While children often refuse to eat at the sight of healthy greens, cats are only too happy to reach for cat grass. The plant not only tastes fresh, but also provides important nutrients, including folic acid. Thanks to the rapid growth and the existing possibility of cultivating cat grass independently, all worries about the high expense of keeping cats seem to be resolved. It is all the more annoying when the cat grass starts to get moldy. Often, however, there is only a simple maintenance error behind it.
Mold is always a sign of excess moisture
Incorrect watering behavior is often to blame
Cat grass is a marsh plant that needs a permanently moist substrate. Waterlogging, in turn, has a detrimental effect on the development of the stalks. Mold will form if you overwater your plant. But how do you find the right balance? In addition to the tips below on how to water your cat grass properly, it is advisable to place the potty in a bowl of water. Thus, the roots constantly get liquid. However, this does not accumulate directly in the substrate.
unpleasant consequences
Once mold has formed, the plant is almost impossible to save. The wrong conditions that favor mold attract fruit flies in advance. Interpret the small animals as the first sign. As soon as you spot the flies, check your cat grass carefully to see if some stalks are already rotting. Then place the plant in a sunny spot and adjust the watering pattern according to the tips below.
Feed despite mold growth?
Even if only a few stalks become moldy, you should dispose of the entire plant and no longer offer it for eating. Even if fruit flies are already showing, it is advisable not to feed them as a precaution. However, you can use the seeds to propagate cat grass. A new plant has grown quickly. You can find out how this works here.
Water cat grass properly
- Just spray straws.
- Do not water directly over the plant.
- Just moisten the substrate.
- Always check the potting soil for waterlogging.
- Ensure high humidity.