![]() ![]() ![]() C innamaldehyde is what gives cinnamon its flavour and scent, which is also a natural fungicide that helps prevent mould growth. You can also sprinkle a thin layer of cinnamon over the surface of the soil to help prevent it growing back. A warmer spot with more light will help soil dry out faster. If the surface of the soil is very wet, you'll also want to help the plant dry off to avoid root rot. If you're allergic to mould, best to glove and mask up, or ideally get someone else to remove it for you just in case. Carefully scoop those clusters of fuzzy balls out and into the bin or your compost heap. ![]() You can remove the fungi (while wearing a breathing mask). Water less, provide better ventilation and better drainage (or all 3), and that's usually all that's needed for the fungi to naturally stop replicating and die off. if you find fungus in or on your plant's soil Also, those fuzzy 'hairs' around the 'eggs' are another good sign, as they're what the roots of fungus look like. Something pretty huge (in insect terms), would come out of an egg big enough to be easily seen by the human eye (like a large soil grub). The first reason they're unlikely to be eggs is their size. However, if the type of indoor plant you've discovered those white fuzzy spheres in, does NOT like to be kept wet, take those fungi as a sign something needs to change. The ideal conditions for fungi can lead to root rot for plants that don't like being too moist all the time. Another reason it's advised to always buy only how much potting mix you need, and use it fresh (ideally within 30 days). That's one reason when you go to water your freshly potted-up plant, that water just beads off and isn't able to be absorbed by the soil. This can turn soil hydrophobic over time. In excess however, saprophytic fungi can reduce the water-holding capacity of the soil. Yum (if you're fungi). What's good for fungi is often good for your plants too, as the more organic matter your soil includes the happier both your houseplants and fungi are likely to be. Their job is to break down and decompose the carbon compounds in the organic substrate in your potting mix. That's because soil high in organic matter can make for a healthy, fertile medium for growing all sorts of things.Ĭommon organic ingredients in a good potting mix, like bark, peat and moss, can contain saprophytic fungi. You might have heard mushrooms are a sign of a healthy soil. That can be before you even use your potting mix depending on how you store it, leading to finding white fuzzy eggs or mould, or even mushrooms growing in your bag of potting mix. Most potting mixes with organic matter can have fungi spores just hanging out, ready to spring into action in the right conditions. Here's where it comes from, and what to do if you find it in your indoor plants or potting mix. ![]() Without water, plants can die, however like most plant hobbyists, it's likely you noticed it well before that's happened. Left to its own devices, they can turn the substrate hydrophobic, where it repels water. In large numbers, the fungi can appear like 'mould' as a white covering over the soil surface. When they fruit, you could find mushrooms or toadstools appearing in your indoor plants. They break down organic matter into minerals and nutrients. Saprophytic fungi feed on dead plant and animal remains. If you don't spot it at that stage, they might develop into mushrooms later (the fruiting body of the underground hyphae). You might first notice this type of fungi as clusters of fuzzy white balls in the substrate or a white, fuzzy 'mould' on the surface of the soil. Give fungi an ideal environment - moisture, nutrients and a confined space - and you might soon be growing mushrooms alongside your indoor plants. It's only a small number of fungi, called pathogenic fungi, that are potentially harmful, causing things such as plant disease. They can be a sign the conditions might not be ideal for your indoor plant, but shouldn't cause any harm to it in small numbers if caught early. They are usually harmless and in fact, beneficial. The vast majority of fungi are saprophytic and feed on organic matter. ![]()
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