In a greenhouse on the ground there is a white coating. What to do if mold appears in the greenhouse? Negative effect on seedlings

Sometimes I notice that a white bloom forms on the top layer of soil in the pot. There is nothing good in this, since plaque indicates improper care of a houseplant.

In order to understand what it is and how to avoid the appearance of white plaque, you need to know why it appears. Based on this, you will have to create conditions that prevent its formation.

Waterlogged soil

White bloom on the soil of indoor plants is formed for various reasons.

• Improper watering is one of the main ones. Water, which is supplied to the plant in excess, begins to actively evaporate, forming salt on the surface of the soil.
• Their accumulation also occurs in the case of poor watering. In this case, only the upper layer of the substrate is impregnated with water. I water the plants so that the water passes through the entire soil, but does not stay in it. For this I create a good drainage layer. It allows excess water to leave after irrigation and not evaporate on the soil surface.
• Dry room air also leads to intense evaporation of water, and salts are quickly carried to the topsoil. It gradually becomes salty, and this plant starts to hurt. I now constantly monitor the humidity of the air and noticed that the salt crust has ceased to form.

Fertilizer oversaturation

White bloom on the soil forms if the houseplant is overfed with fertilizers. Once I bought a substrate in the store and over time I discovered that the soil in the pot began to become covered with a white coating. It turned out that I had purchased soil intended for planting vegetables. Manufacturers usually oversaturate such mixtures with fertilizers.

Improper plant nutrition can also disturb the condition of the soil. During the growing period, it is important to accurately calculate the dosage. During dormancy, I do not fertilize the houseplants at all.

Plaque can also be caused by too much soil that does not match the size of the plant and its needs. The roots will not fully absorb moisture, and excess moisture will begin to form salt deposits when it comes to the surface. Therefore, I always select a pot according to the size of each particular plant. The soil in the pot is also covered with a white bloom from too soft water.

Biological processes

In addition to physical processes that affect the formation of white plaque, biological factors also affect the soil surface. One of them is fungal microflora. It is formed, again, from over-watering.

It happens that the acquired land already contains mold. For adult indoor flowers, this is not as dangerous as for young seedlings. Sometimes this mold grows all over the depth of the pot. I get rid of such a substrate as quickly as possible. And do not throw it into the garden! Somewhere away under the fence.

What to do?

There are different ways to deal with this plaque. I find it easiest to remove the top layer and replace it with fresh soil. I add some river sand on top and mix it with the top ball of soil. I had to get rid of mold only by completely replanting the plant and pretreating the pot with laundry soap and boiling water.

Well, for how to prevent many other problems with indoor flowers, see this video:

Many owners who are engaged in the cultivation of indoor plants are faced with the formation of fungus on the ground. If there are favorable conditions for the development of mold on seeds, soil, flowers and leaves, then it begins to spread throughout the house. Since pathogenic microflora can have a negative effect on plants and the human body, you need to immediately use effective means to get rid of it.

Mold on the ground can appear for many reasons. Most often, owners find a white variety of fungus in flower pots or boxes.

White mold appears on the soil surface if the room is cool enough. For example, you could often see such microflora appear in basements or cellars, where it is cold and damp. The development of the colony begins after the spores fall into the ground or on the plant itself. It is necessary that a high level of air humidity is constantly maintained in the room - this is the main condition for the active growth of the fungus colony.

The reason may be the accumulation or stagnation of water in the flowerpot. A shallow drainage system in the pot can lead to blockage of the holes, and excess moisture will remain at the plant's root system.

Common reasons include the wrong watering regime for indoor flowers or the characteristics of the substrate. The likelihood of the appearance of a white fungus in the ground is higher if the soil is acidic enough or has a lot of heavy substances in its composition. White mold can appear regardless of the type of indoor plant.

For the same reasons, mold can appear on the surface of the earth in vegetable gardens and orchards.

Video "Reasons for the appearance"

From the video you will find out why mold appears on the ground.

