Lots of molds and fungi do help out decomposing wood and other things in the soil food web. To me it's kinda hard to tell on my phone if it's mold or not.

Do you have an over head ceiling fan or a fan you can blow towards your trees for circulation so that that does not happen? I suggest everyone should..) I have a fan going 24/7 on every plant I own in my warm room, greenhouse and cool porch..

It is mold and it is there because there is sufficient moisture for it to grow. It will not harm your tree. You can remove it or turn the soil mix over.

Is your tree losing a lot of leaves?

I don't have a fan I don't think I want to in this cold weather either. I can occasionally dry it with a dryer though.

But this is the first time I've ever seen mold grow on a potting mix. Is this really normal? My tree is losing a few leaves after bringing them indoors which I heard is normal. They first turn yellow and then start dropping leaves.

Your soil mix is conducive to mold growth and is not the best for keeping your trees happy. Those pine bark chunks are way too big and the sta green mix is too water retentive which may eventually lead to root rot. Many people on this forum use the 5-1-1 mix which is less likely to grow mold and is better for your trees.

Al Tapla's 5-1-1 Mix

· 5
parts pine bark mulch (remove ½” pieces through 1/2 inch screen)

(Some people use Repti Bark instead of
mulch. This does not require screening but may require more frequent watering.)
Be sure to soak the bark overnight.

· 1
part sphagnum peat

· 1
part perlite (coarse, if you can get it)

· 1 Tb garden
lime /gal 5-1-1 mix (measure the 5-1-1 mix)

· Osmocote
plus (follow manufacturer’s instructions). This is optional.

·
Moisten well and wait at least 2 days before using

OK but I don't get what you mean by screening the pine bark mulch. How does that break a piece of mulch that sturdy? Its pretty hard I can't even break it with my hands

You remove the 1/2 inch bark by passing the pine bark through a 1/2 inch sieve and discarding what does not go through and using what does go through. You do not break up the large chunks. I use 1/2 inch hardware cloth as a sieve.

Ok well even with the sieve, those pine barks will never go through it. Its that big. And they are called 'mini pine bark nuggets'. Theres also a larger one than that in sale in my local nursery. So I was wondering if I can use shredded mulch like cedar mulch instead? Does it have to be pine bark?

You need to get uncomposted pine bark mulch. The point of putting the pine bark mulch through the sieve is to remove everything bigger than 1/2 inch from the mix before using it to make your soil mix. Yes it has to be pine bark. Do not use cedar.

Heruga, save yourself the trouble and just buy a bag of reptibark. On Amazon, the large bag is often in sale for 15.99....no screening...easy. It will cost you a bit more, but I feel it is worth it.

Zoo Med Reptile Bark Fir Bedding, 24 Quarts https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001F9AMW6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_XwrnybEF8CHWV

Yes I know but NONE of my pine barks will go through the screen. Its just that big even if they are called 'mini'. How and where do I get a good sized pine bark? By scraping off the bark of a real pine tree?

Reptibark sounds good too but someone says you have to water more or something. Are there any other drawbacks to this repitbark?

Nope, not at all...Not if it's the right size and if you soak it for a few days..

In fact, depending on where you live, you can add more peat if you feel you don't want to or have to water as often.

You should have no problem finding 'composed pine bark' which holds moisture better or similar in your area since you are in the East like me...I am not sure where you live in relation to your local 'Agway', but here is a link to show you where they are located. The drive to pick up a couple of bags is well worth the investment. I would drive a 100 miles or more to be able to get a hold of their 'southern pine bark'

https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#q=agway+in+New+Jersey

The reptibark is great! It is recommended to soak it before mixing up the 5-1-1. It is uniform in size and holds up well. If you don't want the trouble of sifting the mix, it is the way to go.

I just looked agway in morristown and the smallest pine bark mulch they have is 1 inch.. it needs to be 1/2 inch right? If I can't get this then I guess I'll just have to stick to reptibark

And how long will reptibark last? Can I just repot every 3 years as usual or does this mulch require me to repot sooner

This is what you need: http://morristownagway.com/catalog/product/117217/agway-pine-bark-mulch-3-cuft#.WDYmy5JZKKZ

But it must be put through a sieve to get rid of chunks bigger than 1/2 inch. If you do not want to do that, then get the Repti - Bark.

How often you repot depends on how fast the tree grows and that depends on the type of tree, its environment and how it is taken care of.

That says the chip is 12 inches which means each chip is 1 feet long isnt it?

Also I'm looking at 1/2 inch sieves and most of them cost at least 50$.. am I looking at the right one..?

I am not sure, but I suspect the reptibark will last longer than the pine fines. Honestly, the reptibark is much simpler. Here's what my mix looks like...

Hey got another question. My sudachi was in an urgent situation and I had to repot it as soon as possible. So I bought the reptibark and just mixed with peat moss and perlite. I didn't soak it overnight or even put water on it. But I did water it after my sudachi went in the pot. Would not soaking the reptibark harm the plant?