While untangling this SP moss from my Col de Dam Blanc I discovered mold on the scion amongst the roots... I was planning on up-potting it to a 16 oz cup with 60% Happy Frog potting soil/40% perlite but I'm afraid to because of this mold!  But I don't know how to treat it without risking damage to the roots/scion.  Does anyone have any advice or thoughts?  Thanks!!

(I gave it a mist and put it back in the shoe box until I can figure out what to do...)

others might have better suggestion. i would just spary it with peroxide solution and put that into 1 gal pot. that looks like enough roots to go staight into 1 gal and left in the shade until it gets hardened to take sun.

JR...I agree with Pete...that's a super set of roots you have there...after a splash of the peroxide solution, put it in the 1gal. and let the root system take over.

Thanks for the advice.  Another question:  After spraying it with a peroxide solution, should I use the 60/40 mix I mentioned (60% Happy Frog potting soil/ 40% perlite) for the 1 gallon container?   And if I use that mix in a 1 gallon, I won't be able to see the roots developing and I'm a bit unsure as to a watering schedule for it to ensure the proper root development.  Any more advice?  Am I being overly cautious/concerned?  This is my 3rd attempt at Col de Dam blancs and I'm just a bit overprotective :)

Thanks!

never used happy frog before.. i just use MG seedling and MG perlite at 50/50. i water whenever there is a need to water, not based on schedule. what i do is lift up the container with plant before the watering. then i lift it up again after the watering. as the water gets used up, and dries up, the container will get lighter. i feel for the container weight almost everyday. once the container gets very light, and the leaves are starting to look little sad. i water again. if the leaves are drooping, but the container is heavy, that means there's too much water.

Instead of spraying, I'd dab with a Q-tip or even a pointed stick wet with the peroxide.  Nice roots  :)

Thanks Pete.  I started using Happy Frog because I was unable to find ProMix HD, so I went with the recommendation of several hydroponic stores (there seems to be a lot of those in this part of California, for obvious reasons).   They all endorse Happy Frog.

For clarity, perhaps I shouldn’t have used the word “schedule.”  What I like about the clear plastic cups is that I’m able to see the darkness of soil and condensation on the sides of the cup.  And since I’m a notorious over-waterer, this serves as a good barometer for me as far as watering goes.  Therefore, I’m concerned that with a dark gallon container (at this stage of the scions) that I may over water.  I must say, it is exciting to up-pot directly into a 1 gallon container as I have 2 Col de Dam blancs that I up-potted already in 16-oz cups with the 60/40 mix (about 2 weeks ago), and they seem to be establishing themselves well. 

As far as using leaves as a barometer for watering, these scions don’t have any.  And since my carpenter hands are well seasoned (beat-up), everything feels light to me and I can’t gauge much.  So obviously I’m a bit nervous J

I’m looking forward to trying this and will hopefully get to it tonight.  I welcome any and all advice, since clearly I’m a novice!

Oh, one more question.  On the picture you can see how much moss is entangled in the roots and it’s become difficult to gingerly remove any more.  What are your thoughts is I up-pot it the way it is, with that much moss on the roots?  Or should I risk slight root damage by attempting to remove more?

I would only remove big, easy to get out pieces.  They will hold water like a sponge so the roots can have too much water nearby .  It will become less of a problem as the plant matures.

I agree with Bob -- only remove the easy-to-remove pieces of moss.  I'd also dab at the mold spot with a Q-tip.  I've done that but using copper sulfate dust (not peroxide), and had some success with it, particularly when there's only a small amount of mold showing (as in your pics).  By using a Q-tip you can avoid getting any (of whichever substance you use) near the other roots.  Also, to help keep air around it (which will help inhibit the mold), I'd go heavier on the perlite and lighter on anything else.  Consider just perlite with chopped sphagnum mixed in, in a cup.  (Jon had a thread about this recently).

Mike

Thanks everyone for the suggestions, though I received Michael's advice after I'd already up-potted.

So basically (because I was so excited about going to the 1 gallon pot) I went ahead and dabbed the mold with hydrogen peroxide on a Q-tip, put it in a 1 gallon container with the 60/40 mix I mentioned above.  Then I placed it in the large clear plastic container I have in the house, along with the 2 other Col de Dam's (as I previously mentioned).

Keep your fingers crossed that these 3 take!

Remember when you visually see mold that means the entire surface area is likely completely inoculated.  I don't know how much of a problem cobweb mold really is on fig roots if at all.  It's almost everywhere there's moisture and darkness so most plants have to be pretty hardy against it.  Of course if it completely covers it to the point of suffocating the roots they'll rot and die.

If you're concerned though peroxide treatment as suggested by others above seems like a good idea.  If you wanted an even gentler approach the trace chlorine and fluoride in regular ole' tap water would probably nuke most of the surface spores.