Negative effect on seedlings

Mold can grow in your home if you have fungal spores. When it enters the active growth phase, it begins to harm the plants. For young seedlings, the formation of mold on the surface is very dangerous. After a while, it starts to rot. This pathogenic microflora is capable of absorbing a lot of moisture, depriving flowers of juices. Fungal infection reduces oxygen supply to the plant, impairs regeneration.

As a result, plants may die.

Effective control methods

If the owners notice that the soil is moldy, then you need to know what to do in such a situation. There are many different ways and methods for the destruction of pathogenic microflora, but various factors will affect their effectiveness.

The first step is to replace the contaminated soil with new greenhouse soil. After that, you need to carefully loosen it so that air can easily penetrate into the lower layers of the soil. The frequency of watering is reduced, and a small layer of quartz sand is poured onto the surface of the earth.

The removed fungus and old land must be taken out of the apartment or garden (greenhouse).

The owners must remember that drying out the soil does not guarantee an absolute result of getting rid of the fungus. If mold appears, then it is not easy to destroy. Drying may give a little time, since during this period the microflora colony will stop spreading.

The introduction of carbon fertilizers - charcoal - can give a certain positive effect. If you grind this coal into dust and sprinkle on the plant, it can absorb excess moisture, stopping the growth of mold.

To combat yellow mold, activated charcoal is used in flower pots. To do this, even in the process of planting the plant, pieces of sphagnum moss and several tablets of grated activated or charcoal are added to the ground. They can also be added to the ground, with which you will replace the top layer. When, along with the appearance of mold on the ground, indoor flowers begin to fade, you should use "Fundazol".

How to remove mold from a flower pot or vegetable garden so that it no longer appears on seedlings? The emerging fungus must be treated with special chemical preparations of targeted antiseptic and antibacterial action.

It is possible to effectively get rid of a fungal infection with the help of such drugs: "HOM", "Oxyhom", "Fitosporin-M", "Fundazol". These products are dissolved in water, adhering to the dosage indicated by the manufacturer. The solution is poured over the beds in which the development of mold is observed. After watering with medicinal preparations, the soil must be loosened, allowing it to dry out faster.

When preparing seedlings in greenhouses, care must be taken to ensure that good, clean soil is taken for cultivation. The room should be periodically ventilated. It is advisable to provide solar illumination of the seedlings, as this measure prevents the formation of colonies of any kind of fungus. To prevent the soil in the flower from becoming moldy, it is recommended to use a solution of lemon juice or acid for watering once every two weeks instead of plain water. In a glass of water, either a pinch of citric acid or a teaspoon of juice are diluted.

If mold appears in the garden on the bark of trees or shrubs, then you can cover it with a limestone solution. Not only the focus of the spread of the fungus is covered, but also the adjacent area so that it does not undergo disease after treatment.

Video "How to fight"

From the video you will learn how to deal with such an unpleasant phenomenon as mold.

Alexandra

Mold on the ground in seedlings: why does the ground become moldy, what to do and how to get rid of it?

When planting seedlings in greenhouse soil, mold is often observed on the surface of the earth. Why does greenhouse soil get moldy? Is any gray coating that appears on the ground mold? This article contains qualified answers to the questions asked, as well as recommendations on how to get rid of mold on seedlings.

Is a gray or white coating on the ground mold?

The plaque that appears on the surface of the greenhouse soil is not always mold. Often, it is simply a salt crust that has emerged on the surface, which forms when there is an excess of mineral substances in the soil. A layer of saline soil should simply be removed by adding a new portion of soil. It is useful to sprinkle the top layer with coarse quartz sand, which will protect the delicate stems of the seedlings from the formation of hard salt rings that injure young plants. Water for irrigation should be defended, such water will contain less dissolved salts, which precipitate during settling.

Advice! When settling in a bucket of water, you can lower a gauze bag with peat - this will help reduce the hardness of the water for watering plants or seedlings.

Mold appeared between the seedlings

The appearance of real mold is caused by the rapid growth of the mycelium of moldy fungi that have entered the greenhouse soil. Mold cannot damage adult plants much, but for young and weak seedlings this is a real disaster.

