Gray mold, also known as Botrytis, is a fungus that affects many varieties of plants. It can affect any part of a plant. Gray mold spreads quickly and often results in the loss of the plant. It is a white to gray growth that eventually turns the affected area brown.
How Does Gray Mold Start?
Gray mold produces spores that are disbursed by water or through the air. To grow, the fungus needs a high humidity environment and nutrients to survive. It growth often starts and an area of the plant that was damaged. When a piece of a plant breaks, it exposes the nutrients the mold needs to start its growing. Once started, it spreads to other parts of the plant. In addition to damaged parts of a plant, you may also see gray mold form on seedlings in high humidity, dying flowers, and cuttings.
How To Get Rid Of Gray Mold
It is recommended to remove the infected plant entirely from the hydroponic garden to prevent the mold from spreading to other plants. If you were to cut off the molded area, you would expose more tissue for mold growth to occur again. When removing infected plants, dispose them far away from your hydroponic garden. Be careful not to damage any healthy plants in the process.
Ways To Reduce Risk Of Mold In Your Hydroponic System
Make sure to sterilize all hydroponic equipment regularly.
Take steps to reduce humidity. Provide ventilation to your grow area
Allow airflow between plants by not overcrowding them, also trimming them when needing.
When taking cuttings, try to expose as little of the open plant as possible.
Make sure to all remove trimmings and dead plant matter from your hydroponic garden.
Hi there, this is my first time doing hydroponics. I have 3 ft tomatoes, all ready! I have noticed that most of the pails look as if they are fermenting. They are foamy on top. I have introduced air stones and am moving the air stone from pail to pail. Some of the smaller containters actually have mold on them. Ideas.
Is it mold or could it be algae? I would recommend switching to a dwc setup and just go ahead and add airstones to all the plants. I think you’ll have better success. The krakty method can be tricky when growing fruiting plants, especially for beginners. You should join my Hobby Hydroponics Facebook group, then share some pictures and we can take a look at what’s going on.
Gray mold, also known as Botrytis, is a fungus that affects many varieties of plants. It can affect any part of a plant. Gray mold spreads quickly and often results in the loss of the plant. It is a white to gray growth that eventually turns the affected area brown.
April 11, 2020 at 11:24 am
Hi there, this is my first time doing hydroponics. I have 3 ft tomatoes, all ready! I have noticed that most of the pails look as if they are fermenting. They are foamy on top. I have introduced air stones and am moving the air stone from pail to pail. Some of the smaller containters actually have mold on them. Ideas.
April 11, 2020 at 12:33 pm
Is it mold or could it be algae? I would recommend switching to a dwc setup and just go ahead and add airstones to all the plants. I think you’ll have better success. The krakty method can be tricky when growing fruiting plants, especially for beginners. You should join my Hobby Hydroponics Facebook group, then share some pictures and we can take a look at what’s going on.
April 12, 2020 at 11:26 am
Thanks I’ll do that. Happy Easter!