white fuzzy spots on orchid roots

[plantgirl22]

hi!!! so I got my first orchid plant and its not doing too good :/
about 2/3 weeks ago there were some roots sticking out of the top and I cut them off before I knew what I was doing (they were white and I thought they were dead, later read that its perfectly normal) and shortly after the flowers started turning brown.
a few days ago the roots were getting white again so I sprayed some plant food I got from the store (miracle grow for orchids), watered her, and they turned green again except now there's a couple white fuzzy spots growing on the roots. I read it could be snow mold or a fungus and I don't want to treat her incorrectly again so if you have an idea what it is and how to treat it please let me know!
also, I want to repot her, I read they like clear plastic pots best, I was wondering would a small glass jar work as well or do they need a drain hole? do they prefer gravel on the bottom or top or none at all?

thank you so much in advance :-)

[Connie Star]

Dear plantgirl. Welcome to OB!
First question- what kind of orchid is it? If you got it at a grocery store or big box store it is probably a Phalaenopsis. They usually have a lot of roots that splay out into the air and turn white when they are dry. Only cut roots if they are brown and thin.
I'm not sure what the white spots are, but you might check out the pest and diseases section of OB.
Repotting- orchid roots require a lot of spaces in the media. They need as much air as they do water. Do not use "Potting soil" but get a special orchid media which you can usually find at garden centers, or order some from a place like Kelly's Korner. I would not use a glass jar as you need a pot with a lot of holes. You can get special orchid pots (I like aircone pots) again from a place like Kellys Korner. If you cant find orchid pots, you can take an ordinary plastic pot and poke holes in the sides with a soldering iron or hot nail.
Do you have any pictures of you orchid you could post?
Welcome to orchid growing. It is a lot of fun and you will find all kinds of information here.