Wrinkly leaves and white mold on roots... - Orchid Board

AThoele · #1 06-25-2009, 09:31 AM

Hi, again! Since I've joined OB I feel like I'm constantly posting about something that's going wrong with my orchids! I thought I was finally getting it figured out when today I went outside to check my orchids and found that the top two leaves on one of my orchids were wrinkly in spots. Then, when I checked the bamboo skewers in the pots to see if it and another needed water, there was white mold on the skewers. I'm immediately pulled the plants out and they both had quite a bit of root rot and white mold on the roots. I trimmed them down and cleaned them up, sprayed them with fungicide, sterilized thier pots and have them sitting out of the pots to dry out right now. Were the wrinkly leaves caused by the root rot? And what is this white mold? How can I make sure It's gone? I had been really careful about overwatering and usually waited an extra day once I thought they could be watered. What am I doing wrong?!

Here's a picture of the leaves...

AThoele · #2 06-25-2009, 12:53 PM

I just checked two of my other phals (my first two that had severe root rot, which I'm trying to nurse back to health) and saw that the skewers in thier pots has the white mold too. One had some of the mold on the plant, the other didn't. I sprayed them both with fungicide and cleaned out thier pots. So I now only have one orchid without this white mold. What the heck is going on here?

cb977 · #3 06-25-2009, 02:17 PM

I'm not sure but there may be a problem with air circulation. Anytime I find snow mold, I spray the whole plant heavily with my trusty Listerine and rinse...then lightly spray (no rinse this time) and repot.

I really only find it on plants that I bring home or are delivered. It doesn't happen (to me, anyway) with my use of LECA instead of bark.

Ross · #4 06-25-2009, 02:28 PM

The wrinkling is the first sign of plant dessication. Together with the mold, it signals root rot, thus roots with poor function. I like to use clear plastic pots with slots around the pot. This allows me to see if there is still moisture in the medium. The slots allow air to get to the roots. As Sue suggests, use of a coarser material like Leca or really coarse fir bark will also help get more air to the roots. I have often had Phal leaves wrinkle like that and they always pull out of it with proper treatment. Nice thick white roots with bright green tips are what you want to see.

King_of_orchid_growing:) · #5 06-25-2009, 02:54 PM

I also suspect over potting.

The root mass should fit snugly into a pot with just enough medium to cover the roots. And by snug I mean potbound.

AThoele · #6 06-26-2009, 07:09 AM

Thanks, everyone. They were in clear pots with holes in the sides, and we've had a nice breeze lately, so I thought the air circulation was OK. I've sprayed them with Listerine and moved them both in to smaller pots (one is in the smallest pot I was able to find at home depot) and the roots are much more snug now. I think that may have been my problem. The plants do look a little silly now though since they have these tiny little pots and all these big leaves. They seem like they can barely keep thier balance! They have some good roots so I hope they'll start to grow more and grow out of these tiny little pots soon!

AThoele · #7 06-26-2009, 07:15 AM

Also, I'm using fir bark right now, but I think it's a medium bark so maybe I need something more coarse. I tried looking for the leca, thinking that might be better for me, but I wasn't able to find any. Do you typically have to order this online or go to a specialty store?

nutgirl · #8 06-28-2009, 06:20 PM

Do you have a local hydroponics supply store? They usually carry leca. I use Hydroton (sp?) since it is carried locally.

maureen

cb977 · #9 06-28-2009, 07:22 PM

I get mine from a local hydro store. They now carry Hydroton but for a while I was using Aliflor because that's what was available. I'd hate to have to pay for shipping on such a heavy item. With you being in Florida, you shouldn't have a problem finding it

Ray · #10 06-29-2009, 09:37 AM

I disagree with those symptoms being related to desiccation due to poor root conditions. If that was true, the leaves would be generally desiccated and flacid, while your photo shows very localized areas affected and otherwise turgid leaves.

This may be a case of mesophyll collapse, which can result from being exposed to brief periods of extreme temperatures, such as splashing cold water on otherwise warm leaves or even sunburn.

Interestingly, such symptoms - IF it's mesophyll collapse - can show up 6- to 8 weeks after exposure, although with sunburn, it's usually a lot sooner.

I would not expect the damage to spread.