"For most plants, especially carnivorous ones, moldy soil can take nutrients from the plant and end up being toxic to its growth," Brown says. A heavily infected plant is more susceptible to diseases and other stressors and in some severe cases, moldy soil can lead to the death of a plant.
It is probably best to not use it. University of Memphis Director of Landscape Joellen Dimond says when she finds a moldy area in bagged soil, she does not use that part in the pot with the plant. Instead, she will either put the soil in the compost pile or use it in a low spot in her yard.
How to get rid of mold in houseplant soil: Repot the plant in sterile potting soil. Dry out your potting soil in direct sunlight. Remove mold from the plant and spray with a fungicide. Add a natural anti-fungal to your houseplant soil. Repot new plants immediately into sterile soil.
You don't need to throw away moldy potting soil, but it is an option. First, try removing the mold, letting the soil dry out slightly, and adding soil amendments to improve drainage. If nothing works, throw away the affected soil and use fresh soil for your plant.
Mold on plant soil can potentially be harmful to people if the mold is toxic or if it causes allergic reactions. Some types of mold can produce toxins called mycotoxins, which can cause illness or even death in humans if ingested or inhaled.
It's likely the white mould or fuzz you're seeing on the surface of the potting mix is a saprophytic fungus; these are among groups of microorganisms that break down or mineralize organic materials.
Those little white, fuzzy balls are likely just fungal hyphae and the fuzziness around the spheres are the roots of the hyphae. Left to grow, you may end up with mushrooms next.
2. Foul Odor. A foul, rotten eggs odor indicates that your potting soil bag has gone bad. This bad smell results from anaerobic bacteria that grow in old, damp, and compacted soil.
Steaming: Steaming is considered one of the best ways to sterilize potting soil and should be done for at least 30 minutes or until the temperature reaches 180 degrees F (82 C). Steaming can be done with or without a pressure cooker.
Cinnamon fungicide control
Damping off disease is a fungus-based problem that hits small seedlings just as they begin to grow. Cinnamon will help prevent this problem by killing the fungus. It also works with other fungal problems exhibited on older plants, such as slime mold and with deterring mushrooms in planters.
With all that in mind, the EPA says that hydrogen peroxide in low doses is indeed safe for plants. The caveat is of course, in the concentration. Too much can damage plants.
Is the Mold on Houseplants Typically Dangerous? Usually, the white mold you'll see growing on the soil beneath a houseplant is a saprophytic fungus, which is harmless. More likely, it's an indication of over-watering or high humidity in your home. Black mold growing on plants is a more significant cause for concern.
Prevent Fungal Disease
MAKE IT: Mix 1 teaspoon of baking soda and 2-3 drops of liquid soap in 1 liter of water. Spray the solution on the infected plants. Baking soda helps the plants become less acidic and prevents fungal growth.
If the potting soil has just been used one season and all the plants were completely healthy, sure. However, if you know your plants ended up hit with downy mildew, or other plant disease, you'll want to either toss the soil or spend some time sterilizing it.
After you've scraped up the mould, sprinkle the soil with cinnamon. Cinnamon is a natural fungicide, so helps prevent mould growing. Bonus: smells great. Keep your plants somewhere light and airy.
Our soils are not sterilized, and may contain microorganisms such as fungus. However, fungus or mold has been scientifically proven to improve the growth of plants. It should go away with sunlight and air circulation. This could also help to clear the soil of gnats.
Luckily, getting rid of mold on soil is relatively easy. You can scrape mats of fungus off the soil surface and throw it away, or replace the soil entirely with fresh potting mix. Another common way gardeners choose to get rid of mold on houseplant soil is by improving soil drainage.
Let cinnamon sits in water overnight. The next day, strain the powdered cinnamon using a sieve or coffee filter and use the water as an anti-fungal spray. Spray the water on affected areas of plants twice a week.
To kill off most viruses, diseases, fungi, and mold, you need to heat the soil to 145°F for 30 minutes. If you want to eliminate soil-borne insects—which include good guys along with the bad guys—you need to crank up the heat to 160°F.
Yes, you can use potting soil that is two years old. However, the nutrients in the soil may have depleted over time, especially if the soil has been used before. To ensure good plant health, you might need to replenish the soil's nutrients by mixing in fresh compost or a slow-release organic fertilizer.
If your potting soil has been sitting in your shed since last year in an opened bag and it's gotten wet, toss it. If it somehow stayed bone dry, it should be OK to use.
Typically, changing the soil in your potted plants should happen every 12 to 18 months. There are some exceptions that may change this timing. These include if you're moving a plant into a bigger pot because it's outgrown its current pot or if the soil has become very hard.
There are a few ingredients you can find in almost any kitchen that will help to combat mold in your houseplant's soil. These natural anti-fungals include cinnamon, apple cider vinegar, and baking soda. Cinnamon can be lightly sprinkled on your plant's soil once a week until the mold growth has stopped.
The small beads are fertiliser, which will not only not harm your plants but will even help them. After all, it provides the plants with nutrients for several months – without you even noticing.
Saturate the soil with 1/2 cup hydrogen peroxide 3% per 1 litre water. Put wet soil in a watertight container and leave overnight before planting. This kills pathogens such as fungi and bacteria including insect eggs and nematodes (roundworms).