The following reasons can provoke the development of mold:

• Waterlogging of the soil in the greenhouse bed.
• The soil is too heavy.
• Musty air, lack of periodic ventilation of the greenhouse.
• Thickened planting of seedlings.
• Contaminated soil.

There are several ways to get rid of mold, it all depends on the degree of soil contamination. General actions for mold infestation in soil:

Advice! The development of mold is directly related to the high content of silt and humus in the soil. Prepare the soil for seedlings in the correct ratio, add sand.

Do not forget about airing the greenhouses and ensuring proper lighting of the planted seedlings.
Particular attention should be paid to the soil with which greenhouse beds are filled. Pre-examining the soil, you can timely notice traces of mold and take timely measures before planting greenhouse plants in the soil.

How to deal with mold on seedlings: video

If you find mold on the ground or plants, start treatment right away. The moldy fungus spreads quickly and can infect all plants in a few days.

Unfortunately, when it manifests itself visually, it may mean that the spores have already spread throughout the greenhouse, and the harvest is in question. Nevertheless, it is important to do everything that depends on you on time.

What fungus can infect plants:

• Gray mold - grows in buds and leaves, looks like white and gray dots.
• Black leg - putrid mold, due to which the seeds germinate poorly, the leaves turn yellow, and the stem turns black.
• Powdery mildew is a white bloom that affects flowers, leaves and fruits. A common disease in cucumbers.

Note: white bloom on the soil is not always mold. If you are planting seedlings in peat pots and notice something similar, it could be salt deposition. In this case, remove it with a spoon and then water the plants with settled warm water.

Why mold occurs on the ground and vegetables

A greenhouse is itself a favorable environment for the development of a fungus, since it is warm and humid by default.

The main reasons for the occurrence of mold lie in the creation of the wrong conditions:

1. You do not ventilate the greenhouse well, so the air stagnates in it.
2. Stagnant air, in turn, is oversaturated with moisture - if you do not monitor the level of humidity, then the fungus will be grateful to you.
3. Poorly adjusting the temperature balance. Heat combined with moisture is the ideal formula for the development of disease.
4. Do not check the acidity of the soil - the higher it is, the more nutritious it is for the "pest".

However, even if you do everything right, the fungus can start. To prevent contamination of the crop as much as possible, take preventive measures.

Preventing mold in the greenhouse

The main and easiest way of prevention is proper care of plants and a greenhouse. Ventilate the area well, do not create puddles while watering. To maintain sufficient humidity, you can place containers of water around the greenhouse.

Before planting vegetables, prepare the seeds and decontaminate the soil and the greenhouse itself.

Advice on how to prevent the development of mold in the beds:

Methods for dealing with mold in a polycarbonate greenhouse

How to deal with mold in a greenhouse?

If the plants are affected by gray mold, and you notice it in the initial stage on the leaves, remove the affected areas with alcohol scissors.

If you find a black stem, remove the plant along with the substrate.

If white rot has started in the greenhouse, then you need to remove the damaged areas and spray the plant with phytosporin. In case of extensive damage, the plant must be completely removed.

If you have acidic soil, loosen up the soil with wood ash, increasing its alkaline content.

If you find plaque on the ground, check for leaks from the irrigation pipes. Seal or replace the pipe section, spill the earth with the same phytosporin.

What else can you treat the soil and greenhouse from mold? Mulch with peat mixed with lime and copper sulfate.

Unfortunately, the fungus very quickly passes from plant to plant, so you need to carefully monitor the vegetables and do not delay the treatment. See how cucumbers affected by white rot are treated:

Remember, timely treatment will help remove mold in your greenhouse and preserve your crop. Watch your vegetables closely and only harvest healthy fruits.

White bloom on the ground in seedlings is a sign that something went wrong when growing it. This is a fairly common problem not only for seedlings, but it can also appear on the topsoil of indoor plants. It is not worth worrying about this, because if you find a problem in time, you can quite successfully deal with it.

