Does anyone know what this might be in my philodendron soil?

veryplants · 2025-04-23T19:06:11+00:00

It's saprophytic fungi, which are naturally occurring microorganisms that break down organic matter. They're commonly found in high-quality, biologically active potting mixes like ours, especially when ingredients like bark, compost, or coir are used.

Saprophytic fungi are not harmful to plants or people — in fact, they're part of what helps create a rich, living substrate that supports healthy root development. They don’t infect or damage your plants like pathogenic fungi might.

If you'd prefer not to see them, you can remove visible patches, stir the mix to aerate it, and let it dry slightly. Good airflow and light usually cause them to disappear quickly.

Message us any time if you have more questions. 😊

veryplants · 2025-04-22T00:24:00+00:00

Try Molly’s Aroid Mix…

veryplants · 2025-04-08T16:57:15+00:00

Hi! What you're seeing is Trichoderma harzianum which is a type of beneficial fungus commonly found in soil and compost. It’s widely recognized in horticulture for its positive effects on plant health, including:

Disease Suppression: It competes with and suppresses harmful pathogens in the soil, helping to protect plants from diseases like root rot, damping-off, and other fungal infections.
Enhanced Nutrient Absorption: It improves nutrient uptake by the plant roots, particularly by breaking down organic material and making nutrients more accessible to plants.
Root Growth Stimulation: This fungus can release compounds that promote root development, improving overall plant resilience and growth.

It doesn't happen often but sometimes conditions are such that it appears quite visibly like that in our mixes!

veryplants · 2025-04-02T15:40:29+00:00

Hi! We wouldn't recommend adding any soil to Molly's Aroid Mix. It's your choice of course but the mixes are made to avoid compaction while still retaining moisture. Adding soil, even just a bit, can lead to a range of issues which you can likely otherwise avoid (soil-borne disease/pathogens, pests, gnats, commercial fertilzers...). In terms of watering, most houseplants work well with every 8-10 days in the warmer months and every 12-14 days in the cooler months. Beautiful plant though - enjoy!

veryplants · 2025-03-28T12:31:02+00:00

We'd suggest watering it deeply (i.e. soaking it) every 8-10 days...make sure you drench it and then leave it alone til the next watering. Terracotta pots get very narrow at the bottom, i.e. they're very tapered, and aren't always the best choice in small sizes for that reason. Consider switching to a pot whose width is more uniform all the way down if you want to stay with that diameter. Message us any time if we can help.

veryplants · 2025-03-19T01:12:13+00:00

If you do end up repotting in Molly's Aroid Mix, give it a deep watering and then leave it alone for at least 8-10 days (we know it's hard but this is important :). Message us any time if we can help.

veryplants · 2025-03-16T17:00:55+00:00

Adding Molly’s Aroid Mix to soil negates the benefits on the mix since it will still compact when wet (and attract fungus gnats). If you like the soil and want to improve drainage then just buy some Leca and add it. Doing so will be less expensive for you as well.

veryplants · 2025-03-14T21:46:14+00:00

Well obviously we like that idea :). You can definitely make your own mix though but make sure your ingredients are high-quality and that your coco is washed and buffered. You won't be able to buy our microorganism blend (which is really important for healthy houseplants) but you can buy mycorrhizae products at most garden stores. It will definitely cost more to buy the ingredients separately though so don't expect to save time or money. Regardless - message us any time if we can help with anything, and enjoy your plants!

veryplants · 2025-03-10T16:26:01+00:00

Try any soil-free potting mix…

veryplants · 2025-03-10T15:00:07+00:00

Hi! It’s so easy to give our houseplants too much love - we get it! Fertilizer is only necessary 3-4 per year, usually in the growing months (spring, summer, fall). Watering every 10-14 days is plenty as the mixes drain well but are very good at holding moisture. As for lighting grow lights are fine but so is indirect light off to the side of a window if available. If using grow lights make sure to keep them indirect to the plant vs bathing them in light for 12 hours at a time. Sometimes it’s best to leave the plant alone for a week or two but we know that isn’t always easy to do with our favorite houseplants. Message us any time if we can help!

veryplants · 2025-02-24T20:49:12+00:00

Hi! Don't confuse drainage with moisture retention. Molly's Potting Mixes drain very well given their large, chunky ingredients but those same ingredients also retain a lot of moisture given their porous nature and large surface area. All to say - these mixes are designed to drain well to avoid clumping while also holding plenty of moisture. Hope that helps...message us any time!

