How To Treat Fungus On Succulents

While succulents are relatively easy to grow and come in different lovely colors and shapes, they tend to be easily infected by fungi, especially when taken away from their natural habitats. Fungus in succulent seed soil is pretty brutal to stop, so you should prevent them from happening in the first place. We will show you how to prevent fungi attacks on your succulents and the different types of fungi that usually attack succulents.

How To Prevent Fungus In Succulent Seed-soil

The following tips will help you prevent fungus in succulent seed soil:

• Use only an uncontaminated, fresh seed-starting mix. Sealed bags are fungi-free, but immediately you open the bags, pathogens can easily be infested. You can also sterilize your seedings by baking them in an oven of 200 degrees Fahrenheit. But the seedlings will stink after that.
• You should also wash your pots and gardening tools with a bleach solution.
• Plant your succulent seeds in a warm potting mix. To prevent fungus attacks, cover the seedlings with sand instead of soil. Follow the seed manufacturer’s instructions to plant the seeds properly.
• Saved succulent seeds are more susceptible to fungi attacks than commercial seeds. So, ensure you properly store your saved seeds to avoid fungi infestation.

Also, read How to Get Rid of Fungus Gnats with Ease

Watering And Plantation

• Overwatering succulent seeds can cause fungal diseases, so ensure you water appropriately. When watering, do not water the seedlings directly. Instead, water the soil from the bottom to dry the topsoil. Instead of overwatering or under-watering, you want to water just enough to make the potting mix damp.
• Some succulent growers prefer to use a dome cover or plastic wrap to cover their seedlings, while others do not support covering seed trays. If you cover your seedlings, it would be best to remove the cover once you notice the germinating seeds. If you still prefer to cover the seeds, punch holes in the plastic cover or remove the dome occasionally to give room for air circulation. It would be best if the plastic cover had no contact with the seedlings.
• While peat pots are more convenient for your succulents, they tend to support fungus growth. For this reason, use plastic trays in planting your seedlings.
• Avoid overcrowding your seedlings to allow air to circulate correctly. Adequate air circulation also helps in developing sturdier stems.

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Common Types Of Fungus In Succulent Seed-Soil

The devastating effect of fungi is that it not only affects the exterior of your succulents but also causes internal rot, which is quite challenging to treat. Here are some of the fungi you should look out for on your succulents:

#1. Sooty Mold

This fungal infection is also known as Black Mold. This fungi infection causes mild damage to your succulents. If the insects form a large colony in your pot, the photosynthesis necessary for healthy growth will be complicated. Insects such as whiteflies, scales, aphids, and mealybugs are responsible for the infection.

These insects secrete a honey-like substance that Black Mold feeds. Insects are removed to get rid of this fungal infection. You can use Insecticides formulated explicitly for killing scales, aphids, and other plant pests. Similarly, everyday household items such as salt, onion, garlic, and eucalyptus oil can eliminate plant pests.

#2. Grey Mold

Known as Botrytis Cinerea and is relatively easy to detect, this fungi infection usually spreads when your succulent leaves develop a grayish-brown color during the early spring when the weather is quite damp.

This mold starts by attacking the aged, damaged, and dying leaves before applying them to other healthy leaves.

You can apply fungicides to treat the early stages of infection. Once the infection is dire, fungicides will no longer be effective. At this point, you must cut off the infected areas of your succulents. You can also burn off the infected tissues. Do not leave stubs after taking cuttings from your succulents for propagation to avoid this fungus infection.

#3. Leaf Spots

Succulents have a high tolerance for fungi that cause leaf spots. While this fungus is relatively harmless, it has the potential to disfigure your succulents’ arrangement. Do not apply a fungicide when you see tan lesions on your succulents.

Your only option is to get a succulent resistance to this fungi infection if you do not want to overlook the damage.

#4. Fusarium Wilt

This Fusarium Wilt is a fungi infection caused by a pathogen known as Fusarium Oxysporum. This fungi infection stops succulents from retaining water, leading to stress, fatigue, and death. As these fungi enter your succulents’ roots, they reproduce in the tissues and block them. This way, your succulents will be unable to absorb water.

To avoid infection, sanitize every tool you use to grow your succulents. Watering and feeding your succulents consistently will keep them alive until they develop new tissues. Ensure you do not overwater the succulents to avoid future fungal infection.

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#5. Anthracnose

The fungi in the genus Colletotrichum are responsible for Anthracnose infection. Both succulents and cacti suffer from this fungi disease. If your plants have a tan-colored rot with orange or pink pustules, that is a clear sign of Anthracnose infection. The spots develop quickly on crowns and leaves.

If your succulents are suffering from Anthracnose infection, you must remove the affected leaves. This fungi infection spreads via contaminated soil and pots. In light of this, ensure you disinfect your planting tools and materials before planting. A copper fungicide is very useful in destroying this fungus.

#6. Crown And Root Rots

The pathogens of the genus Phytophthora are responsible for most crown and root rots in succulents. This fungi infection has no unusual symptoms, so differentiating it from other fungi infections at the early stages can be pretty tricky.

As the pathogens infect your succulents, they become stressed, weak, and discolored. If you do not treat this infection early, your succulents will eventually die. To prevent crown and root infection, plant succulents in well-draining soil and avoid overwatering.

#7. Powdery Mildew

This can be easily identified as light grey or white powdery spots on the leaves of your succulents. To be more cautious about powdery mildew, you may also check underneath the leaves, stems, flowers, and fruits. This fungus is common in warm, dry, and high-humidity environments. Not having enough sunlight and poor air circulation also produce powdery mildew. Unchecked powdery mildew can take your plant’s many nutrients and water supplies. Among the common signs of powdery mildew on your succulents are yellow withered leaves. This will make your succulent very weak and die if taken for granted.

Wrapping Up

Watching your once-blooming succulents now wilted and dying can be very frustrating. The trick to fungi infection on succulents is to avoid them or treat them in the early stages. Once the entire plant tissues are affected, there might be nothing you can do to save your succulents. The tips in this post will help prevent fungi attacks on your succulents.

Follow Succulent City on Facebook, Pinterest & Instagram for more informative & interesting content about succulents & cacti 🙂 Join the discussions at our Facebook Group, “Succulent City Plant Lounge.” Happy planting, and live the moment!