Algae removal on Orchid pots
Вставка
- Опубліковано 2 вер 2016
- So one of the concerns with Seramis is that it can favor apparition of algae, so it was something to observe. As it turns out it is a great medium for algae.. if the orchid already has a small colony to transfer.
▼▼▼More info bellow!▼▼▼
For the most part I don't have many problems, most of my orchids are clean. However most of my orchids did lose their roots in the move, so there was nothing to start a colony with.
The orchids that still had good roots and had some algae on them simply transferred the colony, thus the top of the pots and also the bright side of my clay pots had a nice green mat of algae. Time to remove them!
There are solutions on the market that are currently used in hydroponics, however I don't consider I have such a big issue.. yet :) so I don't want to spend money on them just yet, if I have some alternatives at hand.
I used hydrogen peroxide 3% to spray the top of the medium and the algae started to fizz right away. The spray actually displaced the algae immediately. A good rinse and most of the green mat is gone.
The pot was simply rinsed and scrubbed a bit with a sponge and the algae were removed instantly, no real scrubbing actually. Will I have issues again? yep, some algae survived most probably. But removing them is too easy for me to worry about it.
Now the size of the pot, the size of the root systems, how long the pots stay moist, all these factors are not limiting to my algae issues. The seramis is a great place for them to spread, no matter the circumstance. As long as they have light and some moisture they will develop no matter how 'overpotted' or 'underpotted' orchids are.
How I water orchids • Watering 150+ Orchids ...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
✿ Want to send me something? Here's my address!
Orchid Nature
P.O. BOX 29002, CY-1620, Nicosia, Cyprus
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
✿ Want to support my channel and help me continue doing what I love? You can contribute here and thanks a bunch!
orchidnature.com/donate/
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
✿ Join our community and find tutorials, photos, care sheets and loads of goodies Orchid Nature - www.OrchidNature.com
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
✿ Follow me on Twitter / missorchidgirl
✿ Follow me on Instagram / missorchidgirl
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
✿ See my video playlists!
/ missorchidgirl
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thank you, I watch your channel every day, it helps me with my cattleyas!
Gotta love the hydrogen peroxide! Such a versatile and safe product. Thanks for the great video Dani.
Indeed, one of those things I would struggle without :P
That was really interesting, thanks for sharing! I remember you using H2O2 on roots in quite a few videos for prevention purposes, but I don't remember if dark deposits on roots use to come off, too?
Hello Danni,
I am sure lots of people read your explanations at the bottom. I know I do, and I appreciate your effort. Thank you for explaining so well. I just found out your channel and I am learning a lot from your posts. I am a beginer with orchids as I used to prefer wild native flowers (I even have a blog). Don't know why but I suddenly became in love with orchids. I used to think they were too plastic looking and unnatural, and I refused to follow the flock as I don´t like to do wathever most people do. Just like you, I find foliage of Phals very dull and phals are at sale everywhere although with striking flowers. I suppose I felt in love wth orchids when I got acquainted with other species and the realized how different they are from terrestrials. I started my collection just a few months ago and I have Dendrobiums (mine have the same problem as yours, canes still developping and 2 baby canes coming up, so I woun't be able to cut on the water supply just yet), cattleyas, miltonia, cymbidium, paphiopedilum and very few phalaenopsis, except for those that I got as a present.
We don´t have those cute pieces of seramis over here (Portugal) but I am experimenting vegetable charcoal specially on the phals and they seem to prefer it to the usual mix of pine.
Hi, I'm happy to hear m videos are useful :D I never heard of vegetable charcoal it sounds interesting, can you tell me more? how are the orchids performing in this medium and how is watering? thanks!
Excellent tip!!!!! I'll have to try this!!! I have algae deep in a ( transparent pot) that is exposed to sunshine a lot! Hope it works!!!
Hope so too, good luck :D
I have a Phal in a transparent pot, with coconut husk pieces for medium, and currently 2 large flower spikes ready to bloom. The inner walls of the pot have algae, but it does not smell bad. Once the flowers are over, I am considering immersing the whole pot in a 3% H2O2 solution, followed by a heavy rinse to remove the H2O2. Do you think this is a good idea?
@Misslou: Did it work for you?
Hahaha Danni you always crack me up, I have never heard it pronounced like that before (it is pronounced 'al' 'gee', like golly gee you are too cute) but I wouldn't want you to change a thing! Your accent always brings a smile to my face, this was a great video and perfectly timed now that it is nearing fall and we have all built up a nice of algae on our pots that were outside. I am having some trouble with root tips on some of my plants that I have outdoors, the trouble is always the tips not the rest of the root and I am wondering if you have a video or a method to be able to figure out if I have a critter munching on them or if they are getting burnt? I have only fertilized lightly a few times over the summer and it doesn't seem to coincide with the fertilizer application, we did have a bit more water the last month than they were used to and it was very humid so maybe that could be another cause? At any rate of you have any suggestions it would be appreciated. Happy blooming!
