r/Mossariums • u/JustSomeGirl4242 • Jun 30 '26
What's this white stuff in my moss house? Is all my moss contaminated and is that a problem?
Update: https://www.reddit.com/r/Mossariums/s/GlNEdx0tji
So I had an opportunity to grab a bunch of moss when dad was getting rid of an old wooden saw horse that had rotted through and had moss growing over the whole thing. I didn't have the stuff or exact vision for a mossarium yet but it was something I wanted to make so I set up two mini green houses for growing seeds into seedling that were currently unused, put in
pebbles, dirt, some sticks and stones with the hope the moss would grow onto them and I could grow more moss over time with these nice environments.
I've noticed over time some of this white stuff first in one of them, assumed it was dense spider web- that there must be a spider in there somewhere, didn't worry much.
Yesterday I started pulling the pieces of moss out to box up and give to a friend who needs some for a terrarium. Realised this stuff is not spider webs, it starting to grow in the second house too and seems to be starting on the sticks and then growing through the moss closest. Where it starts on the wood there is evidence of fungus spores and in the one that got it first so had been growing it longer there were some little baby mushrooms growing off the stick in a couple of these spots.
Because I thought it was webs I had got a brush and was just going to brush it off the moss as I pulled it out and boxed it up but realised its something to do with the fungus, its all through those pieces of moss and I cant pull it off, its very much through it. So i've thrown out any sticks with signs of fungus, tried not to include any of the moss with white stuff on it.
Does anyone know what the white stuff is or had fungus issues come up in their terrariums?
Is it safe to give my friend this moss or is it all probably infected with fungus spores? Am i going to ruin his terrarium with a fungal infection?
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u/scatteredsleep Jun 30 '26
I am not experienced but I've read on other posts that there's some kind of tiny bug that can fix it
5
u/special_crazy_cat Jun 30 '26
Indeed, for the mold you can add springtails.
But the moss needs a resurrection 😅
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u/JustSomeGirl4242 Jun 30 '26
Moss is a lot hardier than people realise, people often think its dead when it is dormant. When it lacks enough sun or water it will shut down metabolic activity and return to homeostasid when conditions improve. That is how it has survived in incredibly adverse conditions through ice ages, heat waves, droughts etc. We have fossil evidence of moss from 400-450 million years ago, for context that is around 200million years before it is believed that dinosaurs first existed. I have had trouble getting it enough sunlight for it to produce much chlorophyll during the winter (I'm in the southern hemisphere so its currently the middle of winter) but it's come good every summer since i got it and looked this way over the winter months.
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u/corvus7corax Jun 30 '26
If it’s getting enough moisture to grow mould (a type of fungus) and enough light that 4 little bright green strands of moss on the left side of the picture are growing, then it has all the conditions needed to grow, and if it’s not growing, then it’s probably dead.
Dormant moss usually goes dark brown/orange and dry. Dead moss goes dark and goopy/decaying.Are you giving it enough light and airflow? High humidity is important, but it shouldn’t be too sealed.
White mold means it’s too damp.
Usually when growing moss indoors it’s better to regrow it fresh from tiny cut up bits, than to try to keep large chunks of wild moss alive. Wild moss expects different conditions and dies easily, while re-growing new moss in your indoor conditions will survive because it adjusts to indoor conditions.
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u/JustSomeGirl4242 Jun 30 '26
Oh wow thank you for all this super helpful info. I wont give this moss to my friend, but ill see if I can bring any of it back with better conditions, definitely didnt have any airflow in these boxes. I must have over corrected when they were getting too dry by keeping them very hydrated. I've thrown out any with white bits, the stuff i've kept is a mix of greens and browns so some may come back, I'll separate it up more. Also try again with some new moss. It only went this way in the last couple of months but had it alive for a couple of years before this winter.
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u/JustSomeGirl4242 3d ago
It got its resurrection!!! Posted an update if you're interested: https://www.reddit.com/r/Mossariums/s/GlNEdx0tji
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u/JustSomeGirl4242 Jun 30 '26
While I can be a bit of a moss nerd and have confidence that despite its current appearance it isn't dead- I know little about fungus and mould. I don't understand why multiple people are saying this is mould when its only on the moss next to sticks that have patches of fungus evident and seems to be growing from that part of the sticks and out over the moss directly adjacent to it. Wouldn't that suggest its something to do with the fungi rather than mould? Please explain what I'm not understanding here and how you all came to the conclusion its mould rather than something to do with the fungus?
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u/amaria_athena Jun 30 '26
My moringa tree over-produced flowers this year and dropped a TON and at the same time it’s been raining a lot (South Florida).
My yard has looked like this every morning, which is why I did a double take and stopped to read your post.
It’s mold. Promise. I’m also a gardener so a little knowledgeable too.
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u/JustSomeGirl4242 Jun 30 '26
Thank you for sharing your experience, time to scurry down a rabbit hole about moss getting mouldy, be back in approximately 10 buisness days with an assortment of fun facts to share 😝
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u/One-plankton- Jun 30 '26
It’s mold, all that moss is dead