That sphagnum moss in the pot looks too dry and packed too tight.
Sphag is a valid potting medium but must be used in moderation. Packing them too tight causes them to choke off the roots.
Personally they dont fit my orchid care regimen. They stay too wet for too long - but thats just me. Other people have had great success with pure sphagnum moss as their potting medium.

I would check the roots inside the sphag to see if they are still healthy. It looks like that plant is getting dehydrated either due to underwatering, or the sphag has killed the roots so the plant is not able to take in any water from under the sphag.

It sounds like the fuzzy white stuff could be mealy bugs. Touch one with a cotton swab soaked in alcohol. If it dissolves, that's what it is, and you can continue killing them with the alcohol and then go out and get yourself some insecticide. Beware, treat the medium too, as they lay eggs in the medium.

Hi jennie,

You can search images.google for pictures of cottony scale and mealybugs. Getting rid of either is a pain, but if you keep at it, you can do it.

First, isolate the infected plant from all of your other plants.

Treat the soil surface, pot, and drip surface well with an insecticidal soap or spray (I used a Schultz product for houseplants with pyrethrins and piperonyl, safe on edibles up to day of harvest.) Avoid spraying blooms.
With a little alcohol in a small bottle, I picked off the fuzzies with tweezers or a toothpick and popped them into the alcohol. Look for the beasts in every nook and crannie on the plant. Do this every day, until no more beasts emerge; then, check the plant(s) every day, until you find No bugs for three weeks. Re-spray the soil, pot, and drip surface once a week during treatment.

As for the plant in the picture, I agree with Wetfeet that the sphagnum looks too tightly packed. Sphagnum doesn't kill plants, but it does tend to hold water too long if it is densely packed. You could repot into a Loose mixture of presoaked, squeezed out and fluffed, fresh sphagnum and fir bark (also presoaked and rinsed). Half and half works well.

Gently remove all old media and rinse the roots in tepid water. Trim any rotted roots, cutting into unrotted tissue (using a new razorblade or sterile instrument for each plant). Dab cuts with cinnamon on a Q-tip.

Put a fluffy inverted cone of bark and sphagnum (or whatever media you use) in the bottom-center of a clean pot that is just big enough for the roots. Holding the plant in place, spread the roots out over the mound and gradually fill in with mixed sphagnum and bark. What you want is enough media to hold the plant without stuffing it solidly. Fill only to the bottom of the plant, so that the bottom leaves don't lay on the media. Give the side of the pot a few pats, as you go, to settle the media into any spaces and stablize the plant. If you prefer, you could also use firbark, alone.

If you found many rotted roots on repotting, hold off on watering the plant for a day or two and only gradually reintroduce it to regular light. When you water, water thoroughly and drain thoroughly, placing pot on something that elevates it from the drip tray, allowing airflow underneath.

To test for the next watering, stick your finger at least two inches into the middle of the media. If it is almost dry, it will be time to water. (I use a chopstick to pull media back into the hole made by my finger test.)

As for supplies, I find most of what I need at repotme.com and love the quality of their supplies and service. In addition to several sizes of clear slotted pots that allow good airflow, they have all kinds of media, separate or mixed.

I hope something here will help with your plants.

Sweetcicely

Tepid water ? What is this ?

Sweetcicely thanks much & also others for your great advice so far !

I did repot the dying ones today , but after reading this current post, I did it all wrong ! Didn't see till after I done so !

I took the plants out of the medium, cut what looks to be bad roots (dried up with tuff skinny root inside), didn't use a clean tool every time nor did I do the cinnamon or tepid water thing ! I have never heard of this.

I am new to this growing, but have been lucky to just buy them & grow as they came ! Been 1 yr. now ! Only have lost 1 orchid the same way....foliage wrinkle up & then gone !

The moss was so tight around the ones I just bought so, I did take lots out of the plants.

The fluffy cotton stuff I need to get rid of & bad thing is, this plant has been by all my others since Jan. . I haven't noticed it on the others yet ! What to do & name of the product & where to buy to treat with ?

Just thought orchids might be touchy with chemicals !

I tried & hope even though I didn't plant right, these 2 plants will pull though ! The plant pictured does have 2 new roots at the top about 3" long !

I guess....more help now to what I should do on the cotton stuff & also remind me how to post pics right on the site without just doing 1 pic at a time ? I used to know.

Thanks much !

~Jennie~

They will be fine. Orchids seem to like abuse. I never use cinnamon on roots and never warm the water. Just watch how often you water and keep the Phals warm while they recover(are they all Phals?). The mealies can be controlled with alcohol and sprayed when the weather warms up with an oil based spray, like Neem or your favorite oil spray. Don't spray indoors.

Have fun,
Jane

Ok...tepid must mean warm water then ? Gesh !

Can I find a spray to use at Lowe's, Wal-Mart, etc ? Brand safe or to use ?

Jane, I have all Phals I think but the one that came from FL. . It smells & blooms like a iris type bloom. Is this a spray kind ? I want to post more pics, but don't want to do them 1 at a time.

I have noticed when taking off the mealy stuff with alcohol today also this clear tear sized sap stuff up the foliage edge. I found this on more than 1 plant. What is this now ???? BOY !

