sphag problem - what are these little white dots?

[amersault]

just as i was about to post my success on converting 3 PSB plants to sphag-only media based on the feedback to my original query, i've discovered i've run into a small problem.

tonight while watering, i noticed small flecks of white on the surface sphag of one of the plants. they look like bits of salt. is this a type of fungus? they still get aired at night for nightly cooling and air movement. but then again, we've also got the heater going bc it colder now...

anyone else run up against this?

[articuno75]

Could be mineral deposit from the hard water. Do you got pics?

[amersault]

thanks, Jenny - i'll try to post picts in a few.

for those who keep fish - it kinda looks like a fish disease called 'ich'. i don't know how best else to describe it.

[Greenhouse Gal]

We need pictures of this to be sure. Could be salt or fertilizer deposits. Could be harmless fungi. Could be pathogenic fungi. Could be the shed exoskeletons of bugs. Could be...

Each of these would require a different level of concern and or treatment.

[amersault]

i'm putting 2 plants up for comparison.

Images 01 - 02, aka the good plant - from a PSB NOID that i repotted to sphag shortly after my original post. the plant benefitted from it and the shrivelled PSB fattened up again.

if you look at the sphag, the medium is clean.

now, here is the problem plant.

Images 03 - 05, aka the problem plant - this is ONCDA SPACE NOEZ 'ORANGE DRAGON'. this only got moved to sphag last week. you can still see the PSB ribbing and the accordion leaves when i couldn't get the watering right.

look at the sphag - what are these white dots?

sorry for image quality on close-up.

maybe Santa can bring me a new macro-camera for Xmas.

[articuno75]

It looks like tiny leftover particles of perlite. I have some that surfaced from a couple of my orchids that are in spagh and perlite.

[amersault]

Originally Posted by articuno75

It looks like tiny leftover particles of perlite. I have some that surfaced from a couple of my orchids that are in spagh and perlite.

but this rolled sphag came w/ no perlite i'm worried it's fungus. not all fungus is bad, but w/ my luck, this is probably the sort it might be.

one interesthing thing i'm noticing:

'ORANGE DRAGON' was potted directly into the clay pot.

the other 2 clean plants stayed in their plastic pots and then were seated in clay.

would that have anything to do w/ it? maybe air movement or something?

[articuno75]

I've never seen "balls of fungus" before, other than mushrooms. I've seen white fungus in pics from other members, but not in ball form. It always looked spider webby or fluffy.

[Greenhouse Gal]

From the pictures and the fact that the problem plant only got moved to sphag last week I would guess that this is a fungus that is feeding on the sphag, or other "stuff" in the sphag. The dots themselves most likely fruiting bodies of the fungus. A little more air movement and or a little less water will discourage fruiting.

I reread your post and I am unclear, has the problem plant shown any signs of improvement in the short time it has been in the shag?

If the plant of concern has shown improvement and or the first plant did not improve this fast and the plant of concern shows no sign of decline, most likely the fungus is feeding on the sphag or something else dead in the pot and should not be a problem to a recovering plant.

If the problem plant is continuing to decline or the first plant was showing a much more rapid recovery this long after re-potting, there is a problem to be worried about. If possible without disturbing the plant too much at least a few roots should be examined to see if they still look good or if they have changed to dark and mushy. If dark and mushy or just continuing to decline, the fungus is likely to have infected the orchid and the plant should be treated in some way to kill the fungus. A soak in hydrogen peroxide or a soak including cinnamon oil are two possibilities. If you go with a chemical solution please read and follow all instructions. In the US - The Label IS The Law, not just a good idea. Besides we want to keep you now that we have you.

(Some times if you spread out your fingers over the pot so that the plant is between your fingers and the fingers and or palm cover much of the "soil" you can then flip the pot over and lift it off allowing you to look inside the pot without disturbing it too much. This works much better with plants in more dirt like media versus the media we typically use with orchids which either will not come out nicely or completely crumble as soon as out of the pot.)

We will see what others think. I hope this helps.

[amersault]

that helped, thanks! i'll decrease the watering and increase light just to dry it all away.

i had a look at the roots and they are still firm (nothing brown or mushy). the 'white dots' also only seem to be happening on the surface area and not deeper in the pot.

no decline on the plant since it's been repotted.

[kninum]

i have had both mineral deps and fungus.......fungus is soft ......minerals are hard/crunchy......

the white fungus i've had (in soil plants) looks like little round balls.....they establish very quickly......if they make it to fruiting....they make a nice little white/yellow mushroom.......it does not seem to affect my plants negatively -it's the disturbed/fresh rich hummic matter they "eat"- so moss would be a reasonable candidate for food. to get rid of it, less moisture will reduce but not get rid of the "potential for reocurance", a pot and media change would be more effective, but it can be very difficult to rid it completly ( unless you use chemicals- i which i have not done since it hasn't hurt my plants( only had it in non-orchids) and i like the cute little mushrooms that sometimes pop up)

Minerals tend to be more powdery, or hard (like salt grains/talc)- usually it takes a lot longer for it to developed (since they are evaporites)

[kid a]

i was gonna say it looks like fungus too. I used to grow in my window sill at our old appartment and I would get white stuff on the tops not a salt build up but looked very similar. Every time i would let it dry out it would go away and everytime it was wett for a few days, not moist but wet, it came back, lol. I would go ahead if you have some cinnamon extract or even cinnamon, spray some on it or dust the top of the medium with the ground stuff

[articuno75]

I find this really cool. I've never seen fungus like this in any of my pots. Mainly I see the fluffy stuff. Learn something new everyday.

[amersault]

thank, everyone!

i'll monitor watering and light and leave it for now

[fred]

myself what I would do is remove the top layer of sphag and replace that with new sphagnum moss.
that is what I would do but try what has been advised first

I am not having a shot at you but I am really disapointed at the quality of sphagnum moss you guys get.

to be honest with you I would not use sphag that is of that quality
I know that you can not get fresh or live sphag but I wish you could

[kninum]

here is a link i found to some info about the common fungus i have encountered in my plants (non-orchid- thou moss could easily be a growing media for it).......

Leucocoprinus birnbaumii, aka Lepiota lutea, the yellow houseplant or house plant soil mushroom, Tom Volk's Fungus of the Month for February 2002,

[amersault]

Originally Posted by fred

I am not having a shot at you but I am really disapointed at the quality of sphagnum moss you guys get.

to be honest with you I would not use sphag that is of that quality
I know that you can not get fresh or live sphag but I wish you could

i hear you, Fred

i've seen other members use better quality moss but i guess it varies from region to region and i have to admit i picked this up at Lowe's for the emergency pot job.

for now, i've moved this plant to a brighter location to help air out and dry out the mix.

it will be a shame if i see any decline: it's the biggest of the PSBs i have w/ the most new growths. not to mention one of the few tagged ones in my collection.

[kninum]

i am sure it will be okay......it's got a good eye watching over it....

if you use the same moss for any other plants be sure to give it a little toast in the oven first......most fungal spores are killed in the heat generated by a compost sooo.... you could probably do pretty good with a low temp heating ( be careful not to burn it LOL-maybe damp it down first)
it the pot is clay i would bake it too....

for now....a little biodiversity hopefully will get along for the holidays

[fred]

yeah I can understand that amersault
if that is all you can get at the time it has to do
a little tip if you have the time try to grow some of the sphag
I can do that in a clear plastic bag just keep the sphag moist and out of direct sunlight in a shaded cool place
it ( the sphag ) should start to grow and green up for you

kninum has said that well Quote] i am sure it will be okay......it's got a good eye watching over it....

[kid a]

it will just start growing?