What is this weird little fuzzy, sea-creature looking thing at the base? And if its a problem…. what do I do about it????
It lives by bathroom window and i water whenever the top couple of inches gets dry. It did have some kind of pest (i don't know what it was but I think I managed to clear it up) recently so a lot of the frands are looking a little sad and dry right now.
by gotlggs
1 Comment
Its a fungus. Not dangerous in itself, but fungus thrives in an environment thats too wet for a Boston fern. The yellow & brown leaves are another sign of the same issue.
Humidity is good for this plant, so the bathroom is a good spot for it, but the fern’s roots need air as well as moisture, so we aim for consistently damp soil at the bottom of the pot, never wet. When things are too wet, the smothered roots can’t do their job, so leaves are sacrificed.
The fix involves good drainage, don’t let old water sit around in or under the pot. Thats when the organic material in the soil starts to rot, which is what the fungus feeds on. It also involves letting the top inch or so of soil dry out before watering.
If you want to remove the fungus, mix one part 3% hydrogen peroxide with 4 parts water, and use that the next time you water. But it should vanish when the soil starts to dry out.