Question
hi! i asked a question a week or two ago regarding a very bad-off pitcher plant i had just purchased. it was healthier than the rest of the ones i saw at the store, but not very healthy overall. i'd already repotted it in a new plastic pot and purchased a little Tupperware-type thing to put over the top to make a kind of terrarium to keep in humidity (per the store instructions). per YOUR instructions, i got rid of the Tupperware - thanks again for that. i also trimmed off all the dried top sections and weeded the weakest pitchers, so that i'm down to about a dozen decent-looking pitchers. my issue now is this: in my attempts to perk up the plant (before writing you the first time), i think i overwatered it one day, with the usual saucer beneath, but also a small amount of water on top. it took a week for the soil (sphagnum/peat) to even seem moderately dried out. a week after that, the plant has developed grayish mold-looking spots on top of the soil. i read on another forum on this site about just scraping it off, but i think that would leave me with not enough soil to properly keep the plant stable. i'm wondering - should i try to remove the moldy bits and replace the soil on top? or should i totally repot the plant. i'm worried that it might be too much shock for the guy, since it's not even been a month since i repotted him the first time. let me know what you think. thanks!

Answer
Hi Lincoln,

Thank you for the details!  Don't worry about giving your Sarracenia pitcher plant too much water.  They are bog plants, and they are used to very damp soil.

The surface mold is a perennial problem with growing these plants indoors.  Once you get your plant outdoors, sunlight will kill off the mold spores.  

Actually, scraping the soil something that you could do.  However, you'll need to replace the scraped soil with fresh soil.  Don't worry about shocking the plant.  These plants are fairly tough and can withstand a lot of jostling.  

Another option is to spray the soil surface with a sulfur-based fungicide.  If you decide to use it, use Safer?brand.  They make a great prepared solution of it.  You can find it at many garden centers.  Make sure to follow the directions on the bottle.  This product is completely safe to use with carnivorous plants.  Avoid all copper-based fungicides.

If you only have this one plant, I recommend first scraping the soil. If the mold returns, then consider using a fungicide or scraping the soil again.

Good growing!
Jacob Farin