Do you have mold growing in your fairy garden? This can be a real problem not only for the plants that grow there, but also for the decorations in Fairy Gardens. Read the Tips below to improve the airiation of your soil, keep plants healthy, and help to keep your beautiful fairy decorations dry and in good condition.

Mold comes from lack of ventilation, bacterial growth, and water accumulation. There are several things we can do to improve all of these conditions.

First of all, adding ventilation will work very well over several days to improve an overly moist condition within a fairy garden container. If you have a fairy garden that is indoors, placing a fan that will lightly blow across it can be a big help. If your garden display is outdoors, moving it into the sun won’t necessarily be a fix. You need air movement. Try a breezy walkway or bring it inside a few days in a bright spot and use the fan.

If you are in the creation process of your Fairy garden, before placing your soil into the container, place some pebbles or loose stones along the bottom. This will help to keep the soil separate from any water pooling that might occur from overwatering.

If you already have an established fairy garden that is having mold appear along the top of the soil, some people like to add mulch. If you add a mulch that decomposes quickly, you could exacerbate the moldy conditions. Try to get a mulch that is a bit more dense. Wood chips, marbles, stones, pine cone leaflets, or large fairy item decorations. If you use a decorative item, be sure that it is waterproof, not water resistant. Placing even ceramics into such an area could cause deterioration of your item.

Some people like to use small Pineneedles for a mulch topping. This can cause some issues with certain plants, so be sure to check out if your Flora can handle the acidity of the pine needles.

Also if the mold has invaded into your fairy houses and decor, be sure to remove the pieces, clean them with a mild bleach solution and dry them completely before placing them back into a dry section of the fairy garden. Although your plants need water, you’re fairy garden pieces themselves need to be kept as dry as possible for a lifetime of use.

If you are using items made out of natural products, such as found on Sprouted Dreams, it is always best to keep them as dry as possible to prevent damage.

Be sure to keep a close watch this Fall and Winter for these moldy conditions. As the seasons change, bacterial growth can rise considerably.

If you find mold throughout your soil, you must be willing to remove all living plants, decor, and compost that moldy soil and replace it with fresh new dirt. Some people like to add vermiculite into their soil mixes. Personally I have not found that to be helpful in moldy conditions, but you can always give it a try. I find that the vermiculite itself can harbor mold and hold onto it if it is left moist for long periods of time.

Watch for the signs and take appropriate measures when necessary: A layer above the soil that looks almost spiderweb-ish or cloudy- white in appearance. Also watch for green coloring along the top of moist soil, greenish tint along the bases of your decorations, such as along the bases of the fairy houses or the fairies themselves.

If you see any type of green, white or even black coloration where the coloring was not there previously, use the above three tips to control the mold before it spreads.

Happy fairy gardening! And may you always have healthy and virtuous soil!