Brown, white, small balls ?

13 years ago

Thanks for your help, I found today lots of small balls like pellets on one of my phal's roots,some are brown and others white, they're hard, the size is about the diameter of graphite bar #7 for mechanical pencil (or the size of the letter "o" in this forum )and something like a white veil began to appear on my phal's roots. Most of the roots were soggy and squishy. I cut off all the damaged roots and used lots and lots of cinnamon. The phal is getting a beautiful spike I hope the sipkie is ok. What are those balls ??

Thank you so much,

Alma

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Comments (5)

orchid126
13 years ago
You might research scale or mealy bugs in an attempt to identify the insect(s).
philohela
13 years ago
Some time-release fertilizer pellets are as you describe. Can you attach a photo?
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jane__ny
13 years ago
I agree with philohela, it is time release fertilizer. You should not put cinnamon on roots. The white veil is probably the normal, natural covering on Phal roots.

Jane
ice_cream_lover
Original Author
13 years ago
Thanks for your help. I don`t use fertilize pellets. Those balls are some kind of infection or bug or something. The balls were really hard and the white veil was thick, I'm sure it wasn't normal part of the roots, the roots became soggy in about 10 days. I'm sorry I don`t have pictures I panic, rinse the roots and cut them off, Can you think in something else??
Thank you very much,
Alma
albertan
13 years ago
My vote goes to expended fertilizer pellets, not necessarily put there by you. The hard casings of the pellets could be several years old. Roots sound like mold caused by overwatering and decomposed media. Air drying roots after trimming beats using cinnamon, which will be overkill in these circumstances.