Hello, fuzzy mold on my roots!

[meliana]

One of my repotted phals has developed some patches of fuzzy white mold on the roots. The plant looks really healthy otherwise, 200% better than its pre-repotted self, thankfully. But the mold is spreading quickly and it's worrying me. I think I just got unlucky timing with the weather-- I repotted it during an extremely dry spell, and the day after I watered it for the first time, the temperature and humidity shot up like crazy for a few days.

I'd like to tackle this without repotting because the roots, while healthy, are extremely thin and fragile on this phal. Will a listerine spray suffice? Would a full-strength soak hurt it? Should I join the civilized world and get some physan 20? I've honestly never really dealt with this.

[james mickelso]

It's cool and you watered it. It's still wet. Leave it alone. The white mold won't hurt it. It came with your potting mix. You can buy sprays at HD, Lowes, or any nursery that will get rid of the mold. But damp, cool conditions are the culprit.

[meliana]

Glad to hear that the mold won't hurt it, but it's certainly not cold. I'm growing on the east coast and thus indoors, approx 80 degrees. I'm in an apartment with no control over temperature. The conditions it's in now are more or less the conditions year-round; if anything it'll be colder in the spring when the heat cuts out and I can get some windows open.

[james mickelso]

the mold usually comes in the potting media and when you water the micro environment in the pot gets relatively cooler. it is already established and grows when wet, damp, slightly damp. there are fungicides that will get rid of it.

[Orchid Whisperer]

I have white fuzzy mold sometimes after it has been really wet in the summer (outdoors), it is unsightly but does not seem to hurt the plants. It happens especially after I apply metaldehyde granules for snail control & then it rains a lot.

It will likely go away if you can decrease watering a bit. You can probably use a general purpose fungicide to knock it back. Try neem oil spray - it is a pretty benign spray, and has fungicidal properties.