Eradicating CHC mold.

[Izzie]

Originally Posted by King_of_orchid_growing:)

I'm actually a little wary of using Physan on roots. I did that once, and it didn't work out in my favor.

did you do stronger than 2tsp:1gal, as recommended?

[Izzie]

Originally Posted by Izzie

Maybe I should find an exorcist.

wow. Google Answers: Where can I find an exorcist?

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Originally Posted by Izzie

did you do stronger than 2tsp:1gal, as recommended?

Probably. Not sure. It was a long time ago.

That's probably why it didn't work out for me huh?

Oh well.

Maybe someone else who's had good success with Physan on the plant's roots can chime in.

[Izzie]

time to do some voodoo then.

[cnarciso]

You could always try mixing hydrogen peroxide with some vinegar. It produces peracetic acid which is relatively soft on plants in low concentration and superior to hydrogen peroxide alone in eliminating microorganisms.

Just be careful because, being an acid it tends to acidify things and could burn roots if not done properly. I'm trying to remember, I have not used it in a couple years but I think I used to use a 1:10 dilution.

Also, soaking your medium in an undiluted solution of this for a protracted period should help reduce mold and be safer than bleach (since acids are far easier to wash out of things than bases).

[cnarciso]

=D ...hope that helps somebody

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Thank you.

[Eyebabe]

I am very confused here...
I have been following this thread and one of my personal pet peaves is "bugs"
I would like to know the name of this species of fungi that is trying to be irradicated.
If it is "mold like"...meaning like the crap I occasionally see on bread...with fuzzy fronds; wouldn't a spray of isopropyl alcohol kill the mold?
If so, I have not come across a consistent concentration of isopropyl alcohol to achieve this other than the full out of the bottle stuff.
Have not seen anything regarding H2O2 or bleach as of yet for treating mold but I'm looking...
Just looking for a bit of clarification and apologize for the ignorance here :P

[cnarciso]

Originally Posted by Eyebabe

I am very confused here...
I have been following this thread and one of my personal pet peaves is "bugs"
I would like to know the name of this species of fungi that is trying to be irradicated.
If it is "mold like"...meaning like the crap I occasionally see on bread...with fuzzy fronds; wouldn't a spray of isopropyl alcohol kill the mold?
If so, I have not come across a consistent concentration of isopropyl alcohol to achieve this other than the full out of the bottle stuff.
Have not seen anything regarding H2O2 or bleach as of yet for treating mold but I'm looking...
Just looking for a bit of clarification and apologize for the ignorance here :P

Identifying a specific species of microorganism is generally a bit beyond the layperson (unless you are dealing with a mainstream disease that has very recognizable symptoms). It requires the use of a microscope (not always available to everyone) and various dichotomous keys as well as the knowhow to perform various tests (expensive) in order to identify the organism by process of elimination. This is, needless to say, very time consuming. Even if you have the tools and the knowhow, it is annoying to do: I know having worked as a tech in a micro lab.

Hence why people generally simplify the process of controlling organisms in the field by saying things like "oh it's bacterial/fungal... and bacteria/fungi can be controlled with such and such." However, even this is a shot in the dark, because microbes are very adaptable little buggers that like to mutate. What works to eradicate them for one person may not work for another even if they are dealing with the same species because the organism has changed its DNA to be resistant to that particular chemical/concentration. So it's less about knowing exactly what it is that you are dealing with and more about being able to classify it generally as either bacteria/fungi/insect and then following some general guidelines to find the regime that best controls the infestation under your conditions.

Also, once an organism has gotten on a plant, there really isn't such a thing as "eradicating" it completely. It is usually there to some level always unless the infected tissue is completely removed. Once it has colonized a plant, it's more about controlling it than wiping it out.

[Izzie]

Cnarciso, what would you recommend for control?

Great replies guys, I appreciate it.