Orange stuff growing on my potted plants

[pillsnpistols]

I am a new gardener. I started seeds indoors this year and put them in pots when they got big enough. I'm now about a month into it and today I noticed this ugly stuff growing in almost every pot. Is this a problem? It looks like one. Any information or help is appreciated. Thanks.

[img]https://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n191/craigme0/99831310.jpg[/img]
and
[img]https://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n191/craigme0/5f61fe68.jpg[/img]

[HydroCura]

Never saw that

[Richee]

I can't tell too much from the pictures, but I think it might be what's called 'hard water stains'. I've got that build up on the soil around all my indoor plants. It's not anything you are doing, other than using water from the faucet.

As far as I know, it's harmless to the plant.

[rainbowgardener]

no not stains, click on the picture to enlarge and look. Definitely 3 dimensional and something growing. I presume some kind of fungus. Probably not harmful and probably (similar to when people get mushrooms and other fungi popping up in their containers) a sign that things are staying a bit too damp all the time.

Incidentally welcome to the forum! We have been getting bunches of Ohio gardeners here lately and there are several other Queen City folk (including me).

[pillsnpistols]

I googled it quite a bit last night. I think I have been keeping them too damp and I was using pots without holes in the bottom. Learning all kinds of helpful tips on these boards. Thanks.

[cynthia_h]

...I think I have been keeping them too damp and I was using pots without holes in the bottom. ...

If you have nice, decorative pots without drainage holes, you can use them as "cache pots," but the plants must must must reside in regular pots inside the cache pots.

"OK," a new gardener may wonder, "how do I water the plants without having water standing around all the time?"

Take the smaller pot--the one with the drainage holes and the plant--out of the nice, pretty pot. Sit the smaller pot in a sink or bathtub, depending on the size scale needed. Soak the pot in water as deep as its soil line until bubbles no longer rise from the bottom of the pot to the surface of the soil. At that point, the soil is thoroughly saturated.

Drain the sink/bathtub and let the "flower pot" drain as well, perhaps for 15 to 30 minutes, depending on its size. (If your growing medium has small pore spaces, it may need longer for the excess water to drain.) *Then* place the "flower pot" back into the cache pot and admire your beautiful, freshly watered plant! (BTW, this "you" is the generic "you," not pillsnpistols personally )

Monitor the soil moisture by feeling the soil with your fingers. Depending on what kind of plant you're growing, you may need to stick your finger as much as 1 or 2 inches deep into the soil, testing for moisture/dryness.

When the soil has reached the needed/critical stage of moisture/dryness, repeat the sink/tub routine described above.

Happy plant raising!

Cynthia H.
Sunset Zone 17, USDA Zone 9

[GardenNut101]

Cynthia is right - and although it may seem a faff - actually it can be done while you're doing other jobs so doesn't take the amount of effort it seems from the instructions.

The other thing to do is skim the top surface of the soil off to get rid of the orange - so that it doesn't start up again.