prevent mold growth from houseplants

There’s no denying that houseplants add undeniable appeal to any room. With virtually endless choices at your fingertips, you can add any plant to a room and instantly enhance its overall look. And, as a bonus, you can simultaneously improve your indoor air quality too. While houseplants are relatively easy to care for, one side effect of owning them is the possibility of mold growth. When this happens, you not only compromise your plant’s health, you can also compromise the health of your household. If you see mold start to grow on any of your plants, you need to act quickly to stop it from progressing. Follow these essential tips on how to remove and prevent mold growth from houseplants.

Removing Mold from Your Houseplants:

 Step 1: Determine the extent of mold growth.

Mold loves dark, damp spaces, making your plant’s wet soil the perfect place to call home. Look for a white fuzzy substance. In most cases, the growth will be located just on the soil’s top layer, so you can simply use a spoon to scoop it up. This kind of mold only becomes a potential health risk to you and your plant when ignored. If you were to leave it there for an extended period, it could give your plant root rot.

If mold growth has reached the plant itself, take a damp paper towel and gently wipe the leaves. Use a new part of the towel each time you wipe to avoid mold from re-attaching to the plant. Once the paper towel has been used entirely, grab a new one and continue the process. If an area of growth is too strong and cannot be removed with a paper towel, cut off that leaf.

Step 2: Once the mold is removed, add an anti-fungal protectant.

We recommend scattering a small amount of either cinnamon or baking soda over the soil, which should help in preventing mold from returning. Make sure to spread it across the soil evenly.

Preventing Mold on Your Houseplants

If you find mold on any of your indoor plants, don’t panic. This doesn’t mean you should throw out all of your plants and replace them with fake ones. However, it’s extremely important to address mold issues promptly so that you can remove all growth and put measures in place to stop it from happening again. Here are four simple and effective ways to stop mold from appearing on your plants:

  1. Use high-quality soil.

It’s tempting to purchase the cheapest soil you can find, but if you want healthy houseplants, you’ll need to find the right soil, and sometimes that winds up costing a little bit more. We recommend switching to a commercial potting soil because it’s rich in nutrients.

  1. Don’t over water your plants.

In many cases, plants die because they haven’t been watered enough. This is especially true with indoor plants because too many plant owners see them as almost invincible. While it’s not as common for people to overwater their plants, it does happen, and wherever there’s a damp space, expect mold to grow there. For tips on watering your plants, check out this article from Better Homes & Gardens.

  1. Make sure your plants are located in areas with adequate light.

Unfortunately, you can’t plop a houseplant just anywhere and call it a day. Plants are living things – they grow, eat and reproduce; therefore, it’s essential to place them in a location that allows them to thrive. This might mean relocating your plant to an area that isn’t next to your bed or media center. For a plant to survive it needs adequate light, and if you want to inhibit mold growth this step is critical.

  1. Keep pots free of debris.

Routinely check your potted plants for any debris such as dead leaves. Also, trim away any dead parts of a plant to avoid dead organic matter from accumulating on the soil in the first place.

If you have any questions about mold growth related to plants or anything else, give us a call today! We’d be more than happy to help you on your way to achieving a mold-free home. Give the experts at RestoPros a call today at 855-587-3786!