I am so worried I need help from the Experts

[orchidlover55]

I have mold growing on my tables in my greenhouse and growing on the orchid pots. I am so worried, I noticed alot of mold in one big corner of my greenhouse. The mold is a light dusty looking green. It has rained every day for the past two weeks here in Alabama so that is a lot of humidity. But what do I do ??. I can bleach the tables but I can't pour bleach on my orchid pots they have orchids in them. Please help me with any suggestions. I have so many orchids about to bloom out and I don't want a very unwanted mold taking over.

Thank you for any help you can give me

[Anton]

Can you take some pikkies so we can get a better idea of what it looks like ?

[Brooke]

Wipe the pots with a cloth dampened in bleach water. I get algae on some of my masdie pots and I just wash the surface of the pot with the cloth.

Increasing the air circulation will also help retard the growth.

Brooke

[exasperatus2002]

If its green like you say, and your having alot of rain its probably algae or moss. A good pic will help.

[Ochin@]

Originally Posted by exasperatus2002

If its green like you say, and your having alot of rain its probably algae or moss. A good pic will help.

I agree.

[orchidlover55]

I have been so worried about the mold in my greenhouse. I added some pictures so everyone can see what I am talking about. After I took the pictures I washed the pots with beach water and sprayed the tables with bleach water. I just hope the mold hasn't hurt my orchids. It doesn't look like it. I have had alot of rain here.I also found some spider mites on a few of my new buds too. I took a cotton swab and wiped a little poison on the buds for the spider mites. It is STRESSFUl when you think you may loose one of your little babies isn't it???? I couldn't even sleep last night for thinking I would wake up and the mold monster had killed my beautiful orchids.
Thank you for helping me , I just don't think I could do without you Debra

[Anton]

An excellent example of why not to use solid wooden benches in a GH.

Once it's in the grain of the wood it is hard to eradicate, and also wood deteriorates making it an excellent breeding ground for all sorts of nasties.

If you are going to use wood, it should be treated pine and only as a framework to support metal mesh which the pots would sit on. (see image)

[orchidlover55]

OMGOSH!! that is the best answer . I showed my hubby and he said he could built that, so I guess we will be going to Lowes tommorrow. We had already been talking about putting a few more benches in so we will replace the ones in there and built some more also. Thank you so much. That will even be cheaper to built too. Do you think my orchids have been affected already? And too , do you have any suggestions for the spider mites they are not on but a few so far but I have alot of new blooms and I don't want to loose any of them if I can help it.

Thank you Anton

[jerrymeola]

I thought when I read this you had mold like we see here in Florida. Your benches are what we would call clean.

It rains here every day for the next five months. A week of rain is nothing.

Your tables are clean and the algae and mold could have been ignored.

If you use the screens like Anton showed it will improve the air flow over the roots which is being blocked by the solid benches. The lack of airflow would cause problems over time.

When you go to Lowes buy the green plastic covered fence wire. It looks better and lasts much longer than plain galvanized fencing.

[orchidlover55]

Thank you Jerry I will get that when I go tommorrow and thank you for the comforting words. I really need that. I have stressed over this for two days now. I am new in orchids and when I first started I just flipped over them. I have seventy now and with the money I have invested for just a hobby I was worried I had lost them from mold. I feel so much better now.

[mehitabel]

I just wanted to mention the need for a fan or fans in a greenhouse or any orchid growing area.

You mention "mites" on your buds. If you can see them, they are probably aphids, which do love to chomp on buds. You can wash them off with soapy water, or spray with an insecticidal soap.

[Anton]

Jerry's point about air flow is a very important one which I forgot to mention, it keeps your mix aerated and helps keep down the chances of little "beasties" which love very moist to wet potting mixes.

When watering / feeding the liquid will just go through the pot and onto the ground when on a mesh bench, rather than settling on the bottom of the pot from lack of drainage caused by sitting on a solid surface.

This stops root rot from a too wet a mix, and it also aids humidity by keeping the floor moist. A win, win situation.

Another point, I personally would never use ceramic pots as they don't offer enough drainage and tend to get a build up of salts on them.
Plastic pots are easier to keep clean, and in the case of an infected plant, easy to disinfect and sterilize to eradicate nasties. They also
provide more holes for drainage and air circulation. Talking from bad experiences here.

[solay]

Anton, do you mean the terracotta pots? I've been switching my plastic pots with them cause it's heavier and keeps the Catts. from falling over. Plus I like the look.

So plastic is better? If so I'll stop spending extra $ on them and just use plastic ones. I've got tons of those.

[patticake]

I set my plastic pots inside heavier ones for stability if I need to. Just a thought.

[solay]

I do that with the glazed pots but thought the terracotta ones were different since they are porous and have extra holes on them.

[Anton]

Yes terracotta pots, sorry.

What I do is to put large smooth pebbles in the bottom of my Den and Catt pots for stability. I had problems with some of my taller Dens in narrow pots going turse over arkey, and did this to stop them toppling over.

[solay]

Too bad cause I don't like plastic pots to much. Pebbles is a good idea.

[Anton]

Well over here if you are showing plants they have to be in black plastic pots, but in the long run it is better to have them in plastic.

