Orange balls on phal's rotting roots?
 

Anyone seen these before? I couldn't find any other cases of these things online. There are strange little orange ball creatures on my phal's roots. They seem to be killing the roots and then emerging from them or they're just consuming the dead roots that are rotting for some other reason.

I got this phalaenopsis a few months ago and I've repotted it a couple times because I can't seem to get rid of whatever this is. I keep cutting off the rotting roots and the little ball bugs keep popping up with more rotted roots. I tried some Physan 20 on it, obviously didn't work. I haven't tried a hydrogen peroxide bath yet, I will try that next time I repot.

**I tried to post pics but the forum won't let me. ?:(?

Are you sure it is a bug? I have seen tiny orange fungi growing on roots before, it didnt seem to harm anything....Jean

I think you need to post more than 5 times on Orchidboard (anywhere, anything) and then you can post pictures.

To me, it sounds like your roots are staying too wet. What kind of pot, etc. is the plant growing in?

I would take the plant out of the pot, clean the roots thoroughly (a couple drops dish soap in a gallon of water, gently wash, thoroughly rinse), let the roots dry a day or two (which won't harm the roots a bit), then re-evaluate what is, or is not, dead, and trim off the dead stuff.

Re-pot in a completely clean (preferably new) pot that barely fits the remaining roots. I prefer terra cotta (clay) pots, but use what you like, as long as it has very good drainage.

Go easy on the water for a few weeks, water maybe only once a week, but when you do, water very well (at the sink, water running out of the pot). Usually I find that watering my phals in clay pots once or twice a week is enough, unless the air is VERY dry, then I might go to 3 times a week.

I think they will probably be slow release fertilizer.

This sounds like it might be the sexual stage of Fusarium solani.

Check out this page:
http://www.icogo.org/images/Dr._Huan...se_Control.pdf

You'll find pics about half way down the page that look like what your describing.

Good luck!!

Judi

sweetjblue, that is what they look like. So how do I get rid of them?

Per Dr Huans page:  Control: Removal and destruction of infected plants and growing media;
Sterilization of growing media; Avoidance of excessive
watering. Chemical control not recommended.

One of the main causes is moisture. That is not to say that you've been overwatering, it probably happened long before you got the plant.
As already mentioned perhaps you want to unpot, clean the plant up really well, let it dry out for a few days and then repot into fresh clean STERILE media. If you have the ability to care for a mounted plant that is the route I would go. It would be able to dry out quickly and help keep these uglies at bay somewhat if they return. They are difficult to get rid of.
Once you've let the plant dry out there is the danger that the spores (red balls) which are also dry could be carried to other plants via even the mildest of breezes, so you risk infecting all plants with this. It may sounds cruel, but unless this is a very special or valuable plant, the best thing might be to get rid of it and get another plant without issues.

Good Luck with whatever you decide to do. :)

Judi

Thanks for posting the link, very informative.

Thanks. They must've been there when I got it because I definitely haven't overwatered this phal. If anything I've underwatered it because I've been wary of moving it too much not knowing what the spores were. I will try soaking it in hydrogen peroxide and then letting it dry out for a couple days. If they reappear again I will probably toss it. =/

I will post pics of the orchid's roots in my next post (must have 5 posts to post pictures!)
I have a new question, do y'all think I should cut off the flower spike on this phal? Won't that get it started on new root growth? I have had luck with cutting a healthy spike and repotting in the past but I hate to make that cut! It's trying to grow new flowers, too. :_(