Myrmecatavola Frances Fox Root Tips Stop Growing

[SouthPark]

DC - excellent pics and excellent root growth!

Chani ----- your orchid appears to be in good shape too. The leaves and bulbs appear to be in excellent condition, and you can see that there is root growth too.

If your orchid stays in good shape like that, then no need to worry about anything. Just keep providing the orchid with suitable growing temperatures and temperature ranges, and suitable lighting levels - and just keep doing what you've been doing.

You can also do some testing if you have time - such as to get an orchid pot of the exact same kind, and fill it up with the same mix of media ------ but no orchid in this pot. Then water in the same way you have been doing. And every now and again, dig into the media to see just how moist/wet/dry it is. This can give you some understanding of what the conditions are - such as in the very middle (centre) of the pot.

If you find it to be too dry - then make some slight adjustments ----- such as to water a little bit more. But don't over-adjust (to avoid issues).

But right now - because your orchid is actually growing roots - it just looks like there's nothing wrong.

[SouthPark]

Very nice plants by the way ----- DC and Chani!

[Chani]

Dirty Coconuts - Oh, I see, so it's the frequent watering and evaporative cooling that keeps the roots cooler. Interesting, I never thought of that.

SouthPark - So I know there are two root tips there, which is great. But...just last week there were four. Two of them just stopped and I'm concerned the same is going to happen for the remaining two. Just stop growing and go all white.

The testing is a brilliant idea. I don't think I ever would have thought of that. I'm curious to try that out.

[SouthPark]

Originally Posted by Chani

SouthPark - So I know there are two root tips there, which is great. But...just last week there were four. Two of them just stopped and I'm concerned the same is going to happen for the remaining two. Just stop growing and go all white.

Chani - all white is probably ok! If tips go grey/gray/black or mushy, or roots start getting that way - then that would be concerning.

Check your roots - including ones right in the middle of the pot - to see if they're ok.

If it remains in good condition like what it looks like now, then probably nothing to worry about at all.

Check the roots against the ones shown here.

[estación seca]

Originally Posted by Chani

estación seca - That's really interesting what you need to do to get your orchid to root. So essentially, it needs cooler and wet conditions?

Ha, ha. I live in Phoenix. If I'm lucky in summer the evaporative cooler gets the growing room down to 80 F / 27C. The humidity is what's important for these, not the temperature.

I forgot to add, they must not be jiggled while rooting or the roots stop growing. It took over a year for me to figure this out with my first Schomburgkia/Myrmecophila. It would make new growth, and try to make roots while sitting in a pot. When I watered it would move a little, and roots would stop growing. I took it out of the pot and tied it firmly on a log. When it grew new roots a year later, they attached firmly, and the plant took off.

[DirtyCoconuts]

That is really good advice.

[SouthPark]

Chani ------ if your orchid is looking like this as you showed, then I think it's a case of no issue.



The photos of the pot sort of shows quite dry bark on the sides there. So possibly you could water a bit more, and knowing that very dry bark tends to repel water rather than absorb it. Maybe water a bit more - but not over-do watering.

Also - Chani - do you occasionally apply fertiliser and mag-cal?

[SouthPark]

By the way ....... the Frances Fox orchid does exist in Australia ----- hiding around. But not readily available at nurseries over here!

[Chani]

Southpark - That's a great link, thank you . I was just concerned because the root tips that disappeared were there for only a short period of time. As far as fertilizer goes, I use Grow More Orchid fertilizer Urea-free 20-10-20 and I fertilize at half strength every other watering in the grow season and every third watering in the winter. And there aren't any orchid nurseries near me at all. I mostly buy orchids online and I used to pick up a bunch of those bag babies.

estación seca - Really good to know about the roots stopping due to the orchid jiggling. I do have one stake in it, but maybe I'll add in another just to make sure it's 100% secure.

[SouthPark]

Most welcome Chani! For your fertilising ----- it is possible that it could be too much fertilising (just 'could be' ----- not saying it is too much). Just to clarify --- I think the more times we add fertiliser to the media, the more salts etc go into the media, which can accumulate - which can impact the roots negatively. Although, such impact would normally be seen as dying roots, and roots going brown, and dying etc. But - in any case, maybe half-strength fertiliser every couple of weeks (applied) will be nice for the orchid and media.

On the other hand - if your fertiliser schedule isn't impacting negatively the health of the orchid, then no objection with the existing schedule ------ just a consideration only.

Also - even though your orchid probably doesn't need it yet, or might not need it at all - also consider for the future ---- mag-cal applications (eg. every couple of weeks, or even once a month).