Trying to save 4 Phalaenopsis - Looking for help

[spinrah]

Originally Posted by RossellaNY

Touching them, they were completely empty and covered only by a sort of squashy and broken brown/black film. At the first try, I just cut those but after one week also the others that had attached semi-rotten part, have completely rotted as well I'm sure that I did something wrong considering the actual situation. Just trying to save as much as possible now[COLOR="Silver"]

I don't have any constructive advice as I am just a beginner myself, but I just wanted to say - don't be too hard on yourself! It happens, and the important thing is you're doing your best and trying to learn. Most people just throw their orchids away! Plus, it very well could be that you only cut off dead roots, we are just speculating, but we may be wrong.

[RossellaNY]

Originally Posted by aliceinwl

I’d buy some Kelpmax to stimulate rooting.

Alice many thanks. I'm looking for this Keplmax on Amazon but I'm not finding so much. Actually, I found "KELPMAX Liquid Seaweed Concentrate (4 Liters)" at 135 USD but I don't feel like to invest so much right now . I found something called "Organic Liquid Seaweed and Kelp Fertilizer Supplement by Bloom City, (8 oz) Concentrated", do you happen to know if could be a comparable?

Thanks again.

[SouthPark]

Originally Posted by RossellaNY

Actually, I'm quite scared to put the plant inside a closed clear plastic bag or use sphagnum moos because I'm worried to get again mold and don't be able to manage/recognize in time/correctly the situation.

One option is to put a couple of plants in a vase - and only put the base of the stem in water. And then see if roots will grow out from the base of the stem.

Another option is to put a couple of plants in a humidity container (see-through tub with a little bit of ventilation).

The main problem right now is no roots, which prevents the orchid from getting water into it, that can result in the orchid just drying up.

Unless there is adequate life support ------ to slow the dehydration, to buy time for the orchid in hopefully producing more roots, or unless the orchid happens to sprout roots very soon --- then it could be a one-way ticket for all these orchids.

And if these orchids recover ----- then we can also begin to establish a suitable watering schedule or system.

All the best with these orchids.

[SADE2020]

Originally Posted by RossellaNY

Touching them, they were completely empty and covered only by a sort of squashy and broken brown/black film. At the first try, I just cut those but after one week also the others that had attached semi-rotten part, have completely rotted as well I'm sure that I did something wrong considering the actual situation. Just trying to save as much as possible now

---------- Post added at 12:34 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:14 PM ----------

Thanks all guys for the replies and suggestions. Everything is extremely helpful since I'm a beginner in the orchids world.

I read carefully all your suggestions and also different posts around the forum and the web. Actually, I'm quite scared to put the plant inside a closed clear plastic bag or use sphagnum moos because I'm worried to get again mold and don't be able to manage/recognize in time/correctly the situation.

Do you think guys that trying to put the plants over the bark and moist them daily is useless due the situation? I bought clear plastic saucers to put at the base of the clear plastic pot in case add water there could help. I have also some LECA pebbles that I was thinking add to the base of the pot to help humidity.
What do you think?

I feel also very sorry to cut the spikes since they seem "healthy" but I get your point and I'll do it if this can help.

This seems to me the manageable way for a beginner but not sure if could make sense or not here

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

[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.

[Ray]

Originally Posted by 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

Direct or through Amazon, I'm still the shipper. And yes, it's much cheaper to order direct.

It is backordered on my website and currently unavailable on Amazon because I am battling with my supplier to get bottles!

Normally, I place a bulk order and it arrives in 3-4 days. It's now over 2 weeks and the back-orders are building.

Supposedly my order is to be delivered today, meaning I'll be able to ship on Monday. We'll have to wait and see, as they've been promising shipment since last Monday, but as that didn't happen - nor any of the other "it'll go out today" promises I've gotten - but I at least have an overnight delivery tracking number.

[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!

[SouthPark]

If the leaves do start shrivelling at some fairly fast rate, then a big version of something like this will help .....

eg. a big version of saxon mini green-house or equivalent (eg. fish-tank, see-through plastic tub etc).

Leave some gaps for ventilation ..... and keep a warm temperature, and medium lighting level (with no direct sun).

Sphagnum moss can even be placed inside the tub ----- with no need for the moss coming into contact with the plant.

Condensation on all the walls building up quickly (once the cover is used) will be a good sign to look for ----- an indicator of nice humidity.



And - a possible setup to help out ......

[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.