house plant fungus - Ask Extension
Can I use diluted apple cider vinegar, or hydrogen peroxide, or isopropyl alcohol or baking soda to eliminate and control fungus, mold in my house pla...
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house plant fungus #817592
Asked December 16, 2022, 1:24 PM EST
Can I use diluted apple cider vinegar, or hydrogen peroxide, or isopropyl alcohol or baking soda to eliminate and control fungus, mold in my house plants? What is the best DIY natural method to eliminate and control fungus in house plants? I do not wish to use commercial toxic products.
Thanks
Montgomery County Maryland
Expert Response
In order to best help you we would need to know more about the problem. Can you describe what signs or symptoms you are seeing on your houseplants?
What makes you think the problem is fungal? Sometimes issues are pest or disease related, but often it is a problem with their environment or culture, where they are not getting what they need.
Can you attach photos to this reply to show us what you are dealing with?
We are happy to take a look and give you our thoughts.
Christine
What makes you think the problem is fungal? Sometimes issues are pest or disease related, but often it is a problem with their environment or culture, where they are not getting what they need.
Can you attach photos to this reply to show us what you are dealing with?
We are happy to take a look and give you our thoughts.
Christine
Good day and happy new year.
Please see attached video with a description of problems I notice and need help with. It was easier to show and tell in a video. I hope it's okay to send a video instead of pics. Otherwise, I will take and send pics instead.
Please advise
Thank you
Tas
Happy New Year and thank you for sending the video.
It's very helpful for us to see your plants and what you are concerned about.
It seems that your original question was about the possible mold that grew under the closed plastic bag/hood that was over the stem cuttings. That is not unusual once humidity and warmth rise under coverings, and often the plastic coverings need to be lifted a bit for some airflow. Your having removed the bag is good and took care of the problem. Evidenced by the new growth beginning on at least 2 of the stems, you have been successful in rooting new plants for yourself. Congrats!
When there is more growth, you can pot up the new ones and treat them as adults. Once you have about 12 inches of new growth, pinch back the growing tips to encourage a bushier plant. That works to thin and reinvigorate the large mother plant too.
As far as your Mogra/Jasmine actually looks very well to us.
You mentioned seeing tiny slugs and even an ant, and that would be expected since the plant spent the warmer seasons outdoors.
You are doing the right thing by closely monitoring the plant and removing any new slugs or other insects that you might find.
Keep looking closely for insects. We don't see any in the video, and if you had an active population of sucking insects we would expect that you would also find some 'honeydew' beneath where the pests are, which is a sticky residue that sucking insects excrete.
We would not worry about a branch or two that drop leaves. The plant is looking well and has more than enough leaves to feed itself. You can just pinch out any that look bare to you.
Jasmines grow quickly and benefit from some thinning. Cut back branches that have bloomed as low as you need to and even severe pruning can be done in the early spring.
You might consider giving the plant some hoops or other supports to grow and twine on, and you can also sit the whole container on a saucer filled with damp pebbles or regularly spritz it with water to keep it humid add humidity as well.
While actively growing outdoors they are watered plentifully in order to keep the soil moist, but in the winter they rest a bit, so allow the top one-half of an inch to dry out before watering again. They can be fertilized once every 2 weeks during the spring and summer, but not at all in the winter.
Christine
It's very helpful for us to see your plants and what you are concerned about.
It seems that your original question was about the possible mold that grew under the closed plastic bag/hood that was over the stem cuttings. That is not unusual once humidity and warmth rise under coverings, and often the plastic coverings need to be lifted a bit for some airflow. Your having removed the bag is good and took care of the problem. Evidenced by the new growth beginning on at least 2 of the stems, you have been successful in rooting new plants for yourself. Congrats!
When there is more growth, you can pot up the new ones and treat them as adults. Once you have about 12 inches of new growth, pinch back the growing tips to encourage a bushier plant. That works to thin and reinvigorate the large mother plant too.
As far as your Mogra/Jasmine actually looks very well to us.
You mentioned seeing tiny slugs and even an ant, and that would be expected since the plant spent the warmer seasons outdoors.
You are doing the right thing by closely monitoring the plant and removing any new slugs or other insects that you might find.
Keep looking closely for insects. We don't see any in the video, and if you had an active population of sucking insects we would expect that you would also find some 'honeydew' beneath where the pests are, which is a sticky residue that sucking insects excrete.
We would not worry about a branch or two that drop leaves. The plant is looking well and has more than enough leaves to feed itself. You can just pinch out any that look bare to you.
Jasmines grow quickly and benefit from some thinning. Cut back branches that have bloomed as low as you need to and even severe pruning can be done in the early spring.
You might consider giving the plant some hoops or other supports to grow and twine on, and you can also sit the whole container on a saucer filled with damp pebbles or regularly spritz it with water to keep it humid add humidity as well.
While actively growing outdoors they are watered plentifully in order to keep the soil moist, but in the winter they rest a bit, so allow the top one-half of an inch to dry out before watering again. They can be fertilized once every 2 weeks during the spring and summer, but not at all in the winter.
Christine
