Too much moisture, wrong location, there are many factors that cause mold on indoor plants. How to act in this case in order to avoid the complete death of your plants, read this article.
If the indoor plants are too wet, mold will quickly develop
Indoor plants are particularly affected
Mold spores spread at breakneck speed when it is wet and warm at the same time. Especially in closed rooms, these conditions are often caused by unconscious mistakes. In the fresh air, the temperatures change daily, sometimes hourly. However, the house is constantly heated, which promotes mold growth.
Be careful with waterlogging
The same applies to moisture. Plants in the garden are constantly exposed to changing weather conditions. Most often, precipitation replaces regular watering. Not so with houseplants. Here you have full responsibility for the health of your crops.
Unfortunately, many plant lovers mean too well and promote the formation of mold with incorrect watering behavior. If the watering intervals are too small, the substrate remains permanently moist. The wetness prevents the roots from breathing by compacting the soil. Root rot occurs, which sooner or later kills the plant.
danger to humans
Mold is actually a normal part of the ecosystem. Some spores are just dead plant parts, i.e. organic material. Other types can massively harm your health. In addition, the spores get into ceilings and walls and decompose buildings.
recognize mold
Mold is easily recognized by the white coating on leaves or the substrate surface. In most cases, however, it is already too late to save the plant. In the early stages, the tiny pores are invisible to the human eye. Therefore, pay close attention to the location conditions mentioned above.
Measures for treatment
If you discover the symptoms mentioned on your houseplant, you must act quickly.
remove mold
- Repot the plant in fresh substrate
- Remove rotting or diseased leaves completely
- with recurring spores, only disposal of the plant helps
prevent mold
- Repot the plant regularly (preferably in spring)
- Prevent waterlogging in the flower pot with a drainage (work in a layer of gravel, make sure there is a drain)
- only use good quality potting soil
Note: Sometimes the spores are already commercially available in the soil.