I wouldn't use honey for fear or attracting insects (I doubt it would fix the mold).

I'd try to post this same thing at the Orchid Forum (nearby, pls. see top of page); you already know Dendrobiums are Orchids which can require special /different care.

Example: potting mix & perlite is fine for some houseplants, but MAYBE not orchids, which are often in bark mix (or long fiber sphagnum moss) instead of soil.

I also think keeping them covered is encouraging the mold, not minimizing it.

Lena

Surely honey is going to encourage mold! Never heard such before

I've had new plants start from the tops of leafless Dendrobium canes but they were basically healthy and not rotting at the base. Honey is a sterilising agent, that's why it keeps for such a long time without any refrigeration or other preservatives added. But cinnamon powder would probably be a more practical fungicide to use.

Update:

The keiki is growing swimmingly!

July 28:

Right now it sits on a warm windowsill underneath a south-facing window. I soak the bottom of the moss whenever the moss dries. Its longest root is about an inch long.

I never thought that the canes I cut would be able to produce anything. I honestly just cut the canes as a last ditch effort to see if anything would happen. The resiliency of orchids and their ability to bounce back from almost nothing really amazes me.

It's looking good. But I'd be a bit careful with sphagnum, it holds a lot of water.