Question
Hey! I have recently watered by phalaenopsis for the first time and when I looked today there was a white mold on the potting soil.  What should I do?  I am a first time owner and don't know very much regarding repotting if that is the best idea.

Answer
Hi Jane,

You didn't say how long you have had the phalaenopsis.  Is the potting media really like potting soil or is it more chunky like bark?  

White mold on the top could be salt residue from water and fertilizer by the nursery that grew it.  Scrape the surface to see if it is just barely on the surface or if it has a little depth to it.  Barely on the surface might be salt while having depth could mean mold.  

With either condition, it probably is a good idea to repot it into fresh potting media.  First get the potting supplies ready, such as orchid media (medium size bark is good), new pot the same size as the current one or wash the old pot in hot soapy water.  

Remove the phalaenopsis from the pot by slipping it out, remove as much of the old media from the roots as you can.  Check the roots for any that may be soft and mushy, cut them off as they as dead.  Place about an inch of media in the pot then lower the roots into it.  Pour some media around it while trying to keep the phal. in the center of the pot and the bottom leaf just below the pot rim.  When the pot is full, gently tap the pot and press down on the media to settle it then add more media as needed to fill the pot.  

When done, water it thoroughly then place it in a warm shady place for 2 to 3 weeks.  Do not water it during this time but lightly mist or spray it each morning to help maintain humidity.  After this you can move it back to your growing area.  

Hope this helped.  If you have other questions or would like more information, write back and I'll try to help with them.  By the way, it would be helpful to know where you live so I will know what your climate is like.  

Jim Kawasaki
San Jose, Ca.