Trying to save 4 Phalaenopsis - Looking for help

[RossellaNY]

Originally Posted by SADE2020

Don't worry we all have done it .. haha
Cut the spike and put them in flower or in a vase with moss and water. Like cut flowers. They last forever.

I think the bark is the must safety way if you have doubts , but here is a IU test and then it end up in bark with all those roost (for inspiration)

Cheers

WOW! Congrats! How was the starting point? no roots as well? Also, what did you put as bed for the orchid in the first picture? Sphagnum?

[aliceinwl]

It looks like it’s on back order: KelpMax Superior Plant Growth Stimulant › First Rays LLC

I wouldn’t pay that price on Amazon either I’ve rehabbed many Phalaenopsis without it, but it’s nice to have in the arsenal.

Some look like they still have a few roots stubs on the base. I’ve even just potted some of my near rootless Phals up in bark, staked them, and watered whenever the bark was dry. It took awhile and the leaves suffered from dehydration until the new roots grew in, but they recovered.

There are lots of different ways to grow Phals. I’ve had the best luck, when I set them up to minimize disturbance. If I’m messing with the plant: moving it, inadvertently bumping developing root buds, recovery proceeds much slower or halts altogether so I pot them up. If I add a clear plastic bag overtop with slits cut for ventilation, the leaves fair better: less water loss from transpiration.

[SADE2020]

Originally Posted by RossellaNY

WOW! Congrats! How was the starting point? no roots as well? Also, what did you put as bed for the orchid in the first picture? Sphagnum?

Hi!
It is a plastic bottle with holes in the bottom on top of Sphagnum moss but not directly touching it, it only absorbs moisture and the truth is that I started with a stem and 2 very rotten roots trying to save what was there, but in the end I cut it and eliminated everything , and leave only the crowns, in the bottle they have been until 2 roots came out and I turned it to 100% pine bark spraying the roots every two days and watering every 7 days. Progress is very slow, several months or so. But without hormones, placed in a medium bright place, not very brighter up to see new roots.
I have good progress with the roots of all Phals and always using 80% pine bark and a bit of charcoal and moss, but I think the biggest helping factor is my environment.

Cheers!

[spinrah]

My first time repotting an orchid I cut off a lot of viable roots. It can be hard to tell for a beginner, but usually they are fine unless they are complete mush. I’m still a beginner, but I feel like I’m finally getting the hang of it.. it took quite a few dead orchids though to learn... unfortunately.

[aliceinwl]

Me too! I butchered most of mine when I repotted for the first time. Orchids have a reputation for being delicate, but I’ve found hybrid Phalaenopsis in particular can be very resilient. I’ve had Phals in worse shape recover and bloom within two years.

[SouthPark]

This could be fish-tank case ...... or similar ..... such as having the plants inside a humidity tank, with a little bit of ventilation, and keeping the temperature nice and warm (but not so warm as to harm the plants). And put lots of wet sphagnum pots inside the tank. The plants can just stay bare-root in the tank ...... actually no-root .... since there are not much or no roots left on them at the moment.

Provide medium light levels (no direct sun etc). And can then see if the orchids will start growing new roots.

I agree about cutting off all the flower spikes. And allow the orchids to try sprout new roots.

[Orchidtinkerer]

More often than not a root is dead, not alive.

One can see the brownness on the stem where the rot reached. Stop trying to make people feel guilty about having cut off completely dead roots. Won't achieve anything as he can't glue the dead roots back on now can he.

Roots are very sensitive and once they become hollow they are dead. No ifs or buts or maybe or but no hollow = dead!

The rot already spread further than the roots as one can see on the picture.

[estación seca]

Phalaenopsis (and many other orchid) roots are bright green when new. As they grow tips remain green, and the part back from the tip turns white or silver. The tissue conducting water is thin, like a thread, running through the center of the white cylinder. The white or silver cylinder consists of many layers of dying or dead cells, and is called velamen. It functions as a sponge to hold water, and conduct it to the threadlike root. Over time the velamen turns brownish and papery, and may be stripped from the central root core. But - that central root core is still alive, and the old velamen is still conducting water. Don't cut off old roots. Even lacking velamen those thin cores can take up water.

Edit: If you save your plants, they will still probably lose most of their leaves before growing new roots. Phals are good at preserving water by sacrificing leaves. New leaves will be very small until roots form. The plant will gradually enlarge until it's big enough to bloom again. It will likely be 3 or 4 more years before you see flowers on these plants. Survival is not assured, and plants might die after a year or more. You will feel more upset than now. So that you don't become discouraged and give up on orchids, I might suggest you throw these away and begin with healthy plants.