Seedlings question

[jmain3]

Good morning everyone! I got some seedlings for a Christmas gift. I'm a bit worried on a few of them. Some of them had snails. Now, the others have some stuff on the roots, any idea? Thanks everyone.

I tried to take pictures with my cellphone to just add them on here but I didn't like the quality at all. I've taken them with a better camera and here's the link

https://plus.google.com/photos/11414...IbC0O-f24q6-wE

[silken]

Welcome to Orchid Board! I can't tell for sure from the pictures, but if you have snails, that could be snail damage. They will likely be chewing the roots. If they all came from the same place, I would assume they all possibly have snails and would treat that as soon as possible. Other than that, I don't see much unusual. Seedlings are often potted in moss and do well in it as they need more even moisture than the mature plants. I have never had to get rid of snails so I'm not sure what is most often used on orchids. Maybe someone else will offer some tips.

[stefpix]

coffee kills and repels snails. If I had snails I would soak the plants in some 1:1 coffee + water solution.

[jmain3]

Can someone please explain the 1:1 coffee/water method? I'm a bit rusty with measurements. Does the coffee need to be brewed and combined with an equal part of water? Thanks, Jenn

[stefpix]

Slug and snail baits: How to safely fight the war on slime

i would soak the pot as snails sometimes come out at night.

[RosieC]

What I see in the pictures is brown marks on the roots which are quite common and not a problem. Not sure if that's what you mean, or something I'm not spotting.

I believe (but might be wrong) that this colouring can come from iron deposited from the water. I get it here and it's because my water is quite high in iron here.

I've never seen it cause a problem, whatever the cause.

[Junebug]

I've been on a snail killing rampage for the last several months. Snail baits and/or beer in saucers didn't work for me. My best results have involved a 2-part procedure.

Initially, as soon as I suspect snail damage, I bait the top of my potting medium with sliced raw potatoes just before sunset. Snails are attracted to the potatoes and they will generally visit the undersides of them during the night. The next morning I flip over each slice of potato and pick off and destroy the snails. Note: Look very carefully because some snails a very, very small. I repeat this step for 2 or three days in a row to rid my plants of the most aggressive eaters. I've also made a habit of saving, drying, and storing spent coffee grounds. After the potato treatment I spread the dried grounds all over the medium of all my potted orchids. To my knowledge the coffee grounds have no ill effects on the chids.

This method has worked very well for me, however it should be repeated from time to time. Generally speaking I repeat treatments about every 4 to 6 weeks...or whenever I see damage. Sometimes snails will bluntly chew off the tender root tips and/or growths and other times there will be brown markings on the roots that look similar to the damage in your photo.

[Bud]

Right...cold brewed left over coffee can be poured on the mix and the grounds can be dried and sprinkled to the media too ...it just becomes carbon similar to the charcoal we put on the media mix ... its fine ground so it will eventually be washed away in the sink as you water the plant...
*also: ground fesh cracked egg shells (beat them up to the size of the mix of the media) sprinkle them all over the pot...the snails hate them

[stefpix]

I read that spent coffee grounds have not enough caffeine or whatever else that repels snails. I would buy just some cheap coffee and use that. I would soak the media in it. It kills and repels snails.

i would also spray the plant.