New Potting Technique, Root Health

[MT-Phal]

Well, from my experience and from what I've read when roots are over watered and begin to fail... they don't always turn dark and rot. If the roots receive too much and begin to drown they can turn white and shriveled. It's the reaction of the plant to shut down the water absorbing process.

[Douglas Scanlan]

Really? I didnt know that. I wonder how my roots could have suffered from too much water? Simply being sprayed once a day wouldn't do that in a high drainage situation like that. Is it possible that letting the roots soak too long while being submerged could have done that (fertilizing, leeching, or just watering with submertion)? I probably submerged them about twice a week for 15 minutes at a time. Any fertilizing solution was always mixed at 1/4 strength and that was only once a week.

I've figured the likely culprits were:
1. shock from adapting to a new potting environment (wet sphag to glass/basket)
2. lack of moisture
3. weight from the glass (not likely in my mind, but it was suggested by several members)

[Undergrounder]

I think you're right Douglas, it was probably shock that killed off the initial roots (sphag to glass beads is about as bit a difference as you can get), and under-watering that hurt them long-term (because glass beads hold so little water).

No such thing as over-watering a Phal in my experience. What people call 'over-watering' is usually a break down of media, fungal attack or a drastic change of conditions.

When allowed to adapt, Phals love virtually constant water around their roots.

[Ray]

Root cells are funny things: as they grow, they "tailor" themselves to the environment into which they are growing, and once grown, they do not change.

If the environment they are in changes (old, decomposing medium, or sphag getting to compact, as examples), those cells may not function well, so those roots will deteriorate, although in some cases, they will start growing new sections of roots that are tailored to the environment.

Likewise when you transplant from one set of root-zone conditions to another - the greater the difference between the "old" and "new" conditions, the less well the roots will function after transplantation.

That's why it is important to repot just when new roots are growing, as they will be tailored to that new environment, so will support the plant, even if the old roots don't do that great of a job any more.

[Douglas Scanlan]

I agree, Ray and Underground, that is the theory I'm going with.

[Leisurely]

You are probably right about your roots Douglas. The roots on my plants that are out of the pot were developed out of the pot and grew as aerial roots so they became acclimated as they grew and as you said, they absorb moisture from the atmosphere during high humidity. I grow in 1/4 ea. medium diatomite, bark, charcoal and sponge rok. It retains moisture but never stays wet.

[gesmith7]

Glass is commonly composed of the following:

SIO2 Silica
NA2CO3 Sodium Carbonate
CACO3 Limestone
The glass could be coated with something that the plants don't like.
The glass c

[gesmith7]

All very interesting. I put my Phals in clear plastic pots and the roots stay pretty wet. They seem to be very happy. The clear plastic seems to make the roots stay in the pot rather than grow out in the air.

[Douglas Scanlan]

I agree Gesmish7, this IS all very interesting. It is good to experiment. Lots of members urged me to stick to what is already proven and accepted as the norm, but I have learned so much from this potting experiment because of all the feedback from all of you in this thread, and it is really going to help me in the future and hopefully many others in the thread as well. Even if I don't stick with the potting technique, I understand Phalaenopsis orchids very well now. I'm leaning more toward S/H potting in transparent glass as the way to go now, and maybe someday I'll try mounting too. But I'll keep one orchid around that is still potted in glass for a while longer, just to see how well it continues to adapt. After all, it survived 6 months that way and kept its blossoms for 5+ of those months, and still didn't come close to dying. These are very adaptable plants indeed. There is no one way to take care of an orchid

[orchids3]

After trying many things over the years it looks like the prudent thing to do is to try something on one or two plants and change to something completly after you are sure the experiment is successful. Have watched member of orchid societies change everything after a lecture by a member or "expert" only too be disapointed in the results. If you have something working for you dont change everything at once. If you have a plant that seems to be in decline - find someone that is growing it well -then try that technique.This was learned the hard way.