Can mold stay in the soil for next year?

Grow Mediums Soil
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A question from a fellow grower:

" I grow outdoors here in the Pacific Northwest and have selected particular strains for their short season growing times. I have done this for several years with great success.

Unfortunately, an early cold snap coupled with cool rains created a mold problem in my crop. I ended up losing over 80% of my harvest to mold.

My question is, is there anything I need to do differently to prepare the soil for next year? Meaning as I cut off the affected tops and moldy areas of the plants, many dropped to the ground and on the soil. Can this mold stay in the soil and possibly affect my crop next year? Do I need to amend the soil with anything?

I appreciate your feedback and knowledge, thank you…"

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Long as there is food for mold to munch on, it will keep growing. Bacteria will do the same.

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Mold spores are everywhere around us! You can’t avoid mold spores but what you can do it mitigate the conditions mold needs to take hold.
The high humidity and wet weather you had while in flowering outside had the needed conditions for the mold spores to take hold and reproduce etc.

I don’t think (I could be wrong) that I would be too worried about your soil and mold from last grow. If you say move the hole over 10, 20 even 30 feet away mold spores are still around and if next grow conditions are right and your in flower you could have the same issues. You can treat them with Hydrogen Peroxide spray etc to help mitigate the mold or if rain is expected erect a cover to keep them from direct rain etc.

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I grow outdoors in unfriendly conditions. I’ve had bud rot the past 3 years and wpm this year as well.

I’ve built a clear roof over the plants, I’ve sprayed with multiple things which are supposed to mitigate molds, I’ve put a fan on the plants to keep air movement high, I’ve basically done all one can do, but still mold appears. When it shows up I do my best to keep the damage minimal. Still, it always progresses, and I always lose part of my potential yield.

So to answer your question. Yes the molds will be present next year. Moving plants won’t make much of a difference. Mold spores are everywhere.
Your best bet for the future is prevention before it appears. Keep your plants healthy. Keep them out of the rain with as much air movement as possible. Don’t crowd them. Understand that when it appears that it will take some of your crop, but you can also harvest some too. Chose mold resistant strains and check them everyday during flower.

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