How to identify and deal with Plant Mold or Fungus!

One of the biggest things that threatens a lot of grow projects is mold. Mold and various related fungi can really have a negative effect on plant cycles.

So how do you prevent mold, and how do you deal with it when it occurs? The answer has to do with specific aspects of your grow environment, but there are some general guidelines that can be helpful.

Prevention: Sanitizing the Plant Environment

One thing you can do to prevent mold in the first place is to wipe down the system between plant cycles. A lot of times, if there is a mold problem, and spores are generated, they will stay on the equipment and flourish in future cycles.

Figure Out Temperature and Humidity

When it comes to stopping mold, the environmental aspect of grow areas is important. Too much humidity can cause mold to grow rapidly, and you'll quickly see white or gray patches or spots growing on plants. In many cases, you need to decrease humidity, either in the middle of a project or at the beginning. Temperature can also have an effect and in some cases, rising temperatures will help keep down mold. That's why some growers might recommend small heater wands for areas of the reservoir or other grow areas.

Control Light

Another driver of mold is something fairly simple. Moisture combined with light can cause mold to spiral out of control. So many experienced growers recommend that if you see mold on the roots, that covering up the reservoir or root areas can be effective. By sealing out the light, the grower chokes off this avenue of growth for the mold.

In general, preventing mold damage means being vigilant about the environmental factors of a plant cycle and observing plants carefully on a frequent basis. Look for tiny white or gray specks that can indicate the start of mold growth, and be prepared to change environmental conditions on the fly. And keep some bleach handy for the end of the plant cycles so that you can and clean everything out to make sure it doesn't happen again.

For much more on hydroponics and everything that helps it to happen, check out the Dealzer website. As a trusted retailer, we stay on top of providing information to help customers achieve with hydroponics and grow better day after day.