White creamy stuff on soil!!!!?? What is that?

[Sandra75]

So yesterday was the 'clean out' of the month to wash off minerals off pots. Dragged my Cymbidium in the bathtub and poured in tap water until water coming out of the bottom of the pot was no longer as yellow. I did the same with my other Cymbidiums.

Today I look at this particular one, noticing white creamy stuff on the soil!!! What is that? It was NOT there before and was not there yesterday. How would this show up over night?

What is it and what to do about it?

[WhiteRabbit]

Could be mildew/fungus, tho I can't be certain.
Have you put snail pellets (the "safer" iron oxide type) in the plants? I have noticed those become fuzzy looking.

[Sandra75]

What is snail pellets? All I know is that it showed up overnight! The little rock with that stuff on it (pic) that one is dried up now not even showing the white. Its too weird.

I've had plants before with that white stuff but that was due to bad aeration and you actually saw it having it more and more but this stuff is just too strange!

[Sandra75]

look at this, its now going on the tag!!!! there's more now than what I had earlier

[WhiteRabbit]

If it's spreading this fast, I think it is fungus. Might be a good idea to repot with new media.

[Sandra75]

this is weird now that white stuf is all dried up at top and is hard!

[Lagoon]

Hi Sandra,

My experience with this type of mildew is .... if it's left to continue then dark blueish mold will then tend to form.
I've seen this on a few of my orchids when I first started growing them, it was 2 factors - wet and cold media/ conditions.

I would repot add 100% of fresh media and find a warmer spot with added air circulation for you're orchid.

Good luck

[orchids3]

Maybe snow mold. In addition to repottimg the plant I would wash the pot in a 10% purex solution and soak the plant in fungucide before I put it back in the pot.