Almost everyone who has flowers at home knows it: mold in flower pots. This is not a bad thing and can be easily combated with our 6 tips.
Do not confuse mold with limescale deposits
Especially in spring, when the potted plants are finally to be put outdoors again, gardeners often discover hideous mold in the flowerpot. But indoor plants can also be attacked by this disease all year round.
This mold infestation on the ground - not to be confused with lime deposits - can be removed in most cases without any problems. We have put together a few tips for you.
Mould in the flower pot - 6 tips that help
Tip 1: Repot plants
You should always repot potted plants in fresh soil before the outdoor season.
If mold has formed in the old soil, you must thoroughly remove it from the plants. The best way to do this is to tap off the soil or clean the roots of the affected soil in a water bath.
Tip 2: Clean the flower pot
However, mold spores can also settle on the flower pot. If there is mold, you should also clean it thoroughly. To do this, wash the pot thoroughly with warm/hot water and then rub it dry or let it dry in the sun.
You should even use soapy water to clean clay pots, because mold spores usually cling to them even more stubbornly.
Tip 3: Loosen up potting soil
Loosening up the infested potting soil has proven to be particularly helpful. To do this, comb the soil thoroughly with a fork or a mini rake (aerate) and then let it dry. After this process, you can water the plant as usual again.
In the case of stubborn mold growth, this work must certainly be repeated several times. However, you should always be careful not to damage the sometimes quite delicate plant roots.
Tip 4: Let the plant dry off
Mold often forms when the flower pot is waterlogged. You should drain them first. You must then dry the plant sufficiently.
You should also loosen the soil well after this so that it can be properly aerated before you can water the plant moderately again. Ideally, you should always water the plants with rainwater or boiled drinking water! The flower pots should have holes to prevent waterlogging in the first place.
Tip 5: Mix in minerals
You can keep mold under control if you add sufficient minerals to the highest quality potting soil. Expanded clay, clay granules, sand and the like are recommended for this.
Tip 6: Use essential oils
The use of essential oils is always worth a try. Especially since it is a natural product that usually does not harm the plants. In the case of mold growth in flower pots, tea tree oil has proven its worth.
Disposal of plants
In some cases, despite all the measures, the mold infestation simply cannot be brought under control. Then unfortunately you have to part with this plant.
Regarding that, you should always dispose of these plants in the household waste, so that the mold spores cannot multiply in the compost, for example.