedlings may die. Mold, even with normal watering, in especially sad cases, grows and permeates the entire soil in the pot. Then you need to replant, completely change the entire soil, use fungicides - in general, a long song. But a white-brown coating sometimes appears due to waterlogging of the soil. It has also been noted that the deposit on the surface depends on the composition of the soil; the more peat in the ground, the stronger the deposit on the surface.

Ways to get rid of white plaque

First, you must reduce your watering. You need to let the top layer of soil dry out a little. The plant should be moved to a brighter place, the room should be ventilated regularly

There is less white and other deposits if you cover the top of the soil in a pot with expanded clay. Then a white dried sediment appears on the expanded clay itself, collect it from time to time and wash it, then put it back in place.

It is recommended to sprinkle the soil river sand And upper layer loosen the soil (together with sand). Loosening the soil with the addition of sand is very beneficial for plant roots. You can remove the top layer and add high-quality leaf or humus soil.

You can simply remove all the white layer of soil and add new

Stores sell soil deoxidizer. The top layer of soil with plaque is removed and a little deeper and a deoxidizing agent is poured. It is good to water flowers with aquarium water.

If it is still mold, drying the soil temporarily stops the process, but with the next watering it begins with a vengeance. Collect it and sprinkle the soil in the pot with activated crushed carbon, this protects against rotting and mold growth.

In addition to coal, periodically loosen the top layer and add other healthy soil. Well, in the future, it’s better to transplant the plant into a normal substrate and wash the pot with a stiff brush and laundry soap. Serious measures include watering the soil with foundationazole, hom or oxychome.

White plaque on the ground in seedlings - 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 enter the soil from the air, where they actively begin to multiply, after which the surface layer of the soil becomes covered with mold. white(sometimes it looks more like yellow - it depends on the strain of mold. Often the coating from the soil spreads to the inner walls of the containers in which your seedlings grow.

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.
Lack of drainage holes in the 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). As mulch for seedlings, it is best to use ash, 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!

Many gardeners, both beginners and experienced ones, are faced with the problem of mold in flower pots. Where does it come from and how can you get rid of it without causing harm? indoor plant? We'll talk about this in detail later in the article.

The appearance of mold in a pot says about the presence of fungal spores in the soil. There are many reasons for its development.

Plaque itself can appear for a number of reasons.

Therefore, let’s look at the most common reasons why the soil can “bloom” and become covered with plaque.

If in the room air temperature is very low, and even increased humidity, fungal spores actively begin to germinate in the ground. This is the environment that is favorable for them.
Plaque may appear from stagnation of water in the pot. Therefore, do not forget about drainage holes when planting. If you already have them, but the fungus still appears, it means you have poor drainage or the holes are very clogged.
Fungal diseases can be caused by too frequent or abundant watering.
Most often mold can appear on acidic and heavy soils.

Happens different types, therefore the control measures will be different.

It is worth noting that such a coating can appear on soils of any variety, from a banal cactus to a beautiful orchid. The main thing is to see it in time and take measures so that it does not cause harm.

Fungal spores don't matter how expensive or rare your pet is.

Types of mold: white, efflorescence

On the surface of the soil in a flower pot there are most often two types of fungi:

white– very similar to fluff and easy to rub in your hands;
efflorescence– such a crystalline coating can be white, gray or green.

Efflorescence is more dangerous, since this coating develops not only on the surface of the soil, but can also affect the interior of the soil.

How can it harm the plant?

In addition to the fact that white coating spoils the aesthetic appearance of the soil and infects it with fungal spores, it also affects the plant itself.

If you do not fight, the pot dweller may die.

White deposits on the soil surface can lead to to the following consequences:

the flower will stop developing;
access to oxygen will decrease and the roots will no longer receive nutrients;
the acidity of the soil will be disrupted and change mineral composition soil;
pets can get sick with fungal diseases and perish;
most often the plant begins to shed its leaves due to a lack of useful substances in the ground.

As you can see, a seemingly harmless white coating can lead to death. Therefore, you should not let the situation get worse and immediately start fighting mold on the soil surface.

How to remove mold from flowers

So, the soil is covered with a white coating. What to do?

The first step is to determine causes of mold, and only then start fighting it.

To clean a flower pot, you should follow these steps:

Monitor the temperature in the room. It is important that the humidity is moderate. IN winter period additional lighting needs to be installed.
The top layer of soil should be carefully removed. This will help prevent fungus from penetrating into the soil.
The removed layer of soil is necessary replace with a special bactericidal substrate, which is enriched nutrients. If you can’t find one in the store, you can replace it with peat or charcoal. Experienced flower growers It is also recommended to use activated carbon.
To kill all fungal spores that are in the soil, you should treat the soil with a solution of Fundazol (2 g of the drug per 1 liter of water).
Regularly loosen the soil to saturate it with oxygen.
If the soil is very strongly affected by the fungus, it is best to transplant the plant into a new substrate, which previously need to treat with fungicide.

We provided detailed use of one of the fungicides in the article.

These control methods are the most effective and will help you save the plant from death.

Prevention of soil against white plaque

To prevent the appearance of white plaque in flowerpots, you should carry out preventive measures and monitor the condition of both the soil and the plant itself.