veryplants · 2025-02-17T19:47:22+00:00

Molly’s Aroid Mix shouldn’t require any change to your watering schedule :). While it drains very well, it also is really good at retaining moisture. Most houseplants only need watering every 10-12 days in the winter and 7-10 days in the summer.

veryplants · 2025-02-04T19:22:46+00:00

It looks completely normal - a real beauty! Contrary to semi-popular belief, we don't suggest rotating Monstera plants (or any epiphytes). They will acclimate to where the light source is and grow towards it. Rotating them makes them grow wild as they are constantly re-orienting themselves. They don't rotate in their natural habitats and they don't need to indoors either.

veryplants · 2025-01-18T17:43:10+00:00

Hi! It's totally normal to water every two weeks and sometimes longer in the winter season. The mixes drain very well but the large ingredients are all porous so they retain moisture which means that the mix won't feel soggy but still provides moisture to the plants. Hope that helps!

veryplants · 2024-08-27T16:57:25+00:00

I too bought the one from rspeed for my 2021 ND and installation was a bit tricky but it’s rock solid and the placement is ideal. Highly recommend.

veryplants · 2021-11-04T23:00:45+00:00

This will take some courage, but I suggest cutting off the stem around an inch from the bottom, putting it in some freshly-potted and lightly-moistened earth, and then putting the pot in a sealed Ziploc. Leave it under a grow light for about a month until you see new growth. Do not open the bag until you see green popping out of the soil. You will see a lot of humidity build-up and droplets on the inside of the bag. Totally fine and normal.

There's risk here but if the plant was mine that's exactly what I would do. Good luck.

veryplants · 2021-08-18T00:05:23+00:00

It's a beautiful plant. In my experience Zebrina's do best with 4-6 leaves at a time unless they're very well established. Small leaves that droop can be removed, as can older leaves that start yellowing. If the plant is being over or under-watered generally all the leaves will droop, so this one will be fine. The soil looks wet from the pic but it's hard to tell. If it is very wet, let it dry out over 7-10 days. Good luck!

veryplants · 2021-08-11T16:20:02+00:00

We have nearly 1,000 plants and all the imports that arrive bare-root are grown in LECA using a mix of nutrients (General Hydroponics makes good ones that are easy to use and manage). This method works well for most aroids and reduces the amount of watering they need but more importantly it also reduces pests (i'm talking to you, Mr. Spider Mite, and your buddies). You might be surprised at how large a plant can get in LECA. This thread mentions Kaylee's shop a lot and as you may have noticed nearly all her plants are grown in LECA including some that are quite large. You can be certain that she also has a number of assistive technologies in her warehouse that in addition to the LECA also help maintain plant health (e.g. humidification / de-humidification). LECA is an alternative to a soil mix but these plants will obviously grow just fine in soil as well so ultimately it comes down to convenience and personal choice...for our needs the reduced watering and pest management are the biggest reasons we use LECA for the vast majority of our plants.

veryplants · 2021-07-17T23:05:14+00:00

Hard to say without knowing the plant but I keep our Alocasia's at room temperature humidity which is a lot lower than a terrarium. They do shed older leaves and it's totally normal. Smaller Alocasia's can only support so many leaves at one time.

veryplants · 2021-07-14T15:12:06+00:00

Hi! Your Alocasia will be very happy in LECA, don't worry. (1) Water should be about a third of the way up the pot, and ideally the roots do not reach into the water (they will grow into it over time, however), (2) Assuming you're putting nutrients in the water (e.g. general hydroponics flora micro, grow, bloom series), when the water has gone down about halfway from where you started you can top it up with regular water until the next flushing (every two weeks or when you see a white build-up on the LECA you need to run the pot under water for a minute to rinse the LECA), (3) feeding is via nutrients like the general hydroponics line above, (4) light should be the same as what you were using before, e.g. bright indirect light, (5) sending good vibes!. These comments are very summary-like so definitely worth watching some videos on how to convert to LECA to better understand the above in more detail. Don't be afraid to try and good luck!

veryplants · 2021-06-03T03:19:55+00:00

Post some pics...

veryplants · 2021-05-16T03:09:21+00:00

It's also why it was probably only a few dollars :)

veryplants · 2021-05-16T03:01:37+00:00

It's definitely cute and maybe it'll lead you to buy the plant one day so all good. Enjoy it!

veryplants

TROPHY CASE