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Removing mould on plant pots?
LeadFarmer
Posts: 1,496
Id like some help with getting rid of some mould on my terracotta plant pots please. Ive tried scrubbing it off, but it grows back, scrubbed it with Jeyes fluid, but it comes back etc. Should I try bleach? Is it mould or lichen?
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Posts
It doesn't look like either to me. It could be efflorescence. Salts in the material are slowly released and come to the surface. Rain water should wash it off - or you can do it. Maybe with a stiffish brush. Eventually it should stop when the salts have all gone.
Can't sleep
. You too, come to that.
I'm in the " can't sleep" camp too.
I'd leave it to weather naturally if it were mine.
Agree - efflorescence of salts/minerals because it's made from a natural substance - one of the advantages over using plastic/silicone etc - it will weather and change as it gets older. Some people go to a lot of trouble to get this effect http://www.marthastewart.com/272211/aging-terra-cotta
If you go to an architectural salvage yard or even a country house auction you will find that weathered pots fetch much higher prices than 'new looking' ones.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
I agree with the above,I like the weathered look I wouldn't waste my time trying to get rid.
I would suggest though that you raise your pots off the floor, you can use anything to do this with bricks, pot feet etc. You need a airflow going under the pot and it also helps drainage, and somewhat prevents your pots freezing.
I've never tried to remove it. It's normal, and part of it's appeal
I think LF has already got them raised off the ground Chrissy
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I knew the science, didn't know the name of the process!
I agree. It's a natural process and should be left to itself. However, if you really don't like it the way forward for future pots is to varnish the inside of the pots with up to 3 layers of clear acrylic varnish as this will reduce the penetration of moisture from the compost and thus reduce the effloressence.
I remember talking to someone from Haddonstone
http://www.haddonstone.com/en-gb
and they had a customer complain about lichen on a pot. Haddonstone were more than happy to give him a nice new one and take the other one back, and sold it for a profit.
One man's dirt is another's patination.
The prices I've seen some of them fetch at country auctions have to be seen to be believed - and they're usually bought by someone who's going to sell them on for double the price.
Just look at the prices of these http://www.ebay.co.uk/bhp/old-plant-pots
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.