Mold growth on houseplant soil is common but you cannot ignore it. Find out how to fix it…
Mold grows on houseplant soil when it is soggy.
2 easy to identify symptoms: a. White layer on the surface of soil b. Moldy smell when you go near the affected houseplant.
Houseplant soil turns soggy either due to overwatering or improper drainage after watering.
If mold growth is mild, remove the topmost layer of potted soil using a scraper. Clean up the leaves and stems with damp tissue paper.
For a heavy mold infestation, just cleaning up is not enough. You have to make two major changes.
Change affected soil. Dense potted soil retains more water that promotes mold growth. Replace it with fresh, high quality, lightweight, all-purpose potting mix.
Change the pot. Discard old pot and bring a clean pot with multiple small holes at the bottom for better drainage.
Place this newly potted houseplant on a saucer which can hold drained water.
After mold removal, make 2 more changes to prevent future mold infestation on houseplant soil.
Change position of houseplant. Expose it to daily dose of sun either early morning or late afternoon. Warm sunlight kills mold.
Change watering schedule. Study carefully water requirements of your plant species first.
Test soil moisture before watering. Dig a finger into soil: 2 inches deep in big pot / half an inch in small pot. If your finger feels dry, add water.
Once a week watering is enough for most indoor plants.
After watering, don’t keep the pot soaked in standing water on saucer for more than 5 minutes.
FINAL TIP FOR PERSONAL SAFETY. While handling mold infested houseplant soil, wear gloves and face mask. Mold can cause bad allergic reactions in humans.