The alcohol is ok to dab right on the foliage ? How often do you all think you water ? I was doing every 14 days, but might need to do more since the sun is staying out & longer !

I have all my plants right near the south sun (full sun about all day) french doors. They bloom like crazy & seem to love it even though I have read not to put them right in the sun.

Thanks.............

Hi jennie,

"Tepid water ? What is this ?"

Lukewarm ~ it's easier on the plant, than icy cold.

The spray I used was called "Schultz Expert Gardener Houseplants and Gardens Insect Spray," but is no longer available by that name. The essential part is that the active ingredients are Pyrethrins 0.02% and Piperonyl Butoxide Technical 0.20%. You should be able to find Schultz's new product or one with the same ingredients at any garden center. The label should list your bug as a target insect and orchids as safe to use on.

Just follow the directions on the bottle, but avoid spraying blooms, because they will not survive. I sprayed as noted in my first message, but picked the cottony bugs off of the plant and flowers by hand.

You could also use any brand of insecticidal soap or neem oil listed for orchids (and mealybugs), but I have never used them. Maybe someone here can recommend a brand for you.

The sap is called "honeydew." Some orchids put it out at different parts of their growth cycles. One of my Phals formed tiny drops of it around the edges of a half grown leaf this spring. It had no bugs, so I think it was just getting rid of a little excess water through little openings (stomata) under the leaf edge. Another Phal puts out a drop or two from tiny glands below the bud just before each bud opens.

A third reason for honeydew formation is insect injury; so, when you see it, check your plant for sucking insects, just in case. It is ok to use a little alcohol diluted with lukewarm water to wipe up the honeydew--probably a good idea, too, since it can attract insects, as well as provide a starting medium for some molds.

About watering ~ Because seasons and sun exposure change throughout the year, and because your plant uses water at different rates, whether blooming, growing, or resting, it is not really advisable to water on a schedule (like, every so-many days). It is important to take care not to overwater, as this is the cause of most root rot.

To test for watering some use a dulled shishkebab skewer, left in the medium, pulling it out to check moisture level by touching it to cheek or lip. If it is damp or cool, the medium is still damp. Others can gauge moisture by how heavy or light the pot is when they lift it. I use the more direct finger test for moisture, described in my first message.

Phals can take a little direct sun, but not as much as some orchids. If you lay your hand on a leaf exposed to the sun, and it feels more than a little warm to the touch, you may need to adjust its placement to prevent sunburn.

Your Florida orchid sounds like it may be a Cattleya, about which I know next to nothing. If you can post a picture of it, I'm sure someone here can help you with any questions you have about it.

I hope that helps a bit.

Sweetcicely

Sorry, jennie! Got so carried away with all my words that I forgot to tell you that you did just fine, taking care of everything so quickly. New roots are a Great thing, too!

The reason for a fresh razorblade or sterilized cutter is to prevent spread of bacteria or viruses between plants. The cinnamon is said to be a good antiseptic and quick healer for any orchid cuts. Since it is also said to discourage new root formation, it is good to apply it with a q-tip or finger tip, rather than sprinkling it around.

I think your plants will love all your careful care and attention and reward you with good health and smiles in the form of beautiful blooms.

SC

Ok, I found *Houseplant & Garden insect spray by Schultz), but it is only 0.01% pyrethrins & 1.00% canola oil. No Piperonyl Butoxide Technical 0.20% !

I don't see on here or the other spray which was for Vegs. & Flowers, saying safe for orchids ! Also, I think the Veg./Flower did have the Piperonyl Butoxide in it. Should I take this back ?

What I have here does treat for mealybugs & all stages of eggs !

Any tips on using ? Spray all plants, pots, & soil/moss 1 time real good ?

Thanks much !

jennie,

About the best I can do is tell you what I did that worked for me. If the spray you bought is listed for all stages of mealybugs and their eggs, that's a good thing. If you decide to check the other product and it contains Pyrethrins 0.02% and Piperonyl Butoxide Technical 0.20%, only, then I know that will work and didn't hurt my phal. If neither type is listed for orchids, I wouldn't spray it directly on the plant. Do follow the directions and precautions listed.

I thoroughly sprayed the media surface, pot (all over), and drip surface--rocks, too. I did not spray the blooms. Spray did get on the part of the plant that was nearest the soil, but did no harm. I did this Once a week, Every Week, until I found no more mealies for at least two weeks. They never came back.

It is important to pick off the mealybugs every day (I did this in the morning). Incidentally, every single tuft of fuzz is a mealie or some stage of one. They can be very tiny to adult size. I didn't squish them on my fingers or on the plant, because I didn't want any egg-laden ooze (ugh) to stay on the plant or spread by way of my hands. It is easy just to pick them off with a toothpick and put them in alcohol.

Just keep at it; you'll get 'em!

Sweetcicely

This is the FL. plant that brought mealies here & want to spray, but don't want to harm or kill any of these plants IF I do.

Is this product safe & orchids pretty tuff ?

Thanks..............

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:159910}}

Jennie your FL plant is a cattleya, very different growing requirements than your phal.

Is this the plant with the mealies? Are you even sure it is a mealie infestation or could it be white scale? Google mealies and you will find pics of them. Very distinct from the white scale. It would be best if you have the scale - much easier to eliminate than the mealies.

Brooke