white fuzzy mold

[mofms1]

I have a Paph Supersilk Eureka and Paph Spring Desire. I just got these a few weeks ago at an orchid show and they're the first paphs I've owned. The Eureka bloomed a week or two after I got it, but the Spring Desire was already in bloom. I ended up cutting off the flower spike for the Spring Desire because there was a large brown spot on the top petal (I'm not sure if my terminology is correct). There was also a brown spot about halfway up the spike and on the lower leaves. They were brown and wet enough to tear off easily, but the other leaves seem fine. I was scared they were rotting.

I then repotted it (I thought the medium was too wet and that's why all the brown) in bark medium in a terra cotta pot. Today I realized there was fuzzy white mold forming on the sides the terra cotta pot so I took the paph out and noticed the mold was also on the top of the roots. So I repotted again into a plastic orchid pot with all sorts of holes on the sides, in new bark medium.

I don't know what I'm doing wrong. Obviously I'm watering too much, but I was told the roots like steady moisture and there was never standing water in the pot. I do have the Spring Desire in a plastic indoor/outdoor greenhouse, but nothing else in there is moldy. Is it just not getting enough airflow? Do I need to give it more time between watering? Should I not be freaking out over the fuzzy white mold? I've taken care of phals for a few years now and never had problems like this.

[SouthPark]

Originally Posted by mofms1

Is it just not getting enough airflow?

Possibly - that could be it. Unless the green-house has fan systems etc, then it is certainly possible for a greenhouse to be humid inside, and cool and also still-air for some amount of time.

The mould has spores that can get around. The spores are probably in the air all the time, and everywhere.

Have you got mancozeb? Dry the top portion out a little bit - then could probably spray some mancozeb on the roots and media surface.



---------- Post added at 11:30 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:13 AM ----------

Originally Posted by mofms1

I was told the roots like steady moisture.

Maybe the plants do well like that. But - I genuinely can say that paphs and phrags etc can handle being a bit try temporarily too. I know this, as I grow them all in scoria. Semi-outdoors --- under a balcony, in a tropical climate, good amount of light. Air movement - usually gentle and quite satisfactory. Sometimes even a bit breezy. I've never seen mould on the roots or media surface.

[Ray]

Are you sure its mold and not mineral buildup? Mold tends to grow on decomposing organic matter, nit inorganic clay pots.

[mofms1]

Originally Posted by Ray

Are you sure its mold and not mineral buildup? Mold tends to grow on decomposing organic matter, nit inorganic clay pots.

I haven't had it long enough to be mineral build up and it's fluffy and fuzzy. Also, if you looked at it from the side, it was raised, not like a mineral spot that has seeped into the pores of the pot.

---------- Post added at 07:50 AM ---------- Previous post was at 07:41 AM ----------

Originally Posted by SouthPark

Possibly - that could be it. Unless the green-house has fan systems etc, then it is certainly possible for a greenhouse to be humid inside, and cool and also still-air for some amount of time.

The mould has spores that can get around. The spores are probably in the air all the time, and everywhere.

Have you got mancozeb? Dry the top portion out a little bit - then could probably spray some mancozeb on the roots and media surface.



---------- Post added at 11:30 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:13 AM ----------



Maybe the plants do well like that. But - I genuinely can say that paphs and phrags etc can handle being a bit try temporarily too. I know this, as I grow them all in scoria. Semi-outdoors --- under a balcony, in a tropical climate, good amount of light. Air movement - usually gentle and quite satisfactory. Sometimes even a bit breezy. I've never seen mould on the roots or media surface.

I will buy a fan and put it inside the greenhouse. Maybe that will help. I have also considered going s/h with LECA rock, I have the LECA but I am still doing my research to make sure I do it correctly. Also, I will go longer between watering. I don't have mancozeb, but I saw a youtube video that said to wpie the pots down with neem oil and I tried that. But since I switched to a plastic pot, I guess I won't know how that works unless I have problems with a different plant.