Crimes against Lycaste aromatica - root damage

[mvmgems]

You know that sinking feeling when you wish you could undo the last few minutes?

I bought this Lycaste aromatica a few days ago and it was in great condition - nice roots, pseudobulbs, shoots, and blooming. Potted in straight sphagnum.

However, I’d noticed a strong foul decayed vegetable smell coming from the media every time I watered which overpowered the cinnamon scent, so I decided to repot it today (planning on just replacing the media with a mix of small bark and moss) and into a clear pot. I also noticed what looked like insect frass on one side of the root ball.

It seemed like the long strand sphagnum was well entwined and I had to tug a lot to remove them. After taking out about a third, I then noticed a root tip in what I removed and to my horror realized I had ripped out a ton of roots along with the moss. I did the rest of the root ball under running water to help differentiate but I’m positive I caused more damage.

I’ve loosely packed in the original moss into the pot while I post here and ask for help, reassurance, and admonishment!

[katsucats]

Just pot it back up in new media. What's done is done.

[Catpainter]

I've never grown a Lycaste (yet haha) but have had the same experience with other orchids. Plural. Someone on here said - remember - your orchid wants to live. So don't despair! While there is life there is hope! I tried the kelp solution that Ray advises for root stimulant and it helped my partially rooted babies recover quickly. So happy when those new green root tips appear. So would highly recommend that if you haven't already! Good luck, she is very pretty!

[Roberta]

Overall, when you repot (especially if the medium is packed or tangled with roots) go slow and be gentle. Observe. (Put on your reading glasses if you need them.) Remember that you don't have to remove ALL the old medium - rot, fungal or otherwise, got established because conditions favored it (like soggy and airless), so if you improve the environment with your repot, any of that remaining won't thrive because you will have shifted the equilibrium toward the orchid and away from the intruder. So clean it up (rinse well under running water) but it doesn't have to be sterile. Preservation of good roots is much more important than removing all traces of the prior mess.

Fortunately, this is the time of year when Lyc. aromatica is working on new growth. (It tends to bloom on leafless pseudobulbs, then do its new growth as the summer advances.)

[Catpainter]

Roberta, I really like your approach because I did think I had to get all the old media out. Glad to know ok to leave it within reason.

[mvmgems]

Update now that my clear pots and bark have arrived.

- I repotted from the temporary loose sphagnum (opaque nursery pot) to clear slotted pot. Used about 70% bark “orchid potting mix”, 20% re-used sphagnum, 10% orchiata/perlite blend. I kind of untangled the root ball to make a space in the middle to add bark, since there wasn’t a whole lot of substance to the middle. Then poured KLN through the pot to water.

- Some fast moving brown rot killed an inflorescence. It started with one flower browning a few days ago and quickly hit the adjacent newly-opened flower and was traveling down the stem. I cut below the node and applied cinnamon.

- Roots look very brown and unhappy, though at least half are still firm. Is the fuzz root hair or fungus? I didn’t mess any more with the roots other than that what was needed

- Definitely set back the vegetative growth, not much change since two weeks ago. I’m just hoping it survives this year, and if I’m lucky will rebloom in a few years.

Should I continue watering with KLN? Or switch to plain water (or fertilizer?) Should I keep it damp or let it get dry (during the summer, before I slow down / stop watering in dormancy).

[Clawhammer]

Lycastes are tough as nails. Repot and let it be. New roots should arrive with that new growth. Enjoy!

[mvmgems]

Originally Posted by Clawhammer

Lycastes are tough as nails. Repot and let it be. New roots should arrive with that new growth. Enjoy!

Update, one month from mangling, two weeks from repotting. It’s continued to grow and the newest psb are starting to sprout new root tips! Just some white fungus issues on the media that are attracting gnats but that feels more cosmetic. Thanks for the advice and reassurance everyone!