Black, grey, fuzzy mold (not salts!) on terracotta pots
thenaturalist
8 years ago
Hello,
I've googled and searched around in the forums and saw that some people also have this problem of mold (not just salt buildup -- actual fuzzy/grey/black mold or fungus) growing on their pots. Advice seemed to be that pots absorb water and can grow these things but they're normally harmless, and to scrub with vinegar if it bothers you.
Aesthetically, I don't really care. I've read that fungus in soil can actually be good if the soil is organic. (I'm using a mix of perlite and Repti Bark with Black Gold).
But my plants are all indoors/house plants -- I don't have a yard (city dweller) so they live inside with me and I usually have a humidifier on. I'm concerned that what might not be so bad in a yard might be bad for me to breathe? Am I right to worry about these mold spores?
I don't have vinegar at the moment (ran out) but I do have plenty of H2O2. Can I use that?
Photos below. This particular pot is REALLY bad (didn't realize; it sits in a corner and I don't rotate it). You can see it was on pebbles, but my other pots aren't. Although I drain the runoff, the others also have a little bit of mold. (Maybe due to the constant humidity?)
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Comments (8)
thenaturalist
8 years agoRelated Discussions
Making plastic pots more plant-friendly...?
Comments (53)I did not see were someone anyone has measured the temperature inside and outside plastic pots and clay pots and reported their findings. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ You are right. But nobody is going to set up a laboratory condition to study this. All we can do is some general observations and analysis. It is a mttar of physics and heat transfer. HERE IS MY TAKE ON THE SUBJECT: If the pot is at direct sun, it will get warmer than the air ESPECIALLY if it is black and dull grey. Some of that heat gradually will be transferred into the contents in the pot. Because the potting medium is a LOW heat conductor, it will take a LONG time to heat up the medium.( We ignore the effect of cooling by winds and breeze.) BUT if the pot is mostly shaded(which most likely is) then the pot cannot get warmer than the ambient temperature. If the pot is made of THICK clay it will have a much bigger reservoir of heat energy than a thin plastic and it will stay warmer longer. Another factor is watering: If you water your plant in the morning with cold water, the contents will be almost close to the temperature of the water. So it will take quite a while for the plant roots to get heated, even with the pot being exposed to direct sun. ......................................... If too much heat is your problem choose a white color container, that will reflect/radiate good part of sun's rays. But in general, when the season progresses and temperatures climb, by that time plants like tomatoes, peppers are grown enough to shade the pot, especially when the sun is pretty high and shining mostly on top of the plants anyway....See MoreMold - Bosch Dishwasher
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Comments (14)Also, how much should i be watering the orchids per week? 1/4 cup? Don't be afraid of giving your orchid too much water-"overwatering" does not refer to the amount of water given to the plant but instead the frequency. For example-you could pour gallons of water on the roots when you water and the plant wouldn't care less, however, watering it once an hour without letting the roots dry first would eventually rot the roots. You can water the orchid a couple of ways- 1. You can get a decorative pot (no drainage holes), fill it up with water, and soak the roots of the orchid by slowly placing the pot that the orchid is in (the plastic pot with the drainage holes) into the decorative pot filled with water. Immerse only the roots-not the entire plant (e.g. don't soak the leaves/stems). After 30 minutes to an hour, take the orchid out of the water, dump the water that you used to soak it, then place the orchid back into the (now drained) decorative pot. 2. You can take the orchid to the sink, turn on the tap, and run water through the entire pot (without wetting the leaves/top of the orchid). After around a minute, you can place the orchid back in its spot. Don't water the plant on a schedule-water when the plant needs water. You can use a couple of methods to tell when to water the orchid. If you have a plastic pot, you can take a look at the roots from the sides of the pot. If all of the roots are silvery-grey/white, then the roots are dry and could use a little watering. If some roots are green, then the roots have enough water and you do not (should not) need to water. Oh and how do i know if the roots are dead too? Like JerseyGirl mentioned-dead roots are usually brown/black and mushy, while live roots are usually white/silvery (they should turn green if wet) and firm. If you're unsure, just give the root a gentle squeeze. If it feels mushy, go ahead and remove it. If it feels firm (even if it's not completely healthy looking), then it's alive. When you say orchid pot, how do I know if it's for orchids? Here is an example of an orchid pot (Amazon) Plastic Orchid Pot The orchid should fit snugly into the pot-not too small and not too large. You shouldn't have to stuff the orchid in-if you have to do so, then the pot is likely too big. The current pot size it is currently in should be fine. How can I decide on an appropriate potting mix? Orchids are usually potted in bark or sphagnum moss. Sphag can be a bit tricky to work with, so I recommend using bark for your orchid. Here's an example of a bark mix you can use for your orchid: Better-gro Bark Mix Whatever mix you choose-don't use Miracle Gro's orchid mix. The bark pieces in it are too small for orchids. When repotting, you can also use hydrogen peroxide (H202, you can find it easily at pharmacies) 3% and spray the root system after you remove all of the old sphagnum moss from the roots. This will help disinfect the root system a little and should help prevent any fungal outbreaks after you repot....See MoreBlack + Color Phobia
Comments (58)funkyart, you can find good looking flats but some will be expensive. My new go-to flats for spring/summer/fall, are by Toms - cheap and SO many varieties. They also work with the orthotics I must wear in my shoes. When I need to look a bit better, my old standbys are my Belgian loafers <http://www.belgianshoes.com>. They are only sold in NYC or by catalog. I take a 7 1/2 in most brands but in my Belgians, I take a 7. They come in many widths - in regular shoes, I wear a C width; in Belgians, a M. Ordering from them is a pain - they make a run of one color/leather at a time in Belgian, so one asks what is available in ones size and one gets whatever they may need for the next 2 years! They are unfailingly rude to everyone, no matter how many years one has been buying them. But they're worth it! They're wonderfully comfortable shoes, can take an orthotic, and are very attractive. I can wear them with church clothes and a fur coat and they "work". When one buys them, they come with a sole that is soft, just like the leather of the uppers. Wear it that way for at least 6 months to a year - doesn't matter if the sole gets worn or even is beginning to develop a small hole. Then, when they've truly molded to your feet, take them to a local shoe shop for a VERY thin sole to be glued to the bottom. If you're not sure of your local shop, send them back to Belgian Shoes and they'll do this for you. They also offer a refurbishing service - they can really make a tired pair look like new again. If you can wear a low heel, Ferragamo's classic bow low heel shoe is a classic winner - comes in a jillion colors. They are now also making it in a flat. Again, expensive, but I have ones that are 20 yrs old and still look good! If you're really willing to splurge on a low heeled shoe, Roger Vivier makes their classic pilgrim buckle in a low heel and a flat. I one of each. I've had both now for about 10 years and they have held up very well....See Morethenaturalist
8 years agoUser
8 years agorina_Ontario,Canada 5a
8 years agolast modified: 8 years agoaruzinsky
8 years agojentsu926
8 years ago
Photo Synthesis
8 years agoThis is why I only use plastic pots for almost all of my plants, and the few clay pots that I do have are glazed. I never use unglazed clay pots for any of my plants. Though, I do have a couple of them that I leave outside all year long. I don't ever actually grow anything in them, but I do use them as decorative outer pots. I just slip the plastic pots inside of them during the warm summer months. I have moss growing on the outside of them, because I love the way it looks.
Something similar to this...
Which is definitely a lot better than dealing with molds.
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