Is white fungus normal?

J

Jupiter's Twins

Member
I bought a bag of Miracle Grow Organic potting soil and it has a slight degree of what i can only assume is fungus. Is this okay? I sure don't want to kill any more of my plants than I already have. I could snap a pic if needed but it would probably be hard to see since it isn't very dense.
 
canefan

canefan

Well-Known Member
Fungus and mold grows in all sorts of places especially when moisture and temps are right. Usually in soil a fungus or mold will not lend itself to the plant. However if you are in doubt, the easiest way is to take some plastic and spread it out in the sun, place your dirt on the plastic evenly. Once the sun has worked on it for a bit your fungus will be dead.
I grow in rich organic soil and find little bits of fungus and mold in different parts of the organic material but have not had a problem with it transferring to the plant.
Happy Growing
 
Nullis

Nullis

Moderator
Fungus is actually very desirable, but it does depend on the fungus in particular. Most are harmless and saprophytic, so they break dead organic material down and it results in plant available nutrients. Symbiotic fungi such as mycorrhizae are quite invaluable because these are fungi which practically live solely to feed plant roots and keep them happy. The presence of harmless\beneficial fungi also prevents the real nasty kinds of parasitic fungi from taking hold as odds are they will already be out-competed for food and space.

I personally just wouldn't start seeds in it directly due to the possibility of opportunistic fungi rotting the seeds (more likely to happen under compounded adverse conditions, but still).
 
vkambull

vkambull

Active Member
Nullis said:
Fungus is actually very desirable, but it does depend on the fungus in particular. Most are harmless and saprophytic, so they break dead organic material down and it results in plant available nutrients. Symbiotic fungi such as mycorrhizae are quite invaluable because these are fungi which practically live solely to feed plant roots and keep them happy. The presence of harmless\beneficial fungi also prevents the real nasty kinds of parasitic fungi from taking hold as odds are they will already be out-competed for food and spa
I personally just wouldn't start seeds in it directly due to the possibility of opportunistic fungi rotting the seeds (more likely to happen under compounded adverse conditions, but still).
Click to expand...

how about the clear/greenish "fungi" that build up in my watering tank. I'm using General Organics, and I aerate with airstones, and after a few days i get a slimy snot thing going on. Is that good, or bad fungi??
 
snew

snew

Well-Known Member
Yeah that green slim algae is not good. Maybe you should aerate a little less time. How many days is a few? If your getting snot in your water that not good.
 
skiweeds

skiweeds

Active Member
spray down with neem oil, its a natural fungicide. you dont want that shit. it could attract fungus gnats.
 
vkambull

vkambull

Active Member
snew said:
Yeah that green slim algae is not good. Maybe you should aerate a little less time. How many days is a few? If your getting snot in your water that not good.
Click to expand...

Just left overs sat 3 days, i washed it out today, I usually aerate from 1 to twelve hours, usually around 2 to 3 hours.
 
Nullis

Nullis

Moderator
vkambull said:
how about the clear/greenish "fungi" that build up in my watering tank. I'm using General Organics, and I aerate with airstones, and after a few days i get a slimy snot thing going on. Is that good, or bad fungi??
Click to expand...
As mentioned that'd most likely be algae, different from fungi. There is also a such thing as bio-slime which is a protective kind of film which micro-organisms (largely bacteria) produce. I do organics in soil, where fungi are endemic to the mix, so I can't really speak for hydro. Pretty sure there are enzymatic additives available that keep algae at bay.
 
snew

snew

Well-Known Member
vkambull said:
Just left overs sat 3 days, i washed it out today, I usually aerate from 1 to twelve hours, usually around 2 to 3 hours.
Click to expand...
I try to never let my teas set without air. I got this off of a good thread on AACT, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3WXBGonPAu0. Sorry can't remember who originally posted it. But its great info. I just notice your using General Organics. I would send them an email. It their product they should know what the problem is. Personally, you can't beat good worm casting tea.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top