'I removed it immediately': Mum finds Discovery Garden plant 'infected'
While the Woolworths Discovery Garden campaign has been a hit with just about everyone, some people are concerned about growths popping up on their pots.
Mother of one Nicole Wilson went to water her Discovery Garden plants on Tuesday morning, only to find her bok choi seedling sprouting something strange.
Ms Wilson explained the substance, which looked like mould, was more of a peachy-pink colour as opposed to white.
The mum also has other Discovery Garden plants and the bok choi is the only one which has developed the growths.
“I removed it immediately away from the other plants,” Ms Wilson told Yahoo News Australia.
“No others are showing signs of having the same type of mould.
“I am not concerned at this point in time.”
While Ms Wilson did wipe away the growths, she explained she could still see its remnants, although only faintly.
But it hasn’t spreading towards the soil or around the pot.
Ms Wilson did share photos of her plant to a Facebook group, asking if anyone else had experienced something similar.
“Anyone else had this white mould on their plants yet? Will repot it and hope for the best. Hopefully no others get infected,” she said.
Despite this, the mum, like many people, thinks the promotion is a fantastic idea.
While her daughter is only 18 months old, Ms Wilson did have plans to set up a garden for her.
“I was going to set up a garden for her next year around this time of year so she could help me plant some veggies and herbs,” the mum explained.
“But I saw these were advertised now, so instead, I will teach her how to look after them as they grow every season.
“Everyone says we could have just gone to Bunnings and [bought] our own seedlings, but some of us don't have that kind of transport or money to purchase. These are convenient and ‘free’ with general shopping.
“The only negative I see/hear about these is the mould growing on or around the pots. But I think that is from lack of knowledge of each variety of flower, herb and vegetable.”
The problem doesn’t seem to be overly uncommon. Earlier in September customers were sharing what appeared to be spots of white mould growing on the outside of their pot plants.
“The kids came down this morning to find our first sprout,” one person posted on Woolworths Facebook page in September.
“Disappointed to later discover something is also growing on the outside of the pot... mould!”
A Woolworths spokesperson reassured growers mould can be “a natural part of the process”.
“Mould is found everywhere and in this case is caused by local growing conditions such as moisture and airflow,” the spokesperson told Yahoo News Australia.
“If you see mould appearing, we suggest gently wiping it off with a tissue or cloth. If in doubt, you may wish to dispose of the plant as a precaution.
“Although the mould doesn’t damage the plant, it is unsightly and usually indicates that the pots are being overwatered and have poor drainage or circulation.”
To prevent mould growth, Woolworths advises to maintain proper ventilation and leave plants near an open window, or outside if possible.
The spokesperson also suggests seedlings get plenty of sun and to control the amount of moisture the plant is getting.
“Soil should be moist but not too wet,” the Woolworths spokesperson said.
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