Is algae common?

[syndywindy]

I've had most of my orchids in S/H about 2 months now and everything is great. They have been outside for the past month. Is it common to get some algae(or what appears to be algae)? The weather here really hasn't gotten as hot as normal, but the humidty is quite high. I hate to pull them out to clean it up and the thought of chemicals doesn't appeal to me either. Is there a solution to this?

[Ray]

ANY time you have light, moisture, and nutrition, you will get algae growth.

Your alternatives are:

• Treat with an algaecide to prevent it from growing in the first place.
• Put the plants in opaque pots to eliminate the light factor*.
• Periodically repot them to get a new, clean appearance.
• Learn to not be too concerned until it gets so dense, it starts to clog the holes. Then you have to repot.

* Growing in opaque pots takes away the advantage of being able to see what's happening with the roots (but then, so does algae!), but if your plants are well established and you're doing well with your culture otherwise, that's really not an issue. One professional grower I know put the clear pots inside slightly-larger black pots on the bench - no significant algae problem, but he could still lift them out to check the root conditions.

[syndywindy]

Originally Posted by Ray

ANY[*]Learn to not be too concerned until it gets so dense, it starts to clog the holes. Then you have to repot.[/LIST]
* Growing in opaque pots takes away the advantage of being able to see what's happening with the roots (but then, so does algae!), but if your plants are well established and you're doing well with your culture otherwise, that's really not an issue. One professional grower I know put the clear pots inside slightly-larger black pots on the bench - no significant algae problem, but he could still lift them out to check the root conditions.

Thanks, Ray. Just wanted to be sure this was really a non issue. There's not alot at this point so will learn to live with it.

[mehitabel]

Hi, syndy. Thanks for bringing this up. After I saw your post, I realized my pots are absolutely gunky with it. Before this, I think I believed it was only one or two pots.

I hate the ugly stuff, and I'm changing to fresh pots as I can. Gives me a look at the roots. But it's very tedious, and I don't think it will help for long.

Ray's idea of black pots as cover pots is a good one I might be able to try. I have a large number in 6" Aircone pots (huge and square), so I may not be able to execute this, but I'm glad for the tip. As they say, "I'm workin' on it"

[syndywindy]

Originally Posted by mehitabel

Hi, syndy. Thanks for bringing this up. As they say, "I'm workin' on it"

You and me both! I hate the thought of constantly repotting, but I also hate all that gunk. You never know whats lurking in it!

[tangers40]

i've been told that if there's algae growing in your pots, it's a good environment...particularly for your plant. case in point, my gunkiest pot (the dendrobium) is the only one that's going to bloom anytime in the near future. coincidence? probably. but i take whatever i can get lol.

algae won't hurt anything, it's just ugly. it won't grow in poor conditions, so if you've got algae around, something's good.

[Ray]

Mehitable - considered aluminum foil around those big pots?

[mehitabel]

Ray, you're a genius! Thank you so much! I really do hate the scummy stuff. And aluminum foil is a lot easier to store than dozens and dozens of opaque pots.

But since I'm worriedabout the reflective power of the alum foil outdoors, I think I'll use shadecloth instead. Won't even have to come off for dunking.

[vcuchick]

Mehitabel- I have the same problem- Anyone have any clues on how to get rid of the algea once it's growing?

[NancyG]

If you place one pot inside a bigger pot aren't you restricting the air flow? Wouldn't that be harmful to the orchids?

[mehitabel]

vcuchick, I've heard that drenching the pot with a physan solution (after a thorough watering) will do it, and physan at the proper dilution is said to be okay for occasional use. But I've been reluctant to try that, so I've been repotting. Maybe I'll try it with one or two and see what happens. The repotting gets tedious.

Nancy, I think if you leave a gap it's okay, but you can burn extra holes in plastic pots with a sauldering iron. I do that anyway. So if you did that, you wouldn't restrict the air flow at all.

Now I'm talking myself into the physan, I think.

[E-Jag]

Bleach works very well on algae and won't hurt the orchid.

[syndywindy]

Originally Posted by E-Jag

Bleach works very well on algae and won't hurt the orchid.

I'm assuming you are diluting the bleach and not using it full strength? I repotted a couple this morning and one had about 4 earwigs in it! Those things creep me out.

[E-Jag]

Yes, I have an opaque container I keep fertilized water in, and store it outside. Algae grows like mad. Periodically I pour the water into another container, then add about a cup of bleach to the algae growing container, fill it half way with water, shake it good, then fill it the rest of the way with water. Let it sit for an hour or so, then rinse it out. Algae's gone, as is anything else unfortunate enough to be in there.