Orchid emergency!!!!!!!

[Desirai]

I'm panicking!!!!!
I have realized why my orchid is turning brown

IT HAS FUNGUS!!!!!!!!

*screams and runs in circles*

Some of the roots that are in the potting mix have a white fuzzy fungus growing on them!!
Help help!! How can I save it!?!?

Should I trim those roots? should I immediately repot it!?!? Should I soak it in some sort of orchid fungus removal?!?! HEeelp!!

[nenella]

Hi,
I am not an expert on 'white fuzzy stuff'...If it were my plant the first thing I would do is wash it off the roots & dry them, & also repot into 'fresh medium'
I believe that if you have white fuzzy mould I'ts probably because they are too damp & not drying out fast enough?..
Hopefully someone who has dealt with this will be able to help you more. If you post some photos it would probably help give you better advice
Good Luck & keep us posted

[Phalcycle]

Im no expert, but what I would do is take th plants out, and cut off the infected parts.
Then soak in physan, and seperate from other plants.
Then treat all cut surfaces with cinnamon, and repot into new medium.

[-k-]

Hmm.. sounds like it could be classic mold, what do you mean by brown though, what exactly is brown? and is it brown and mushy, or dry?

[11Orchid126]

The white fuzzy stuff could also be mealy bugs. Touch one with a cotton swab dipped in alcohol. If it dissolves, you have bugs. Any insecticide that will treat mealys will be okay. You must also treat the medium as eggs will lurk there. Use the insecticide once every seven days for three times. Mealys are very hard to eradicate.

[Desirai]

Thanks for your replies! I am trimming away the fuzzy mould stuff!! I am also going to lowes in the morning to get new potting mix!!! I will also get a bigger pot.. its roots are all squished and crammed into the one it is in!

By brown, I mean the stem that the flowers were on has turned from bright green to mushy brown!

[digitalgate]

sun light, sunlight, free and easy to use. Sun the thing , it will kill fungus but do not put it in the sun for more than 30 mins.

[orchids4me]

What type of orchid is it???????
Emmaye

[kmarch]

Stop, halt, cease! Don't go cutting anything off just yet. Before you go chopping, first take a deep breath, chill, and stop the panicking.

First off, no matter what it is, mold, fungus, or mealies, you have time to identify exactly what it is and respond appropriately.

As you've seen from the different replies you've received, it is not at all certain what you're dealing with. You've got something white and fuzzy on your roots. It is most likely either mold (not particularly harmful) or mealies (not good but easily treated). Can you post a pic of it? Seeing it would be helpful in identifying the problem.

Neither mold nor mealies require cutting. If it is mold it most likely will not harm your plant at all. You could treat with a good fungicide if you wish. If it is mealie bugs all you need to do is treat with a good insecticide according to instructions on the package. Notice neither treatment requires cutting. Don't go lopping off what might be perfectly healthy roots until you know exactly what you're dealing with.

The stem turning rapidly form firm and green to brown and mushy suggests a bacterial rot of some sort. Do cut it off asap, and cut into healthy tissue at least 1/4 inch or until no brown tissue is visible.

It's also important for us to know what kind of orchid you have.

[orchidea]

Kevin is right. I found real mushrooms, not just mold or fungus in one of my orchids, and it's roots were fine and healthy looking to my surprise. But I didn't like it still, so I repotted to S/H, because this particular orchid likes moisture.....
So, you should find out what is going on first....., I am not sure that fungus or mold can cause mushy spike.....The overwatering and rot could do it though......., and they can cause fungus too.............