African violets and white mold on soil
I have read all the questions and answers about white mold on soil of potted plants however, I am having trouble reconciling all the answers with the plight of African violets that prefer damp soil all the time. Letting them go dry entirely between watering is not what I was taught. As a matter of fact, they make these pots that sit is a reservoir of water that is meant to keep them damp all the time. Should I be letting them get completely dry between watering? How do I get rid of the mold? I was thinking I would get rid of all the soil and start from the roots like I would with a bonsai. Any ideas? I have tried all the other suggestions.
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Demosouthpaw
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Valderee wrote:I have read all the questions and answers about white mold on soil of potted plants however, I am having trouble reconciling all the answers with the plight of African violets that prefer damp soil all the time. Letting them go dry entirely between watering is not what I was taught. As a matter of fact, they make these pots that sit is a reservoir of water that is meant to keep them damp all the time. Should I be letting them get completely dry between watering? How do I get rid of the mold? I was thinking I would get rid of all the soil and start from the roots like I would with a bonsai. Any ideas? I have tried all the other suggestions.
Good afternoon OP,
Mold on soil is normally called botrytis mold. While it can very well be other molds they all function in a similar fashion. African violets favor a slightly acidic soil which mean that you are in luck, most molds do not like acidic soil. Changing your soil comp will help. Another major factor often over looked is watering habits and air flow. Lack of airflow and over watering will lead to mold germination. Small oscillating fans can overcome damp conditions. If all else fail there are a plethora of bio-controls at your disposal. There are also treatments like liquid copper and neem oil that deal with mold. Charcoal, cinnamon, chamomile tea, I mean I can go on all day. Swapping your soil from an organic rich mix to an inorganic mix will also eliminate mold.
And lastly if you want to stop mold dead in its tracks H2O2 at 3% concentration does wonders on controlling mold populations. Now what I would do is remove the potting soil you are using and buy something high in peat and mix in some activated charcoal, OR switch to a completely inorganic soil mix. The choice is yours but if you continue to grow in wet conditions with poor airflow mold will keep coming back time after time.
Hope this helps
-Jonathan
