Question
Hi will, I have a question about my Croton, after purchasing it I repotted to give it more room in a 10in pot ( 1 size bigger than previously ) with brand new soil and about a week after it developed white, fuzzy, fluffy looking patches on the top of the soil.. then I noticed my ficus gensing bonsai plant that I have had for 3 years now has the same problem .. Im not sure if its mold or what the issue is and if so why would it have showed up after being potted to fresh soil? hopefully you can help. thank you .. Shelli.

Answer
Hi Shelli,

It is never a good idea to repot a newly acquired plant that is already stressed from trying to adjust to a new environment. But that is another matter that I will explain further if you are interested.

The white stuff on the soil is some type of mold that most likely came with the new soil. If so, the soil was not sterile as it should be. Because it was probably not a good idea to repot in teh first place, the solution to teh mold problem is to undo the repotting by removing all of the contaminated soil you added and putting the original rootball back into its original pot or one that is the same size. Discard or return the soil that you purchased.

I don't have enough information about your bonsai to be able to know the cause of the mold. However, the best way to treat it is to scrape off all the mold and also remove all loose soil on the surface that is not in immediate contact with the roots. Then allow the soil to dry out as much as possible in between waterings. Dry soil is not a hospitable environment for fungus (mold) spores to develop. Good air circulation also discourages mold formation.

I have written an article on repotting that I will email for free to you (or anyone else) who sends a request to me at [email protected].

Please let me know if any of this is unclear or if you have any additional questions or you have additional information to provide.

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Regards,
Will Creed, Interior Landscaper
Horticultural Help, NYC

Visit my website at  www.HorticulturalHelp.com