FUZZY WHITE GROWTH ON FLOWER STEMS AND POTTING MIX AS WELL s on the orchid itself.

by marie
(creston B.C)

I am trying to root a phalanopsis. It started to grow another leaf and more flower spikes on the old stems but no roots. I cut off the flower spikes and potted it in leca and treated it with rooting hormone have it in a big plastic bag on a dish with water for humidity. The 2 outer leaves look wonderfully green and healthy and the new leaf is growing but white mold has started in the center of the plant and there was a spot on the growing medium and the ends of the bloom spikes. I wiped the mold off with a paper towel dipped in baking soda. Today there is a tiny showing of mold so it looks like i need to do something else.

Please advise.

Comments for FUZZY WHITE GROWTH ON FLOWER STEMS AND POTTING MIX AS WELL s on the orchid itself.

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Oct 12, 2015
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by: Anonymous

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Oct 30, 2013
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by: Nancy

Hi! I live in the Caribbean and am a farmer. We have ALL kinds of destructive bugs...but I also grow Planifolia orchids (vanilla). There is a bug called the Mealy Bug. It looks like a white puff of cotton and it sucks the juices out of leaves and stems. I am not an ornamental orchid grower so you may want to check out what I am going to tell you. But I use Neem oil with a mixture of other organic items to control the bugs. AND I HAVE A LOT. I use (per gallon of water) a combo of Neem oil and Bio 20 (excellent liquid fertilizer) plus monthly I add two tablespoons of baking soda for fungal control. I have literally no bugs on my Planifolia vines nor do I have scale, white fly or other pests. If it is just mold, use the baking soda, garlic and onion water and one teaspoon of liquid Castile soap as a "sticker". You could also add a tbsp. of Mineral Oil in the mix. I make my own organic sprays and use them on all my veggies and ornamentals. No chemicals for me! Try it...it certainly cannot hurt but also Google Mealy Bug...maybe that is not what you have. It is always good to know what you are dealing with. I am on a first name basis with the pests on my farm! Ha. Good luck.
Nancy St. Vincent and the Grenadines
Aug 15, 2012
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by: Cable Thompson

Hi Marie,

If the plant doesn't have a healthy root system right now, one thing that often works well for me is to pot it in sphagnum moss. I don't grow my plants semi-hydro, but LECA seems a reasonable option too.

Putting it in a bag can help the plant stay alive, but it can also cause mold and slow growth because of the reduced airflow (as you discovered.) Leaving the bag partly open can help with this, or you can replace the bag with other tricks to increase the humidity, like a humidity tray or regular misting. If the mold is just the white fuzzy kind, you don't need to be very concerned about it.

If the plant is otherwise healthy, the main thing I advise is patience. It seems to be trying to grow and bloom, so I would expect it to produce some roots eventually.

Hope that helps!

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