White mouldy stuff on phalaenopsis roots

[Jennybean]

Hi!

So I'm a real newbie, this is my first orchid and I've really been trying to look after it.
I've noticed a whitish mouldy growth on some of the roots (see attached pictures), they've been that brownish colour since I first got the orchid but I've only noticed the white fuzz now. I've only watered it once since I've had it and maybe I've over-watered?

Anyway, I'm not sure what to do now, should I re-pot? And if so, should I wash the mouldy stuff off or trim the affected roots or anything like that?

Are the roots dying? should I cut them off?

Any suggestions would be appreciated, I'm quite worried about this.

[tsun1108]

Looks like your phal is in moss, which may retain too much water probably even before you have it.

Definitely repot and check the rest of the roots!

[RosieC]

I would repot and cut off any hollow or mushy roots. It looks like the ones where the mold is are hollow and would need cutting off.

[Orquiadicto]

I completely agree with the two previous posts.

[Bill U.]

I also agree with the previous posts. I would remove any of the moss from the pot and then cut off any mushy roots or ones that are black. On the roots that you cut, apply some powdered cinnamon (just the basic kind you would have in your kitchen) to the cut end to help seal the wound and prevent further infection.

I would repot this phal into a bark mix (you can find a few different ones at your local big box stores like Lowes, Home Depot, or Menards). I suggest the Better-Gro Special Orchid Mix- that's what I use for my phals and I have gotten wonderful growth since I made the switch! Make sure you soak the bark overnight to help saturate it with water before potting.

After potting, you might want to water with a dilute bleach solution (approx. 1 ounce per gallon) to help prevent any fungus from reappearing. Don't worry about using the bleach- it's dilute enough that it won't harm your phal.

If you decide to stick with sphagnum moss, then I would make sure that it is completely dry in the middle of the rootball (the very center of the pot) before you water again. This can be checked using the "skewer method" of sticking a wooden skewer into the middle of the pot, and if it comes out fairly moist- wait a few days, if it comes out dry or pretty much dry= time to water. As you get more experienced with this, you can also start to gauge when you need to water by the plant/pot's overall weight. A pot with totally wet sphagnum is much heavier than a pot with totally dry sphagnum. If you pick up the plant everyday, then you can start to learn the drying-out time associated with particular weights as well for a quick-check method.

[RosieC]

Originally Posted by Bill U.

On the roots that you cut, apply some powdered cinnamon (just the basic kind you would have in your kitchen) to the cut end to help seal the wound and prevent further infection.

Just make sure that it is only applied to the cut end as Bill says. Don't apply cinnamon liberally over the roots. This is a mistake people seem to make. Cinnamon is a desiccant and will dry out the roots if applied all over, it's fine to use more liberally on other parts of the plant but not on the roots. Just a dab in the cut ends is all it should be.

[katk925]

Rosie C- your photos are so beautiful! Thanks for cheering me up at work with them!

[bnegrete]

After potting, you might want to water with a dilute bleach solution (approx. 1 ounce per gallon) to help prevent any fungus from reappearing. Don't worry about using the bleach- it's dilute enough that it won't harm your phal.

[/QUOTE]


Hi there! Could you please tell me about the bleach solution? Do I let the roots sit in it for a while, or just as a quick flush? Thank you so much!!