This is how you react correctly

Soft, light hairs would be a sure sign of the onset of mold growth, which would infest the entire ball of the pot after a very short time. However, the mold spores are also not entirely harmless to human health. No cosmetic treatment helps here, the plants now have to get out as quickly as possible, outside.

First aid for plants with mold spores

First, carefully take the infected pots outside with you, empty them completely and remove the soil residues from the roots (with vinyl gloves!). In the event of severe infestation, the root balls can be rinsed with lukewarm water before your houseplants are replaced with new, high-quality ones Potting soil and moving pots that have been thoroughly cleaned. In principle, there are only two possible reasons for the onset of rot in the planters:

• You meant it too well when you poured it, so that mold could form in the permanently damp environment, or:
• It was inferior soil with too much black peat or peat. Compost content, which is usually more likely than a bag of potting soil that has been stored for too long, which also tends to rot.

In the case of cheap soil (usually with a cheaper composition) there is also the fact that it is poor because of its poor quality Ventilation is out of biological equilibrium and tends to form as soon as its airtight film packaging opened. So probably buying branded earth would have prevented the decay from rotting?

Good earth, bad earth?

That was the title of a very representative potting soil comparison published by the foundation in 2014 Product test, which then came to the conclusion that the quality differences of the individual varieties are enormous. Soils with and without peat were evaluated, both from trademarks of the well-known DIY stores and garden centers (e. B. Kölle, Dehner, Toom, and Obi), as well as branded goods (from Compo, Floragard and Neundorff). Of the 19 products (price per 20 kg between just under 1.50 to 10.00 euros), just one variety has a "very good" rating achieved, five were “Satisfactory”, two were “Sufficient”, one variety (at just under 6.00 euros) was even unsatisfactory, the rest "Good".

Twelve months later: slight vs. heavy earth

Potting soil with a high proportion of peat and coconut means less dragging and because of the high proportion of renewable raw materials (between 70 to 100 percent) it initially sounds good. Nevertheless, one year later, this time the testers from “Ökotest” reported that the light potting soil was not convincing either. The comparison in the shorthand:

• 9 different soils tested, u. a. from the Toom, Obi, Gartenkrone, Floragard and Compo range;
• Price per 20 liters between 2.65 and 8.54 euros;
• Test result: 3 times "Satisfactory", 4 times "Sufficient", 2 times "Poor"

Alternatives to potting soil?

You have surely already guessed it, it is your own compost as an optimal means for soil improvement but also for the natural growing of all kinds of plants. Ökotest and BUND even urgently advise against using peat as a component of potting soil in general. The arguments for this are basically understandable and not only because peat-free gardening protects our climate. In order to understand all the interrelationships a little better, you can visit the BUND portal for a very Download the informative leaflet free of charge.