buildup or moss/mildew problem - Orchid Board

VickiC · #1 01-30-2009, 10:20 PM

Hi,
I have either a buildup or moss problem on the surface of my PrimeAgra medium.

It's very hard for me to tell which. I know this problem has been addressed in the past because I just read the thread last night, but I have looked for it tonight since I realized I have the same problem and cannot locate it. I do remember that Ray explained what the situation was all about and also gave advice to the member who posted the thread, as did some of you.

Since I started growing orchids less than a yr. ago, I have watered them using our home filtering system. A few months back I noticed the same problem that I have now, but less severe.....only a very light dusting of white "powder" on top of the medium. I thought this may be a fertilizer buildup (I use Dyna-Gro liquid--7-9-5) or else some chemicals may have been getting through our water filtering system. Whatever the case, I switched to distilled water, but continued my weakly-weekly fertilizer regime. The buildup problem didn't lessen but it didn't seem to have gotten noticably worse, either. I was starting to water my Mtssa. tonight and saw that the buildup (or whatever) has gotten worse now, and also a crystalline-looking coating has accumulated on the base of the pseudobulbs. I also saw some yellowish-brown patches along with the white. Some of the leaves are yellowing, too.

I would appreciate help from any of you who know what is going on and what I can do to solve the problem.

Thanks in advance,
Vicki

CoolPhrog · #2 01-30-2009, 10:46 PM

I would try spraying these areas with yellow listerine (don't dilute it) and keep an eye on it. It just looks like "residue" from our water to me - I had a similar problem and I use RO water. We changed all the filters and *poof* no more white stuff...

VickiC · #3 01-30-2009, 11:23 PM

Hi Dana,
Distilled water wouldn't leave residue, would it? That's why I changed from our water-filtering system here at home to distilled. Thought our water might be the problem....or at least, part of the problem. So, I remain....
Clueless/aka Vicki lol

By the way, I do have Listerine.....thanks for your help.

Quote:

Originally Posted by CoolPhrog

I would try spraying these areas with yellow listerine (don't dilute it) and keep an eye on it. It just looks like "residue" from our water to me - I had a similar problem and I use RO water. We changed all the filters and *poof* no more white stuff...

snow · #4 01-31-2009, 01:56 AM

i personally would take them out of their pot and rinse them in clean water with a bit of vinegar added
and pot them up in some clean freshprime agra. btw check out the rest of you,re plants. good luck.

Bob2741 · #5 01-31-2009, 07:32 AM

did you prepare the PA the way rays web site explains I rinse and soak 24 hours each time 4 times and don't have a problem. You could and I get in big trouble for this but cut a pair of panty hose fit it around the top of the pot carefully to hold the Pa in and dunk it in warm water for a while see if this gets rid of it. If not change your water repeat the dip with what ever treatment chemicals you use (Bayer for houseplants ETC) and some cloneX or Kln

Ray · #6 01-31-2009, 11:00 AM

Considering that the buildup is on the plant as well as the medium, it is definitely a mineral buildup issue, so no chemical treatment will fix it.

Considering how dry that pot looks, I think you're not watering often enough and/or are growing in a very dry environment.

Vicki, if you have switched to watering with distilled water, you cannot continue to use Dyna-Gr "Grow" formula without adjusting the pH of the solution up a bit. D-G in pure water will give you a pH of about 3- to 4. What type of filtration does your household water have?

As a point of reference, for folks that don't clean the LECA well enough to start, the leachate deposits are tiny needle-like crystals that look fuzzy, as opposed to the "cement" appearance of limestone from the water supply.

VickiC · #7 02-01-2009, 12:30 AM

Hi Ray,
Yes, the pot was dry....dryer than I thought you would haved approved of, so I was on the way to water my plant when I noticed the buildup problem. I'll try to keep a closer eye on my S/H watering from now on. I keep this particular orchid in my kitchen, rather than in my orchid room. The humidity in the kitchen is somewhere generally between 45-55%.

I'm so glad that you told me about the fertilizer and distilled water issue because, for one thing, I had planned an order to you this weekend for more KLN and some other things I need to replenish. Now that I know the fert. I'm using isn't "compatible" with the distilled water (do I understand that correctly?), I'll order whatever fert. from you that you suggest. No problem at all. I don't know anything about PH, so if ordering a different one is not what I should do, please advise me the route I should take.

As for the type of filtration our house water has, my husband said for me to tell you that it is a carbon block.

I took a picture of the root system for you to see, so if you don't mind, I really would appreciate it if you will let me know if there's something I can do to save the plant.

Thank you in advance,
Vicki

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ray

Considering that the buildup is on the plant as well as the medium, it is definitely a mineral buildup issue, so no chemical treatment will fix it.

Considering how dry that pot looks, I think you're not watering often enough and/or are growing in a very dry environment.

Vicki, if you have switched to watering with distilled water, you cannot continue to use Dyna-Gr "Grow" formula without adjusting the pH of the solution up a bit. D-G in pure water will give you a pH of about 3- to 4. What type of filtration does your household water have?

As a point of reference, for folks that don't clean the LECA well enough to start, the leachate deposits are tiny needle-like crystals that look fuzzy, as opposed to the "cement" appearance of limestone from the water supply.

VickiC · #8 02-01-2009, 12:33 AM

Thanks for your advice, everyone!
Vicki

VickiC · #9 02-01-2009, 12:55 AM

Sorry, I failed to attach the photo!

Quote:

Originally Posted by VickiC

Hi Ray,
Yes, the pot was dry....dryer than I thought you would haved approved of, so I was on the way to water my plant when I noticed the buildup problem. I'll try to keep a closer eye on my S/H watering from now on. I keep this particular orchid in my kitchen, rather than in my orchid room. The humidity in the kitchen is somewhere generally between 45-55%.

I'm so glad that you told me about the fertilizer and distilled water issue because, for one thing, I had planned an order to you this weekend for more KLN and some other things I need to replenish. Now that I know the fert. I'm using isn't "compatible" with the distilled water (do I understand that correctly?), I'll order whatever fert. from you that you suggest. No problem at all. I don't know anything about PH, so if ordering a different one is not what I should do, please advise me the route I should take.

As for the type of filtration our house water has, my husband said for me to tell you that it is a carbon block.

I took a picture of the root system for you to see, so if you don't mind, I really would appreciate it if you will let me know if there's something I can do to save the plant.

Thank you in advance,
Vicki

Ray · #10 02-03-2009, 01:58 PM

Whoa! Those roots look dead to me. I would speculate that they were there when you moved the plant into S/H. If that's the case, it is to be expected (the tailoring of the root cells thing), and suggests that the plant was not putting out new roots when it was transferred.

At this point, I'd cut off the dead roots and sphag-n-bag that baby.