There was a mold in a flower pot? Down with panic!

Sometimes it happens that even with experienced lovers of indoor plants , white mold forms in flower pots. In addition to worrying about how to get rid of it, the question arises: what is the cause of its occurrence?

Factors contributing to mold formation

The main cause of the appearance of white plaque on the soil is a fungal infection. There are several conditions necessary for its development. Mold in the flowerpot is formed due to both low temperature, and high humidity in the room, and improper irrigation (excessive or frequent). Also, fungus is prevented from being blocked by drainage holes on the bottom of the plant vessel, which does not correspond to the variety of plantations of the substrate.

Mold in the flowerpot often appears when the autumn cloudy days come. During this period, plants absorbs less water, and the one that remains in the ground due to a decrease in air temperature, evaporates slowly. Accumulating, moisture creates favorable conditions for the development of infection.

Prevention measures and ways to get rid of mold

To stop the formation of fungal deposits in the pot, it is recommended to reduce the water volume for watering the plant and the frequency of the procedure. For the rapid evaporation of excess moisture, you can carefully, so as not to damage the roots of the flower, loosen the substrate around it. It should be remembered that improper care can lead to the development of infection in anthurium, which requires a lot of moisture, and a cactus that is unpretentious. Finding out why in the flower pot mold, you can come to the conclusion that its appearance does not depend on the state of the plant, but on external factors.

To overcome the fungus, you should clean the bottom holes of the vessel for the plant, provide good drainage and reduce the frequency of watering. Perhaps the flower does not have time to absorb the entire volume of moisture, as a result of which it evaporates and forms a saline attack on the surface of the earth. It is better to water the plant less often and more abundantly than lean, but often. This promotes complete washing of the soil layer.

Changing the situation as a way to save the plant

If the change in the irrigation regime does not bring an effective result, the mold in the flowerpot can be defeated in another way. First of all, the plant should be transplanted into a smaller vessel. If the root system does not allow this, then we can only replace the top layer of the soil. Before replanting the pot should be thoroughly washed and scalded with boiling water. The ideal option is to puff it completely in a pan or bucket for a while. Then you need to dry the vessel, drain the drainage material on its bottom. In order to get rid of microorganisms that form mold in a flower pot, a new earth before planting the plant is required to be burned on a plate or steamed over boiling water. This rule applies to soil purchased in a specialized store, since it can also be contaminated, and therefore requires processing. For steaming, the ground can be placed in a colander over boiling water.