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weathered clay pots

Date: Tue, 3 Mar 1998 12:53:46 -0800
From: "The Jeli's" <utaar@cnnw.net>
To: "Indoor Gardening" <indoor-gardening@prairienet.org>
Subject: moldy clay pots & orchid questions

I've got some orchids in clay (terra cotta) pots, and they have this
horrid-looking gray mold on the outside.  I've scrubbed them off before but
it keeps coming back again.  How can I get rid of this stuff without hurting
my orchids?  I suppose I could put them in plastic pots but I hate the look
of plastic and I'm afraid the orchids won't dry out enough between waterings
(though I suppose I could simply adjust their watering...).

(snip)

Thanks for any advice.

Cami
utaar@cnnw.net
----------------------------------------

Hi Cami,
 AFAIK, your grey mold is dissolved salts from the liquid fertilizer
leaching out of the clay. It will normally build up over time and need to
be washed off every 6 months to a year. I leave it on because I like the
look of the weathered pots. New clay just looks to "new" to me.

 Your right about the plastic pots holding too much water for most orchids.
Also, the dissolved salts will remain trapped inside the plastic pot near
the plant's roots.

HTH

Matt Trahan  <matttrahan@ecsu.campus.mci.net>
USDA zone 8, Sunset zone 31, AHS heat zone 7, northeastern N.C.

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