save my cappi

June 1, 2006 10:03 AM

mold in my plant soil!

Ive got this brazilian vine that loves heat and moisture (cappi vine, if you care) which means its pot is the perfect place for mold to grow. Low and behold, the dirt is now caked with mold.

Best way to deal with this? points for cheap/free/easy.

I went to a gardening supply place and all their fungicides were meant for topical applications. This does me no good because there is no mold on the plant itself, just the dirt.

can i treat the dirt with these fungicides? Alternatives?

Some one suggested camomile tea. Worth trekking to the store for some?

I could repot him, and in fact i might, but he's pretty weakened from all this and Id rather wait untill he's healthier.

posted by Tryptophan-5ht to Science & Nature (4 answers total)

You could try drying out the soil in the sun, that might kill off the surface bacteria (?). Most plants can handle being thirsty for a little bit. Mix up the soil after that & add something to lighten it - like peat moss.

I would highly recommend repotting. Sounds like the soil might be too dense & is holding on to water longer than necessary. If you repot, make sure to get a good mixture, not just soil. A lighter mixture will allow better drainage. To keep the plant humid in the future, try misting it and setting it on a tray of pebbles filled with water.
posted by Alpenglow at 10:25 AM on June 1, 2006

You need to sterilize the soil (and the pot, if it's clay).

Here are instructions.

Then let it cool thoroughly -- preferably overnight. If you open it hot, the smell will be overpowering.
posted by KRS at 10:41 AM on June 1, 2006

I'm seconding repotting with store bought potting soil. Home sterilization just sounds like a huge pain.

You could try 'spooning' out the top soil and visible mold and replacing it with fresh potting soil. This has a name but I can't think of it off-hand. Misting/pebble tray are better ways to keep the humidity up.

Oh, and I read somewhere once that bottom-feeding led to fewer mold problems. This might not be practical for you, though.
posted by moonshine at 11:10 AM on June 1, 2006

moonshine: That's top-dressing.
posted by unrepentanthippie at 7:04 AM on June 3, 2006