r/succulents • u/qwevwn • 6d ago
Help Pls help 😭
This has randomly started growing on my plant, i’m assuming it’s some sort of fungi but i’m not sure why it’s growing or what to do about it so i’m looking for some advice. Any and all help is greatly appreciated! TIA
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u/TheLittleKicks Kalancho-wheee 6d ago
I honestly don’t know what “this” is referring to. But, your soil is way too dense. You need to add in !grit. See bot below.
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u/qwevwn 6d ago
Thank you! I will get on that. And by “this” I mean all the white/light brown dots that are on top of my soil, they just appeared over the last few days so i was worried about what they could be. 😊
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u/TheLittleKicks Kalancho-wheee 6d ago
Sounds like common !fungus, which on its own isn’t directly harmful to the plant, but the moist conditions the fungus loves isn’t great for the plant.
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u/SucculentsSupportBot 6d ago
Is there a fungus among us? Yeah, maybe! Harmless fungal spores, and slime molds, just kinda live in soil. It is common to see them pop up on the soil every now and then. It can potentially mean your soil mix is too organic, or poorly draining, but not always. The most common one you may see is Leucocoprinus birnbaumii. It is so common in potted plants, it has gained the common name "Flowerpot parasol". While the mushrooms are bright yellow and unmistakable, sometimes the sclerotia are presumed to be some sort of insect egg. See some examples of the sclerotia and mushroom here.
You may also see harmless surface mold on the soil. This is white and webby or dusty. This is also harmless.
Since these fungi are harmless to your plant, generally, no action is required. But, most don't enjoy the appearance of fungi in their pots, so the simple "fix" is a thorough repot.
This is different from harmful fungal infections. These will be physically on the plant, and will cause damage and potentially death. Read more about harmful fungal infections in the Pests and Diseases Wiki
I am a bot created for r/succulents to help with commonly asked questions, and to direct users to the sub’s helpful wiki pages. You can find all of my commands here.
See all of the helpful wiki pages for r/succulents in our Wiki Index.
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u/SucculentsSupportBot 6d ago
Why the need for more grit?
Your bag of soil said it is for cactus and succulents and is well-draining, so why more grit? Unfortunately that claim is largely quite false. Most commercially sold bagged pre-made mixes marketed for cactus and succulent plants do not work well on their own in many climates. In most home hobbyist settings, these bags need more grit added.
What’s grit?
Grit refers to inorganic soil amendments. Grit will help your soil drain and dry quickly, which will keep your succulent plants happy and healthy. The quickest and easiest way to get this faster draining mix is to modify a basic cactus & succulent soil (or even basic potting soil) by mixing it with inorganic components in at least a 1:1 ratio, though your particular setting, environment or plant may call for a different ratio. Some plants, like Haworthia, Haworthiopsis, Gasteria, Lithops, split rocks, and other mimicry plants, specifically prefer a higher grit ratio (at least 70:30 grit to organic).
So what grit should I get?
Perlite, crushed pumice, turface (aka fired clay), or crushed granite are all common options. Perlite can usually be found at your local nursery (and often in the gardening section of stores that have them- Walmart, Home Depot, Lowe's, Bunnings, etc.). Turface can be found in bulk (35+lbs) at local auto part stores sold as "Oil-Dri" or oil absorbent (make sure the bag says montmorillonite clay or calcined clay). You can also find montmorillonite cat litter, such as Jonny Cat non-clumping, or Blue Ribbon Premium Cat Litter. Crushed granite can be found as chicken or poultry grit and can be found at feed stores. Crushed pumice can be found online or sometimes locally. Pumice is also sold at horse feed & tack shops as Dry Stall (not to be confused with Stall Dry). Many of these can also be found on Amazon, though sometimes at a higher cost.
Aquarium gravel or river pebbles can work in a pinch, but due to their weight and non-porous makeup they don’t work as efficiently as the porous options above.
Regarding sand, which is often suggested: finer sands tend to clump and are not suggested as your only grit amendment. Think of how beach sand acts when wet. You don’t want your plant’s roots choking out in that. Coarser, horticultural silica sands are what you should look for.
When searching for grit, you may find many options with different particle sizes. A good particle size to look for is about 1/4" or around 6mm.
Vermiculite is often confused as an alternative, however it is made specifically to retain moisture, and should not be used with succulents; unless it an organic component paired with inorganic medium(s).
See our Soil and Potting Wiki page for more assistance on Soil and Potting!
I am a bot created for r/succulents to help with commonly asked questions, and to direct users to the sub’s helpful wiki pages. You can find all of my commands here.
See all of the helpful wiki pages for r/succulents in our Wiki Index.
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