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Grey Mold on top of soil
- Thread starter Edo
- Start date
Found on a wide range of plants (too many to mention), gray mold (Botrytis cinerea) is a fungal disease that travels quickly through gardens, especially during damp, cool to mild weather. It can be identified as grayish colored soft, mushy spots on leaves, stems, flowers and on produce. Spots may become covered with a coating of gray fungus spores, especially if humidity is high. Fruit or plants shrivel and rot and often develop black, stone-like sclerotia under rotted parts.
Scrape off soil area making sure you don't contaminate plant.
Work fresh new soil into any areas that show signs of the fungus reappearing, particularly if there's been a lot of rain and not much sunlight to dry the soil.
•Water in the early morning hours, or use a soaker hose, to give the plants time to dry out during the day.
•Copper or sulfur based organic fungicides will help by protecting plants from infections. Apply these weekly, when spring weather is continuously cool and wet or if rot has been a problem in the past.
•The biological fungicide Mycostop or SERENADE has shown suppression of the disease when applied directly to susceptible leaves, flowers and fruits.
Scrape off soil area making sure you don't contaminate plant.
Work fresh new soil into any areas that show signs of the fungus reappearing, particularly if there's been a lot of rain and not much sunlight to dry the soil.
•Water in the early morning hours, or use a soaker hose, to give the plants time to dry out during the day.
•Copper or sulfur based organic fungicides will help by protecting plants from infections. Apply these weekly, when spring weather is continuously cool and wet or if rot has been a problem in the past.
•The biological fungicide Mycostop or SERENADE has shown suppression of the disease when applied directly to susceptible leaves, flowers and fruits.
Botrytis (and indeed we dont know for sure what his fungus is) is more of a plant problem vrs a soil problem. Its hell on buds, but not soil.
http://extension.psu.edu/pests/plant-diseases/all-fact-sheets/botrytis-or-gray-mold
Here is what I believe it to be, a common soil fungus
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trichoderma
amanda88
Well-known member
Tho Scrappy is correct, I'd still err on the side of caution, and replace that cursed fungus with some 'clean' soil....if not just for the vengeance I've had to endure over the years with fungi and molds
and yeah... I know what grey mold (Botrytis Cinerea) does to (my) plants, but its what this mold does to my soil....I don't get..?
and yeah... I know what grey mold (Botrytis Cinerea) does to (my) plants, but its what this mold does to my soil....I don't get..?
If you are cooking up mixed super soil then my money is on some harmless/beneficial fungus. If you are really worried about it then post a picture but I would just let the soil do its thing. DON'T Chuck the soil out. Echoing what Scrappy said.
Drekoushranada
Member
Totally fine, let it do its thing. 
http://gardeningzone.com/collections/botrytis-gray-mold-control
FAVORED ENVIRONMENT: Gray mold overwinters on plants, in or on the soil, plant debris, and as sclerotia. Spores develop when conditions are optimal, and are moved by wind or splashing water onto blossoms or young leaves, where they germinate and enter the plant. Spores require cool temperatures (45-60 F.) and high humidity (93% and above) to germinate. Germinating spores rarely penetrate green, healthy tissue directly, but can enter through wounds on growing plants. Cuttings are particularly susceptible to infection.
BOTRYTIS (GREY MOLD) CONTROL: To avoid gray mold, increase spacing between plants and provide cross-ventilation. Prune or stake plants to improve air circulation. If growing indoors use a fan to improve air flow. Make sure to disinfect your pruning equipment (one part bleach to 4 parts water) after each cut. Keep the soil under plants clean and rake up any fallen debris. Add a layer of mulch after you have raked and cleaned the area well. Mulch will prevent the fungal spores from splashing back up onto the flowers and leaves. Water in the early morning hours (avoid getting water on the foliage) to give the plants time to dry out during the day. Make sure your soil mix is well draining.
FAVORED ENVIRONMENT: Gray mold overwinters on plants, in or on the soil, plant debris, and as sclerotia. Spores develop when conditions are optimal, and are moved by wind or splashing water onto blossoms or young leaves, where they germinate and enter the plant. Spores require cool temperatures (45-60 F.) and high humidity (93% and above) to germinate. Germinating spores rarely penetrate green, healthy tissue directly, but can enter through wounds on growing plants. Cuttings are particularly susceptible to infection.
BOTRYTIS (GREY MOLD) CONTROL: To avoid gray mold, increase spacing between plants and provide cross-ventilation. Prune or stake plants to improve air circulation. If growing indoors use a fan to improve air flow. Make sure to disinfect your pruning equipment (one part bleach to 4 parts water) after each cut. Keep the soil under plants clean and rake up any fallen debris. Add a layer of mulch after you have raked and cleaned the area well. Mulch will prevent the fungal spores from splashing back up onto the flowers and leaves. Water in the early morning hours (avoid getting water on the foliage) to give the plants time to dry out during the day. Make sure your soil mix is well draining.
RustyShcklfrd
Member
Thats the good stuff bro, that is why organics gets better with time, and why you dont need bottled nutes. When i mix soil, iexpect to have my batch covered in fuzz within a week or two of mixing. I always have it in my containers, and you soils fine.
Scrappy; Good stepping up. Many species of fungi (mold - mould) can be grey-gray. Do as Scrappy suggested.
You may want to cut back on the moisture level unless you have added a lot of hot materials. If you've added alfalfa meal (& blood) make sure your soil is no longer heating up prior to planting.
You may want to cut back on the moisture level unless you have added a lot of hot materials. If you've added alfalfa meal (& blood) make sure your soil is no longer heating up prior to planting.
Im confused. I thought botrytis was bud rot, and affected a plant in flowering, but this says that cuttings are particularly succeptible. How can a cutting get bud rot?
I took this article to mean plant your plants with enough space for air to circulate to avoid bud rot, not that cuttings will get it.
Cuttings can get root rot, sometimes called brown rot,
too much water is ussually the culprit.
Every species of fungus has different phases of growth. Botrytis infects many types of plant species at various stages and originates in the soil. It is not likely that one will see it growing in the soil unless the mix is overburdened with raw organic matter.
A good preventative is Trichoderma fungi and or Streptomyces bacteria, both of which grow in quality compost and good living soil. Living soil is not so much about the mix as it is about the life.
You have probably seen botrytis in ground fall apples and tomatoes or in grapes kept too long...even some soggy leaves.
Here are some images courtesy of google.
A good preventative is Trichoderma fungi and or Streptomyces bacteria, both of which grow in quality compost and good living soil. Living soil is not so much about the mix as it is about the life.
You have probably seen botrytis in ground fall apples and tomatoes or in grapes kept too long...even some soggy leaves.
Here are some images courtesy of google.
originates in the soil.Yes, that is what the gardening article indicated. I didn't make the stuff up.
I look for fuzzy fungi in my soil. I know I'm going something Right.
Something is getting broken down and getting ready for a worms gut.
Timbuktu
Something is getting broken down and getting ready for a worms gut.
Timbuktu
