Quote Originally Posted by water
dude in all honesty ph is irrelivant in soil

soil buffers the ph so u dont need to worry bout it
Ummm... yeah..... if you think pH doesn't matter in soil, you're nuts. Having a buffer in the soil is a great thing, and it does try and hold the pH solid.

But, as salts build up in the soild from root production and nutrient absorption, and water at an incorrect pH is added on a consistent basis, those buffers wouldn't be holding anymore. A buffer can only do so much.

Plus, most commercial soils do not come with a buffer. People add the buffer in themselves, which he obviously doesn't know how to do. His soil probably came with about 90% peat moss, which definately is not a buffer or in the right pH range.

Fix your pH, it is almost certainly your problem.

PS: Yes, that white stuff on the soil surface sounds like mold. Scrape it away and make a little cover for the soil surface to keep it dark. You can also try a fungicide.