You could do what I do when I take flowering plants inside and put the plastic pots inside of more decorated glazed pots, but you need plenty of room around the plastic pots and I also have pebbles on the bottom to allow air flow.

These days there are a plethora of decorated plastic pots too, not just the plain black ones.

[katrina]

Terra cotta OR clay pots are very porous...as long as they aren't glazed. The entire pot "breaths" so there shouldn't be too much worry over air to the roots. The biggest downside is making sure w/the deeper clay pots that you have something in the bottom (like p'nuts)...if not...you risk rot.

I use both plastic and clay...depending on what I'm potting.

The nice thing w/the plastic pots...besides holding more moisture...is less root damage when you repot. Soak the whole pot for about 20 minutes and the plants pop right out w/out any damage the roots at all. In my clay pots...I will always have at least a little root damage.

[Brooke]

Solay IMHO terracotta is an excellent choice for some orchids since as Katrina mentioned, the pots can breathe. The deciding factor for me is if an orchid needs to dry out between watering, then I use the clay pot. If it is a moisture loving orchid, then I go with plastic.

Anton you mean you HAVE to show an orchid in only a black plastic pot or it can't be judged?

Brooke

[orchidlover55]

I love the clear plastic pots unfortunately I didn't start out with them. I think clear plastic is perfect for Newbies, it is for me. I would have watered mine two days before time if it wasn't for clear pots; alsoI love the roots they are so neat to watch grow. Plus, it is so easy to show people who have never had an orchid most of how it works.

Thank you Debra

[willowbanks]

I'm not sure why Anton is so against clay pots, he must have had some bad experience with them in the past.

I reckon they are great for plants, they breath and dry faster than plastic pots but they are more expensive. My good show plants get promoted from plastic to clay if I can find a clay pot that suits the plant.

I don't take photos of pots so I had a hunt around my pictures for some shots of plants growing happily in clay pots just to put Anton's mind at rest and hopefully change his view on them.
Ctt. Golden Wax 'Matthew Neuendorff' 3.jpgPicture 1385.jpgTillandsia brachycaulos.jpgRdza. Burgundy 4.jpg

Not sure where he got the idea that plants had to be in plastic pots to be shown, never heard that one before, I've seen plants down here in Australia at shows in milk crates.

Bill

[orchidlover55]

Bill those are absolutely gorious!! I hope one day I will be able to grow orchids like that. They almost take your breath with beauty... Great Job!! Thank you for sharing those with us !!

Originally Posted by willowbanks

I'm not sure why Anton is so against clay pots, he must have had some bad experience with them in the past.

I reckon they are great for plants, they breath and dry faster than plastic pots but they are more expensive. My good show plants get promoted from plastic to clay if I can find a clay pot that suits the plant.

I don't take photos of pots so I had a hunt around my pictures for some shots of plants growing happily in clay pots just to put Anton's mind at rest and hopefully change his view on them.
Attachment 22489Attachment 22497Attachment 22498Attachment 22499

Not sure where he got the idea that plants had to be in plastic pots to be shown, never heard that one before, I've seen plants down here in Australia at shows in milk crates.

Bill

[NancyG]

I like clay pots as well. Partly because in South Florida it is so humid from May to November and rains all the time. The clay helps keep my plants that don't like to be too wet healthier.

[katrina]

YOWZA! Bill those are absolutely stunning! That last one is...is...is...I don't believe I have an adequate adjective for it. This is all I can think of...

[willowbanks]

Hey you guys, your supposed to be looking at the pots!!!!!!!! but thankyou for your comments on the plants.

Bill

[fred]

O gosh Bill do you mean I have to go back and look at the pots now ?
hehe OK if I must but it will be hard to get my eyes that low hehehehe

[dtje2000]

I adore clay pots...but I think this is one of those agree-to-disagree issues, as well as right place for the right plant thing. Kind of like with the whole sphag philosphy, right?

Bill's plants are the visual for what I was going to mention having noticed...and that's how often I see huge, healthy specimen plants in clay pots. Thanks, Bill for providing the illustration for us. Can I have the last one? Please? And here's were I'm supposed to say, kidding! But really, I'm not.

Would folks not agree that the care given to the plant is, in part, respective of what it's planted in...both the growing medium as well as the vessel?

[vcuchick]

Originally Posted by Anton

Jerry's point about air flow is a very important one which I forgot to mention, it keeps your mix aerated and helps keep down the chances of little "beasties" which love very moist to wet potting mixes.

When watering / feeding the liquid will just go through the pot and onto the ground when on a mesh bench, rather than settling on the bottom of the pot from lack of drainage caused by sitting on a solid surface.

This stops root rot from a too wet a mix, and it also aids humidity by keeping the floor moist. A win, win situation.

Another point, I personally would never use ceramic pots as they don't offer enough drainage and tend to get a build up of salts on them.
Plastic pots are easier to keep clean, and in the case of an infected plant, easy to disinfect and sterilize to eradicate nasties. They also
provide more holes for drainage and air circulation. Talking from bad experiences here.

What about pebble trays? How do I keep my roots from propogating "beasties" if my orchids sit in a pebble tray- I do have a small fan for air circulation and only water when necessary and I don't mist (usually)