I'm having a major mold issue on my cuttings; white, peach fuzzish mold. I've got too much invested to lose them at this point. I did a 10/90 bleach/water with soft toothbrush scrub on some, but the mold came back. I have about 30 cuttings, evenly divided between partial enclose in a Baggie with paper towel, partial enclose in Baggie with sphagnum moss, and lastly potted in rapid draining gritty mix. All within a sealed plastic tub by a south facing window, cooling to 64 at night and getting up to mid 70s during the day.


What should I do/change???

Need more info.

How long ago did you start them? Do they have any roots yet? Where is the mold, on the ends mostly or sort of anywhere and everywhere?

Started about a week ago, cuttings came from a variety of people. No roots yet. Mold is primarily at the tips and at nodes. A few have it on the actual bark itself.

Ryan...Sounds like you may have too much moisture in your cuttings! I use a plastic box and put on top of fridge with sphagnum moss. I wet the moss in my sink and then I use both hands and squeeze all the water I can get out of them and then put the cuttings in the box (after dipping in clonex). and cover with the damp moss. This is just the way I do it, not saying it's the best way. I have had pretty good luck with this way, but still get a rotten one every once in a while. Hope this helps bud...

I'm wondering if I should keep the lid off of the boxes for a bit... Let some of the humidity escape?

Are the moldy cuttings in Baggies only or also the plastic tub? 

Standard peroxide solution dabbed onto the mold with a Q-tip may also work.  Sounds like your rooting conditions are too damp.

I should have been more clear; the cuttings in gritty mix are also in the clear tubs. I'm going to go pop the tops off right now.

I think you should take the pics of the mold and the condition you root the cuttings, so people will have better solution for you.... That's my 2cent.....
Wish can help more


Ong

Jakarta, Indonesia

If it has only been a week or so with no roots yet, this is what I would do(and have done with success). I use the sphag bag method only. 

I would take the molded ones out and redo the quick(a minute or two) soak in 1/10 bleach and scrub with tooth brush. I would then rinse them and put them on paper towels for a few minutes in front of a fan to dry out. I would then trim a bit off the cut ends (especially if there is decay or was mold there) and dip those in wax. In the mean time put your sphagnum in very hot water or in a bowl and nuke it. Then squeeze every last drop of water out of it. I think it is important to fluff the sphagnum up and then have the sphagnum in full contact with cutting on all surfaces, not just in there with the cuttings. Sphagnum does not mold and prevents mold, I just threw out some bags of damp sphagnum I found from last year and they were not moldy at all 1 year later. If I were broke I would have reused it following a very hot water soak to kill any potential fig diseases/viruses remaining. Lastly, if the mold ever makes part of your cutting black and dead, then cut that part off until you get to new healthy wood or it will just keep advancing.

Good luck. By spring time you'll be a pro at this.

Thank you all so much! I will take a few pics later just to get more info.

I spent a couple of hours working on my cuttings tonight. About 15 had no signs of mold. All of my paper towel cuttings were washed in the 10/90 solution and then re wrapped in slightly damp newspaper. All of my moss cuttings that were too long to enclose in a smaller ziplock bag are now in gallon bags with damp sphagnum moss. My potted cuttings that had only one or two spots of mold I left potted and will spot treat with hydrogen peroxide tomorrow. Thanks again for the help everyone!