Signs and causes of plaque

Most often, plaque is a colony of fungal microorganisms. Fungal spores get from the air into the soil, where they actively begin to multiply, after which the surface layer of the soil becomes covered with white mold (sometimes it looks more like yellow - it depends on the strain of mold. your seedlings are growing.

Spores of fungi are present in the air, but they begin to multiply only when they enter a favorable environment for them. The following factors favor them:

1. Excessive humidity in the air / substrate.
2. Low lighting.
3. Temperatures below 20 degrees Celsius.

The second option for covering the ground with a white bloom is efflorescence, that is, small crystals of salts. It manifests itself only in the ground, does not pass to the walls of the pots. It is easy to distinguish it from mold: it is harder, and when you try to knead it, it just crumbles. If you look closely, you can see the crystal structure.

This is what causes it to appear:

1. The pot is too big or just over-watering. In this case, the plant does not have time to assimilate the entire volume of water, the moisture evaporates, and the salts contained in it are pulled up to the surface.
2. Use for watering hard water.
3. Dry indoor air.
4. Lack of drainage holes in the container.
5. Excess fertilizer.

What to do if a white bloom is found?

The easiest way is to "defeat" a crystalline plaque:

1. We dry the ground thoroughly. The best way to do this is to expose the pot to the sun.
2. We remove a thin layer of soil with a bloom.
3. We loosen the soil under it.
4. Then we water the seedlings only with settled water (at least a day), making sure not to overflow.

If the soil is moldy, it will be a little more difficult to remove plaque. First of all, we also dry the ground and remove the soil layer. But usually this is not enough, and after watering, the growth of the mycelium resumes with renewed vigor.

To prevent this from happening, it is necessary to disinfect the soil. This can be done in one of the following ways:

1. We prepare a solution of potassium permanganate with a low concentration, the water should be slightly pink. We spill the earth with this solution, making sure that its entire surface is moistened.
2. We use hydrogen peroxide, the required concentration: 5 milliliters of a 30% solution per one liter of water. It is not necessary to water the ground with peroxide; we spray the surface from a spray bottle.
3. If all else fails, you can use special fungicides (substances that selectively destroy fungi): trichodermine, trichocin. We apply them according to the instructions.

Mold grows well in acidic soil, so a good option to combat it is to use special deoxidizers sold in stores (dolomite flour, tree resin or ordinary lime).

They need to be applied on a surface that is free of fungus. The effect can be enhanced by adding leafy earth and humus to the deoxidizers.

Another good tool for fighting mold is Fitosporin-M. It can be applied not only when the plaque has already appeared, but also in advance. This drug protects against any bacterial and fungal diseases, is safe, environmentally friendly and is itself an organic fertilizer.

It is a culture of Bacillis subtilis bacteria, which are beneficial to plants, preserved in the substrate, which prey on harmful microorganisms, preventing infection. The drug is diluted in accordance with the instructions and is subsequently used for watering seedlings every third time (two waterings with plain water, the third with Fitosporin-M).

Preventive measures

The best way to combat plaque is to prevent it from appearing before the ground has turned white. First of all, the soil used for growing seedlings must be disinfected.

This can be done using heat treatment: heating in the oven or, conversely, freezing for up to several days. Further, the earth is washed with a weak solution of potassium permanganate, after which it is dried. You can start planting work.

After the seedlings are planted, it is worth mulching the soil (covering it with mulch on top for protection). It is best to use ash, charcoal or crushed activated carbon as mulch for seedlings. This helps to retain moisture at the roots of the plant and prevents mold growth.

The next important link in prevention is proper watering. Be sure to take these tips into account:

1. Using hard water is almost guaranteed to lead to salt deposits. If you are unlucky with the quality of your water supply, use a filter. As a last resort, defend the water for at least 24 hours.
2. Additionally, you can soften the water by immersing a rag bag filled with peat in a container with it for the time of settling.
3. The water should be at room temperature, too cold or hot will not work.
4. Never water too often or overflow.

Follow all these measures - and you will not have to watch the surface of the soil turn white, and your seedlings will be strong and healthy!