White Soil Deposits: Mold, Fertilizer Pellets, or Mineral Crust

Differential Diagnosis

Mold/fungus: Cool, damp, contaminated soil. Scrape, dry, warm location, systemic fungicide if severe.
Insect eggs: Unlikely; usually fertilizer pellets (round, uniform).
Mineral crust: White hard deposits from hard water/fertilizer. Scrape, flush soil, stop fertilizing, no bottom watering.

Use sterile, well-draining mix. Avoid overwatering.

House Plants: White Powdery Layer Under Weed Fabric: Harmless Fungal Mycelium; White Fuzzy Mold on Orchid Roots in Terrarium: Mealybugs or Fungus?; Venus Flytrap Care Checklist: Confirming Proper Soil, Water, and Light Practices; Dealing with Mold on Houseplant Soil: Causes and Simple Solutions; Deep Soil Mold in 43 Plants: Drainage, Lysol, Skewer Method; Cat Palm Rescue: Drainage, Moisture, and Light; Managing Mold on Houseplant Soil; Renovating a Weedy, Drought-Damaged Lawn: Soil Building, Crabgrass Control, and Fall Seeding; Fall Lawn Care for a First-Year Lawn in Ohio: Skip the Chemicals, Feed the Soil; Growing Penstemons: Requirements and Companion Plants

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