I bought this rubber tree several months ago, and since I saw roots sticking out from underneath the drainage holes I decided I should re-pot it. When I lifted it out of it's pot I was horrified to find this bumpy greenish growth all over the soil on the roots. I don't know what it is, but I'm nervous about bringing the plant back inside. Does anyone know if this stuff is harmful or is this something the plant produces, which I doubt. The plant doesn't seem to be too bothered by it, it seems healthy, but that stuff is creepy looking! It almost looks like a mass of insect eggs and it's also covered by a thin sheet of web. Gahhhh!! I just want to spray the thing down with the hose and see if I can get rid of it! Any help would be appreciated.
If the plant is healthy, don't worry! It could just be mycorrhiza, which are normal and beneficial to the plant. But don't let the roots stand out in the dry like that, that's a sure recipe for killing the plant!
I put it back into it's original pot as soon as I snapped the pics. I just wanted to make sure this stuff wasn't going to become sentient and eat my brain at night before I put the plant into a new pot. :) Thanks for the help!
There have been many inquiries into this growth, often described as tiny, fuzzy, yellow balls. Commonly found in indoor containers, apparently. [thread=29582]Here[/thread] is one such discussion.
The "eggs" may simply be spent time release fertilizer from the original producer of the plant. http://oregonstate.edu/dept/nursery-weeds/weedspeciespage/pearlwort/pearlwort_seedlings.html
Ya, I think the larger white things in the pic were time release fertilizer, too. I decided against just leaving the fungus alone and sprayed it down with the hose. I just couldn't bring myself to handling the plant with all that stuff on there. Anyways, when I sprayed it down, the fertilizer beads started rolling around the pavement. So, glad they weren't spider eggs.
whenever I am given a new plant, or buy one regardless of the source, I first, take it outside to remove the pot and soil,while wearing a surgical mask and gloves, (they can be bought for 10 to 15 cents at any pharmacy) I gently wash the soil off the roots, then give the plant a shower, then a fungal bath. bake soil be sure its clean,4 hrs at 450 degrees will kill any bugs, mold and unwanted guests, whether I re-use the original soil, or use fresh soil, I always bake the soil clean. let soil cool before using. after all that, i still keep the plant away from the others until I am sure its healthy, about one to two weeks, this time should be spent out of direct sunlight to avoid damage during recuperation time, as most plants will have some degree of shock. good luck.
That's really good advice. I definitely will start doing this to any houseplants I bring into my home. Who knows what that stuff was or if it was harmful to be around it. The plant has been sitting next to my desk for months and I had no clue it was harboring a colony of crazy looking fungus. I have a question about the fungicide, what type do you recommend? And thanks for the advice!
the type of fungicide you use, chemical or organic depends on how you prefer to feed your plants.If you prefer to use chemical foods, then use chemical fungicide, if you use organic food and additives for your house plants,then use a chemical insecticide or fungicide you will be killing off all the beneficial micro organisms you have built up within your soil. here are some homemade organic fungicides; milk fungicide: use organic milk only, (as the antibiotic qualities to make it work are not present in non-organic milk) 1 part organic milk to 10 parts water, stir well. cover entire plant,both sides of leaves,and stems. is effective as preventative,not cure.also good at controlling mildew on grapevines. too much milk encourages sooty mold, so stick to recipe. fungicide- (safe for soft leaf veggie plants too),also kills powdery mildew,rust and black spots on roses- 2L water, 1 drop veg oil, 1 drop sunlight dish soap 2 tablespoons baking soda,( bicarbonate of soda) shake well cover plants, works well. sorry, I can't recommend a chemical fungicide as i have yet to use one. I use recipe no 1 to prevent problems, and no 2 to solve them. good luck!!