When another mum maintained that the mould on the peat pots in question wasn’t dangerous, the exchange escalated.
‘Well if you’ve got kids or anyone staying with you who’s got asthma or any other problems with their lungs they are more susceptible to being badly affected by mould,’ the fan maintained.
The other mum wrote that the mould on the plants is fine and hadn’t affected her asthmatic daughter, prompting the fan to reply: ‘I’m guessing they haven’t been in the house or mouldy for long. With an asthmatic daughter I can’t believe you’re happy to take the risk. I hope she remains unaffected.’
When the mum claimed that her own mother, a registered nurse, had said that the mould on the Discovery Garden pots was fine, other mums echoed her sentiments.
Said one: ‘There is a big difference between toxic black mould, and the harmless mould that has been popping up on a lot of these pots.
‘Mine are kept inside and my immune suppressed, Oncology child is 100% fine.
I even double checked it with his Oncologist in clinic today so pipe down.’
Added another: ‘Maybe U should learn to double check ur information.....because DING DING DING.....ur wrong.’
A Woolworths spokesman has told New Idea Food that mould on the Discovery Garden plants isn’t dangerous.
‘We’d like to reassure growers that mould can be a natural part of the process when it comes to growing a natural product,’ the spokesperson said.
‘Mould is found everywhere and comes down to the environment and caused by local conditions such as moisture and airflow. If you see mould appearing, we suggest gently wiping it off with a tissue or cloth.
‘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.’