Question
I have a beautiful orchid which has presented me with 14 blooms and is producing another bud and a new leaf.  It is in a fairly small pot with moss on top.  Today I noticed there is a light blue-gray mold on the moss.  I crumbled most of it away with my fingertips.  I love this plant.  How can I keep the mold from recurring?  I also don't know what food it needs.
If I only get one question, could you please deal with the mold?  Thanks for your help.
Yours,
Margaret.

Answer
Margaret, please feel free to ask all of your questions. First, the mold occurs because there is moss which tends to retain moisture and an environment perfect for mold growth.  Also, the moss on the surface, can easily cover the presence of a deteriorating potting mix.  I recommend that you purchase a hobby bag of orchid potting mix from a garden center that sells orchids.  I know that both Lowes and Home Depot garden centers usually carry orchid potting mix.  Be sure that you obtain the orchid potting mix that has fir bark particles (average size of the particles should be baout 1/2").  Be sure you repot your plant in a pot that has lots of drainage holes.  Also, soak the new potting mix prior to use to reduce the water repellancy of the fir bark.

When you unpot your plant, rinse off the roots and remove any roots that are mushy (they are no longer functional as they have lost their outer covering called the velamin). Place the good orchid roots into the pot (here, if most of your roots are healthy, you may need a somewhat larger pot).  Add the wet potting mix and tap the sides of the pot as you add it to the pot to settle it about the roots.  The convention is to do this repotting after each flowering.  If you do this, you should eliminate the conditions that lead to mold formation and will create a more healthy root environment to promote future growth.