Prevent mold simple rules will help:

water only with warm filtered water in moderate quantities;
monitor the drainage holes in the pot so that they do not become clogged;
stick to temperature regime in the room, monitor the air humidity;
regularly loosen the soil;
as a preventive measure, you can periodically water it with a solution of citric acid;
For disinfection, use activated carbon once a month.

Each plant is individual. Therefore, this should be taken into account when using one or another method of control.

As you can see, mold appearance on the soil surface very dangerous and can lead to his death. Therefore, to prevent this from happening, you need to constantly monitor the condition of the plant and carry out regular preventive maintenance.

Growing cacti, palm trees and other varieties of house plants at home is not difficult. I've been doing this practically since childhood. And it is very important for me to know the smallest details of caring for my beloved household members. One of the main problems, I think, is the white coating on the surface of the plant’s soil.

I didn’t immediately figure out where it came from, but my neighbor quickly solved my problem, telling in detail the reasons for its appearance and how to deal with it. Everything turned out to be quite explainable and quite simple. Now I will tell you the secrets of white plaque and methods of combating it.

Often a white or yellowish coating can be seen on the soil surface and inside pot. Where it comes from and what to do with it, you will now find out more in the article.

Causes of white plaque

Water. When watering houseplants with unsettled tap water, a white coating forms on top of the soil and on the walls of the container. This is limescale.
Insufficient watering. The plant must be watered sufficiently to saturate all the soil. If you water only the top layer of the substrate, a layer of mineral deposits will form on the surface. The pot should also not be flooded, which can lead to the death of the plant. When watering next time, you need to make sure that the soil is completely dry.
Extra land. If you planted small plant into a large pot, expect a white coating to appear soon. This happens because root system does not fill the entire capacity of the pot, as a result, it cannot absorb and absorb all the moisture. The water will evaporate and leave a salt crust on the ground.
Dry air. If the air in the room is dry, then all the moisture quickly evaporates from the ground and raises the salt to the surface, forming the same crust.
Soil composition. An incorrectly selected composition or mechanical content of the substrate for the plant can contribute to the formation of this problem.
Drainage. Absence drainage system in a container it creates poor air permeability through the soil and difficult water permeability.
Fertilizers, or rather their overdose. You should use fertilizers and fertilizers for houseplants carefully. In case of an overdose, not only a white coating may appear, but other problems may arise, including the death of the plant roots. Before using the fertilizer, read the instructions carefully and apply the product correctly. It is better not to apply fertilizer during periods of plant dormancy.

Having dealt with the causes and knowing the consequences, we can move directly to solving problems. Of course, the soil should be “treated” for white coating based on the cause of its formation. By following the advice below, we can avoid future problems with the soil.

Tips on how to avoid the problem of white plaque:

Before planting, the soil is not fertilized, but a clean substrate is used. Feeding is given to the plant after it produces new roots and adapts well to new environment. Fertilize the soil moderately.
River sand mixed with pebbles is poured onto the soil surface. different sizes and mixes shallowly with the soil. This mixture will allow the water not to stagnate and evaporate quickly without forming a salt crust.
The plant is watered only with softened water. To do this, it must be left for at least two days.
Plant the plant in relation to its size and the size of the pot.
Be sure to provide drainage at the bottom of the flowerpot.
If the indoor air is dry, you can use humidifiers. They are useful not only for plants, but also for the human body.
If it is possible to pass water through a filter with ions, the plants will be grateful to you, since many harmful microelements will be removed from the water.

The method for getting rid of white or yellowish plaque is very simple. It is enough to remove from the flowerpot the entire top layer of soil that has been damaged by plaque, and remove plaque from the walls of the pot, if there is any. This can be done using a washcloth. Next, pour new fresh soil into the pot and try to get rid of the cause of the plaque.

Mold

If the coating on the ground has a white or grayish tint, and most importantly, is fluffy in structure, then it is mold. It mainly appears from an excess of moisture in the container and when the temperature in the room drops. Rarely can it be introduced with a low-quality earthen substrate.

Mold is not a threat to mature houseplants, but it is dangerous to young plants or seedlings. There are a couple of methods for getting rid of mold:

Reduce the amount of watering and its volume. It is also necessary to transplant the plants into another container with a new substrate.
Pour ash or crushed coal onto the surface of the soil with mold, dry it and remove everything, including the top layer of soil. After this is done, add new soil.

To prevent mold:

Potassium permanganate (solution) or special preparations for harmful fungal plaques are used.
Before use, the pot is boiled or at least doused with boiling water. This procedure must be done if there was already plaque in the pot.
To kill harmful microbes and mold spores, the earth is calcined in an oven or steamed. This is done not only with garden soil, but even purchased substrate can often be contaminated. It is not difficult to steam the soil. Pour the soil into a colander and place it on a pan of boiling water. The soil is ready when it becomes hot.

To sum up, we can say

White plaque is not a threat to the life of the plant.
You can easily get rid of it.
If the coating is fluffy, then it is mold, so slightly different methods of control will be needed.
To avoid plaque and mold in the future, you need to take preventive actions and create favorable conditions for house plants.