White/Grey Mold On Soil Surface

midwestbonsai

Anybody ever get a whitist/grey mold on the soil surface of your trees?
It just apeared one day.
I was told by a horticulturalist to spry the surface with a vinagar water mix, and if that doesn't work a tea tree oil and water mix.
Well niether one seems to be doing the trick.
The amount of the mold has gone down, but not gone.
Any ideas?

Thanks

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Carl_Bergstrom

Could you send us a picture?

Could it a beneficial microrhyzobial fungus?

-Carl

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Mike_Westervelt

What kind of tree? if it's pine or spruce your doing something right!
Mike

Bonsai Barry

I saw a pyracanthia at a nursery yesterday with nice roots, but it had a white mold around the trunk. I didn't know if it was beneficial or not, (probably not), so I left it. I'm still tempted to go back and try to clean it up. So I'll follow this thread closely.


Barry

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midwestbonsai

i will try to get a good picture up tomorrow

pootsie

I've had white stuff from too much water combined with too little air. If this is waht you have, that's bad, since it means your roots are drowining. Of course, it could be something entirely different.

pootsie

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midwestbonsai

here is a picture of the mold its alittle hard to see, it looks (the mold) alittle fuzzy

it is appearing on my chinese elm, some ficus, and a barberry

Attached Images

MVC-499Se.jpg (66.6 KB, 81 views)

ALDEVAUX

It is difficult to know the species of fungus(mold) that is growing on the soil surface in the picture you show us.
However, there are many species of fungi or molds that grow on soil surfaces and which have a greyish white color. Fungi are everywhere and unless you are in a sterile environment, you can sample the air or the surface of anything and always find them present, so it's not surprising to find them on soil surface when the environmental conditions for their growth is present.
Fungi cannot grow without moisture. First, moisture is required in order for the spores to germinate. Although fungi also need oxygen, removing moisture is the most effective method for halting growth.

environment (food) + moisture = mold growth

environment (food) – moisture = no mold growth

Most fungi are saprophytic, which means that they feed upon dead, decaying matter. Some are parasitic in that they derive their nutrition from living organisms but these types do not usually grow on soil surfaces. The saprophytic fungi help decay the debris which accumulate on the soil.

There is always a food source available in the environment and the fungi will feed on many different organic materials. They are microscopic and until a large enough mass has accumulated they can only be seen with the aid of a microscope. Because they are so small, even a very thin film of dust and debris will yield an abundance of food.
The fungi have an advantage over the bacteria in some soil environments because they can bridge gaps between pockets of moisture and continue to survive and grow.
Saprophytic fungi of this type in the soil is not harmful but can be beneficial in improving the soil fertility in the process of decomposition of the organic material.
The best thing to do is keep sterring the soil surface to burry the fungal growth and try keeping the surface as dry as possible.

midwestbonsai

thank you very much aldevaux.
i am glad to know that the mold will noy harm the trees.

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