Is the compost new, and is it General Purpose compost? Sometimes old stuff can produce this white 'crust' - especially if the compost is too wet. It is more likely to happen with general purpose rather than seedling compost too. Its the salts in the compost that are being leached out by the water. If your plants are big enough to cope (ie not tiny seedlings) then the best thing to do is to use a small stick or similar and stir the white layer back into the soil.
If the white layer is 'furry' then its more likely to be mould, and suggests that a) the compost is far too wet, and b) it was old, or hadn't been properly sterilised. If this is the case, allow to dry out and stir back in - or even remove the white layer and top up with fresh stuff.
Hope that works for you!
LCG | 
17-03-2008, 09:30 AM
hello growers 
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