Always check that the top of your houseplant's soil is dry before you water it. Add more light. Mold loves the dark, so a great way to control moisture on indoor plants is to make sure they get plenty of sunlight, and more importantly that the sunlight falls on the soil.
Add a fan. As discussed above, adding a fan will reduce your exposure to mold because mod in the soil will stop happening if you make sure there is good air circulation around the plant. A simple oscillating fan set on low will help with this. Keep your houseplants neat. Dead leaves and other dead organic material add to the problem of exposure to mold. Be sure to trim dead leaves and stems regularly. Exposure to mold isn't limited to houseplants.
Worst of all, mold is sneaky. To find it, check in these unusual places that provide mold with the food and water it needs to grow:. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC , mold exposure can cause symptoms such as nasal stuffiness, eye irritation, wheezing, and skin irritation. People with serious allergies to molds may have more severe reactions including fever and shortness of breath; and those with chronic lung illnesses, like obstructive lung disease, may even develop mold infections in their lungs.
Because of their not-yet-developed immune systems, infants and young children are of special concern when it comes to mold spore inhalation. Infants are more vulnerable to toxic exposures and ingest more dust than adults since they and their toys spend a lot of time on or near the floor.
Scientists once thought children were getting lead poisoning by chewing on windowsills but we've since learned that it's actually caused by lead is a component of toxic dust and mold.
Environmental Working Group found that ingestion of these spores can cause deficits in learning as well as motor skill and memory development. Mold on indoor plants has the potential to cause the same allergy symptoms as other molds: itching, sneezing, congestion, dry skin, etc.
Because these molds are indoors, the symptoms can be experienced any time of the year as long as the disease is around.
Like other types of molds, powdery mildew and white molds can trigger asthma if they reach the lungs or breed for a lengthy period of time.
As such, you never want to take a chance when it comes to mold on indoor plants. If you have a mold allergy, take all the precautions you need to clear it up, even if that means throwing away the entire plant. Molds can be cleared up and treated, but not even a plant is worth risking a severe allergic reaction. Maintaining proper care is key to prevent future mold on your indoor plants.
Why does mold grow on leaves and soil? Powdery mildew: Powdery mildew appears as small white spores, often giving the leaves of your plant a dusty look. Gray mold: Gray mold also has spores that are dusty in appearance; but unlike powdery mildew, gray mold will initially affect the parts of the plants that are near the surface of the soil. It often infects plants that are already suffering from damage and have dead tissue that the spores can land in and thrive.
Infected areas have the potential to grow very quickly. Sooty mold: Sooty mold can be identified by dark green to black sooty-looking patches that appear around the base of the plant and on the surface of the soil. White mold: White mold is fuzzy in appearance, similar to the kind of mold you might find on food that goes bad, and grows on the surface of the soil. Powdery mildew If your plant is suffering from powdery mildew growth, you may need to move it to a brighter location in your home.
The baking soda acts as a mild abrasive to scrape mold off the inside of the pot. Let the pot dry completely and then spray the infected leaves with water before wiping down each one with a paper towel use a fresh towel for each leaf to prevent the spread of mold.
Snip off any brown or dead leaves and toss them in the trash; spray the underside of those remaining with an organic fungicide. Preventing pesky mold from creeping back requires setting a good foundation for your houseplants.
You can also mix a little cinnamon into the top of the soil, since it's a natural fungicide. Only water plants when the soil is dry to the touch—and only water the soil, never the leaves of the plant mold grows when a plant is constantly wet or siting in water. Also, every container should have drainage holes in the bottom ; position the pot on a removable saucer to catch excess water, then remove that water 30 minutes after watering.
Snip rotting leaves and stems from your plant often and make sure they have enough air circulation. Plants that can tolerate sun can be placed in a south-facing window, where they'll get bright sun all day.
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