House Plants have a fungus on the soil?

I have purchased 5 house plants recently and after 2 weeks all of them have a layer of grey fungus lieing across the soil that they are bedded in. It looks a little bit like a layer of dust. What is it? Is it harmful? What can I do to get rid of it?

House Plants have a fungus on the soil?
They are probably planted in potting soil which contains perlite which can leave a residue on the top of the soil. It won't harm your plants but is unsightly. You can place pebbles over the top for a better appearance or just repot them in fresh potting soil. They could possibly not be getting enough light.
Reply:Most house plants have a bit of fungus on the surface of the plant. The fact that yours has a lot tells me that you might be over-watering them, as well as (possibly) over-feeding them. I raise African violets, and one of the things I use is a chemical called Physan. I use it because my plants are raised with a wick-watering system, and I don't want the trays of fertilizer solution to build up algae; however, it also deals well with molds and fungus. You can get it at the Violet Showcase near Denver, Colorado (they ship). I'm sure it's available other places as well.
Reply:Sounds like you are over watering them, the dust that you describe is called botritus or commonly know en as grey mould and if nothing is done it will kill your plants, DON'T re-pot them as this will put your plants under more stress.


Spray all the pots with Bordeaux mix every two weeks.





If you have a copper watering can put 3oz of garden lime into a copper can and mix well with a pint of water, the lime reacts with the copper can and you have Bordeaux Mix, this is how it was made by my head gardener
Reply:I don't know for sure what it is but if you want to risk the plants for a while longer in their soil, and see if it contiunes or affects their growth any, I would use a spoon and take off the very top of the soil where you see it, you would thus also see if it goes any deeper and has roots or anything. It might just be peat moss or something else put in the soil for its own good, that has risen to the top and looks dark. You might ask the vendor who sold you the plants, there are so many soil types and additives these days.





However as long as the plants look healthy you could risk leaving it. Just in case it is always good for any bug infection or plant disease to water your plants a couple of times with dishwashing soap in the water, lightly sudsy. Also you can get a little spray bottle and put this soapy water in it and spray the whole plant lightly leaves and all and the top of the soil. If this stuff starts to grow, I would transplant, otherwise you can get coloured shiny paper like you see the florists putting around plants they sell, leaving nice edges sticking up where people don't see the soil and put a ribbon around them. Fancy. Or just use shiny tin foil. Palmolive dishwashing soap seems to work best, maybe because it is antibacterial but other dishwashing soaps seem to work to, I have also heard of sudsy water from the yellow clothes washing sunlight bar soap being used alot in our grandparents days but I haven't tried it myself. Its amazing that Palmolive can do this and not harm the plants and also that it is so gentle it can be used to wash hair and washes and disenfects hands better than most bathroom soaps. Good Luck
Reply:Really change the soil if you like, they were planted in soil that was not treated, they should be fine.
Reply:its fertilizer risen to the top of the compost. start repotting this month and everything will b just beautiful by June.
Reply:transplant them just in case. Use a different soil to put them in.