Hi Nicole, algae is pronounced differently in British English and US English, as you can hear here dictionary.cambridge.org/pronunciation/english/algae my pronunciation is British, since my high school studies were more on British literature and sciences :) About the roots, how do they look like? do they seem to miss a part of the tip? it might very well be a snail or slug problem, I do have a video here ua-cam.com/video/qZDh8KCAk-M/v-deo.html hope this helps! :D
Would pouring a mixture of water and hp through the pot get rid of the algae without having to repot and clean out the whole plant?
I notice more algae appears depending on what fertilizer I use, I didn't realize I was using one with urea for a while and when I switched from it I noticed the algae going away on its own. I'm so fed up with fertilizers I'm going to do no fertilizer for a while and see what happens.... Great video :)
Well I think I will flush the pots with no ferts for a few weeks, then just use very diluted fertilizer. I think there is just too much excess left in my pots.
does it work on Vanda roots that are in basket?
I just want to make sure...I have a phal. in bark medium and it has too much algae I would say, can I use hydrogen peroxide 3% ? Thanks!
I rather like the, dark velvety green of algae! But this seems like an excellent way of getting rid of it, for those that don't.
I like an even carpet of green algae too, but it doesn't want to work like that :)))
this seems like a very good way to get rid of algea. Do you know wgat the long term effects are for the roots? Do you have experience with those miniature phaleanopsis? I bought some a time ago but gear that some stay small and others become big. Do you have any advice?
Hi, well if I leave them take over they might interfere with the absorption of the velamen. About mini Phals, they are just like a normal Phalaenopsis in terms of care, I have a video here ua-cam.com/video/QnHgj_KSrSE/v-deo.html
Does Leca also tend to promote algae? Love that Paph, the leaves are really neat. :)
Hi, yes, almost any water retentive medium will favor development of algae, even sphagnum moss :) however if leca is used on its own without it being moist (though not ideal) it will not be a good medium as it is not as porous.
I have it on few on my orchids
Hi, please tell me, soil from the Orchid Cattleya, what is called ? We only have a very small Seramis.
Hi, it is seramis but the bigger granules, I purchase them from Orchitop here bit.ly/1dVpVn5 but I have Cattleyas in small seramis with a bit of leca pebbles, they are doing ok :)
Hi Dani, thanks for that great video!
I have a Phal in a transparent pot, with coconut husk pieces for medium. The inner walls of the pot have algae, but it does not smell bad. I suspect the algae infestation might be bad enough and hampering nutrient uptake by roots. Do you think it would be good to immerse the whole pot in a 3% H2O2 solution, to remove the algae? (followed by a heavy rinse to remove the H2O2, for sure).
Hi, well I am not yet certain that algae can impair root activity, I presume that if they attach to the velamen it can interfere with the water absorption, but I am not sure really. A HP soak can help yes, at least to keep them under control. After the reaction HP transforms into water so no need to rinse, but rinsing will help eliminate algae bits so it's good :)
it also makes sense they would interfere with nutrient uptake if they cover the absorption points. About stealing nutrients.. not sure, I cannot test it :(
Cool, thanks! That really helps. I think I will do the usual HP-spray while re-potting my phal. It is anyway outgrowing the pot, and it's time she moves to a bigger house.
If you ever do an HP-soak, would love to see a video about it. Cheers!
Dani, I just purchased a Catt. violacrea var. rubra on ebay. It was rather expensive and it was potted in a black 4 inch plastic basket. What concerns me is the entire top (sphagnum moss) is covered with a dark green moss. Like something you would find growing on a tree or rock in a dense forest. Could it harm my orchid? (Actually I am a little bit scare of it.)
Hi, well I am not entirely sure, but I believe that if algae deposits on the roots too much, it can deprive them from moisture. In any case they would interact with the absorbtion of the velamen, so that is why I don't want to leave them get out of hand. Does the pot smell bad after watering? when algae die they smell really awful and they decompose in the medium. If the pot.. or rather basket smells, I would try and repot this orchid into a different medium.
Thank you. It does have a funky smell, but I will wait to repot until I see signs of new roots developing
Hey Danny ! I have one question! What is the white stuff on the top of the seramis?
q
Hi, I don't really have white stuff on the seramis, but there might be some salts if there is anything. If you mean the white stuff on the leca, it's just how it came in the bag :) you can see it better here ua-cam.com/video/cPjRkhWOivg/v-deo.html
+MissOrchidGirl thanks :D
algae looks natural in the pot if you let it is it harmful to the orchid ???
Hi, I think they can disturb the absorption process of the velamen, reason why I don't want to let them become excessive :)
I WONDER IF ROOTS WERE WASHED AND SPRAYED WITH HYDRGENPEROXIDE IF THAT WOULD TAKE CARE OF THT ALGAE BEFORE POTTING THE PLANT? I KNOW IT WILL TAKE CARE OF SPIDER MITES , AND MEALY BUGS JUST A THOUGHT!
i love your voice honey
But I love algae, it does not hurt orchid and make look media and surroundings look more wild nature alike.