What is this white salt and web like thing on the soil?

Question

I found these tiny drops of white thing on the soil of my pot growing Dracaena Reflexa Pleomele. They are kinda hard to see, but they resemble salt.

What are these? How can I reduce or control this? Is this a good thing? What caused this white thing?

Answer 1

Houseplants have a mini ecosystem in their pots but not to the same extent as outdoors. The normal processes of decay that create mulch and return nutrients to the soil do not act in the soil of a houseplant:

• remove all loose debris from the pot including dead leaves and roots
• whatever that white stuff is move it on out to the garbage

You have asked other questions about this plant and leaf spotting which goes hand in hand with poor drainage and a source for virus/fungus/bacteria. I believe this plant does not have adequate drainage. The soil looks like topsoil which retains too much water. I suggest:

• take the plant out of the pot and examine the roots: firm and white or yellow is good, black and soft indicates rot which should be cut away
• examine what parts of the soil are wet. Just the top or the bottom?
• confirm presence of a drainage hole in the bottom of the pot and that it is not plugged with roots
• remove any layer of stones that may be present at the bottom of the pot. These do not help drainage.
• consider buying some soil for houseplants and re potting the plant