You can see it growing out of the bottom of the pot.

The whole inside has become full in all three of my plants.

What potting mix are you using?

Josh

Look at images of root mealybug and see if that looks like what you have. I can't see the pic clearly.

Its definitely mold smells moldy. I have washed soil away and it comes back. I have used miracle grow cactus soil in the past. Now I always add perlite to potting soil. Sometimes I add vermiculite. I have horticulture grade charcoal to add as well. I know that zygo cactus and schlumbergera are epiphytes in the wild. Im just not sure that I want to pot them in orchid bark. I have looked at als gritty mix recipe but those items are hard to find here. I looked yesterday. I worry that they wouldn't be stable in their pots in a bark or gravel mix.

Are you using the same planter? Maybe try a new planter or wash the planter out in a diluted bleach and water mixture.

I can confirm that bark is more than stable enough. Mostly orchid, a pinch of potting mix, and a little perlite....and your plants will thrive.

Josh

Ok so does the bark mold? Does it dry out super fast. I really appreciate all of the help from everyone.

It doesn't dry out super fast...not with a properly sized pot.

I've seen fungus at different times of the year, but it has never affected my holiday cacti.

Josh

I'm sure bark it could mold but normal growing conditions for your holiday cacti would make it very very difficult for bark to mold At first bark does tend to dry a little faster, after a watering routine has been established it shouldn't dry as quickly.

How do the plants get nutrients? Do you have to fertilize them more? I just rinsed all the soil away from the one that had it the worst. I am assuming the extra air would make the mold uncomfortable so to speak. I am afraid that I won't know how to water it anymore. Especially how often and when it's time to water. I am tempted to dunk the roots in bleach water. I love my plants, but does anyone ever feel like they are a hassle and want to give up?

No, I've never felt like giving up.

I fertilize my plants. Slow-release like Osmocote makes it very easy, and then I supplement with a high quality liquid fertilizer, too.

Watering is so easy. You aim the hose/sprayer at the container, and you water. If you think the bark isn't absorbing moisture, just put your finger over the drainage hole, fill the container until saturated, then remove finger. I water 1 - 2 times a week during the Summer.

Josh

Thanks for the help. I see that you have jade plants. Have you ever dealt with mealybugs on succulents and pothos? What is the best method for killing mealybug?

Here's the plant since I repotted it I'm hoping it pulls through.

Looks good!

Jane

Thank G-d I've never dealt with mealybugs....at least I don't think so.

Your plant looks very good.

Josh

vermiculite? that holds water. was the plant in that mix when it mildewed?

I did not add vermiculite to the mix I cooked up for this Christmas cactus. Its orchid bark perlite, horticultural charcoal and some miracle grow cactus soil. The old soil was a mix of black gold potting soil and miracle grow cactus soil. This is a reoccurring issue. The clay pots don't get the mold quite as bad. Someone suggested soil mealybug but I just don't think that's what it is. I bought an aescanthus or lip stick plant at a show last week that has a very similar looking mold on the soil surface. I'll post a picture of that.

Can you make out the small white balls in upper middle of picture?

yes, I've never seen anything like it.

Is the room you keep this in damp? How is the air circulation?

Lipstick vine came with the mold. These plants have not been any where near each other.

I hate to continue beating what's been deemed a dead horse, but compare to these pics:
https://www.google.com/search?q=root+mealybug&biw=1088&bih=484&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=jn5DVaPWG4afgwSkhICQDA&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAQ

I have not figured out how to post a new discussion so I guess that I will post it here. What's going on with my moses in the cradle plants? They have been changing color to a golden colo. I didn't think that they could get too much sun... I repotted this one. As you can see the pothos next to it are doing okay in this southern exposure.

Looking at your photo it is definitely not root mealy bug, I've had root mealy bug a lot. The little white balls look just like fungus I've had in my cactus and it came from the bark in my cactus mix which was not composted enough before I bought it. And it kept happening even after I washed the roots and changed to a dearer cactus mix and scrubbed out my mix drums. I tried drenching the mix with a fungicide but it kept returning, eventually it just went away on its own, it didn't seem to have any real effect on plant growth though. We are in a humid region here but went through a pretty bad drought for a couple of years so that may have helped kill it off. Root mealy bug is a much worse problem here, I've lost so many plants, cactus and tropical, I now use a biological solution, a crypto bug that loves mealy bug of all sorts.

Please tell me where you get the crypto bugs and can you release them indoors or is that a bad idea? What do they eat if you don't have mealy bug left?

The ones I use are called Cryptolaemus montrouzieri, they're an Australian native ladybird beetle, I'm in south east Queensland, in Australia, but from what I understand the company export to other countries, below is a bit of the blurb from the company I get them from, Bugs for Bugs:

Mealybug predator

""Cryptolaemus montrouzieri

Cryptolaemus are Australian native ladybird beetles. They are very efficient
natural enemies of mealybugs. Cryptolaemus have been exported to many other
countries and are recognised as powerful predators of mealybugs worldwide.

The adult beetle is about 4mm long with an orange head and black wing covers.
The larvae grow to 13mm long and are covered in waxy filaments. The larvae look
very much like mealybugs and are often confused with them. Adult female beetles
lay up to ten eggs per day directly into mealybug eggmasses. They can lay up to
500 eggs in total. Adult beetles and young larvae feed on mealybug eggs and
young stages. Large cryptolaemus larvae can also consume adult mealybugs. The
life cycle takes from 4 to 7 weeks depending on temperature.

In addition to mealybugs, Cryptolaemus will also feed readily on many species
of soft scales including black scale, pulvinaria scale and cottony cushion
scale.""

http://www.bugsforbugs.com.au/cryptolaemus-information/

http://www.bugsforbugs.com.au/

http://www.bugsforbugs.com.au/products/bio-control-agents/

I've only ever released them in my shade house and just outside but they work absolute wonders, I also use lacewing larvae from the same company, they also have parasitic wasps for mealybugs.

I had a huge problem with mealy bug, especially root mealy bug, for a long time, tried all sorts of horrible solutions, I have over 500 potted plants just in my shade house and I was losing so many plants, more through the useless solutions than the mealy bug but these little cuties fixed them in a few weeks. That was about two years ago and mealy bug numbers are only now starting to build up again so they must survive on something else.

I see this problem often when using the "sterilized" mediums. The MG and the generic store brand stuff you buy from the garden center.

When introducing predators, it's important to get those native to your area. There are irresponsible places that will send any critters they have to anywhere.

I'm sure the bio-security protocols in the US are as strict as ours are in Australia and this particular company is very ethical and very responsible so they would not export to any country that does not allow this particular predator. Having said that if there are companies in the US selling biological pest controls suitable it would be best to source directly from them, but they also may not be 'native' to your particular area either.

The plant is healthier than ever in a part orchid bark soil