reviving a very small orchid with no roots?

[MahsaTaheran]

Hi,

I am an orchid beginner. I moved with my partner recently, and he had a tiny orchid from years ago, that was not blooming. I thought repotting would help. But then when I took it out, I saw that all the roots where mushy and dead. I cut them, and only few dried out aerial roots remained. I then repotted it in a larger pot, with orchid potting mix from garden center. At the time the orchid had two tiny leaves, and after few weeks one died. After 2.5 months, it still had no rooting activity.

I also repotted at the same time a bigger orchid, which also had root rot, but as you see in the pictures, that one is showing some rooting. Maybe my repotting is wrong? that was my first ever attempt at it.

Since two days ago, I have tried putting it in water in a plastic bag, with the hope that hydration helps, but I don't know if this is actually helpful. To be honest, I also don't now which type of orchid is that, given that it has not bloomed since I came to this house. But I really want this tiny one to survive. What should I do? is it even possible? or should I just give up?

Than you so much for your help!

[estación seca]

Welcome to the Orchid Board!

These are Phalaenopsis orchids. Both plants you show have an excellent chance of surviving, and you do not need to hurry. The both have plenty of good roots, and will grow well with good care.

Before going further, get an idea of what they need by reading a few posts in a thread here on Orchid Board: From the left menu choose Forums then Beginners. Near the top look for the sticky thread The Phal abuse stops here. When you've done a little reading come back to this thread; by then you will have a lot of suggestions here.

The larger plant is potted slightly higher than I would have done. The pot and bark look very good. I don't think you need to repot it now, though you could. I would have put the emergence point of the leaves at the top of the bark. However, if the roots below the surface are good, its current potting situation will be just fine. New roots may grow into the air, or may grow down into the medium. Either is fine.

The smaller one can go into a pot just large enough to hold the roots. Soak them for a few hours in warm water so they become more flexible. It is likely you will break some roots winding them into the pot. They will still take up water; don't cut them off. I would use the same kind of bark you used for the larger plant.

Phals need lots of air at the roots. They also like to be warm and humid. If you provide those things they will grow well. With large bark you can water frequently and not worry about suffocating the roots. They don't die from too much water; they die from not enough air at the roots.

[Shadeflower]

If I was a betting man I'd say the big ones chances are 95%, the small ones chances 5%

the small one is severely set back. Any more set back and there would be nothing left of it. That happens from years of bad roots or bad growing conditions. It cannot be fixed overnight.
Repotting was the right move, you did nothing wrong there.

The only dilemma is the state of the stem. Keeping it humid should help but at the same time it can promote a fungal infection in the stem area and there is a lot of dead material wedged in there.

So I would personally do some drastic measures to save this one but also knowing there is probably only a 5% chance it can survive such a procedure. It needs moisture but in the state it is in any moisture would just make it rot away.

It also looks like possibly the crown has dried up

[MahsaTaheran]

Originally Posted by Shadeflower

If I was a betting man I'd say the big ones chances are 95%, the small ones chances 5%

the small one is severely set back. Any more set back and there would be nothing left of it. That happens from years of bad roots or bad growing conditions. It cannot be fixed overnight.
Repotting was the right move, you did nothing wrong there.

The only dilemma is the state of the stem. Keeping it humid should help but at the same time it can promote a fungal infection in the stem area and there is a lot of dead material wedged in there.

So I would personally do some drastic measures to save this one but also knowing there is probably only a 5% chance it can survive such a procedure. It needs moisture but in the state it is in any moisture would just make it rot away.

It also looks like possibly the crown has dried up

Ok, thanks alot for sharing your experience with me.. So Should I keep it in water, or put it back in a pot? which one would be the better approach here? What would you do personally?

---------- Post added at 01:40 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:38 PM ----------

Originally Posted by estación seca

Welcome to the Orchid Board!

These are Phalaenopsis orchids. Both plants you show have an excellent chance of surviving, and you do not need to hurry. The both have plenty of good roots, and will grow well with good care.

Before going further, get an idea of what they need by reading a few posts in a thread here on Orchid Board: From the left menu choose Forums then Beginners. Near the top look for the sticky thread The Phal abuse stops here. When you've done a little reading come back to this thread; by then you will have a lot of suggestions here.

The larger plant is potted slightly higher than I would have done. The pot and bark look very good. I don't think you need to repot it now, though you could. I would have put the emergence point of the leaves at the top of the bark. However, if the roots below the surface are good, its current potting situation will be just fine. New roots may grow into the air, or may grow down into the medium. Either is fine.

The smaller one can go into a pot just large enough to hold the roots. Soak them for a few hours in warm water so they become more flexible. It is likely you will break some roots winding them into the pot. They will still take up water; don't cut them off. I would use the same kind of bark you used for the larger plant.

Phals need lots of air at the roots. They also like to be warm and humid. If you provide those things they will grow well. With large bark you can water frequently and not worry about suffocating the roots. They don't die from too much water; they die from not enough air at the roots.

Thanks alot! I see your points. Just a question, do you mean I put those roots in the medium? I have put the roots in water, and want to pot it today hopefully.

[Dusty Ol' Man]

If it were mine, I would pot the small one in bark to where the existing roots were laying across the top of the bark. Make sure to soak the bark in warm water overnight first. Dry bark has a hard time getting wet. Then water by running water over the roots, letting it drain out the bottom of the pot. Do this every few days. More often if the bark dries out faster.

[rbarata]

My sugestion is:

For the larger, repot it and put it a little lower (the plant seems to be in the air). If you dodn't repot it, it will grow also that way. So, it's your call if you want to repot or not.

For the smaller, the chances of survival are high because of those aerial roots. You can pot it is the same mix as the large one (although it might be a bit difficult to anchor the plant). As it still doesn't have new roots adapted to grow under the mix you have to provide food and water to the plant via those aerial roots by misting them everyday (if the temp is not too high and the humidity isn't too low).

The key to know how to proceed properly is yo know your temps and humidity values. Can you give us that information?

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[Shadeflower]

You guys must have far higher success than me. I know which phals I have lost in the past, I know which I have saved.
Once the crown goes the only way is for a keiki to form. I can't even see a spot where a keiki could form so hats off to all of ya's.
If you can save the smaller one I'd be impressed. I've saved my fair share of cattleya back bulbs and I share the belief that if there is green there is hope so why not, it makes no difference I suppose so I will be a believer for this one too.

[estación seca]

The newest leaf in the small plantlet is brown and dry not because of crown rot, which would have led to it falling out, but due to underwatering.

When a Phal of any size has a good root system, and there remain meristems from which new growths can form, there is an excellent chance it will survive and grow with even average good care. There is a meristem at the base of every leaf, and one at the growing point. This plantlet almost certainly has an intact growing point.

Don't give up hope too early.

[K-Sci]

Originally Posted by estación seca

Welcome to the Orchid Board!

These are Phalaenopsis orchids. Both plants you show have an excellent chance of surviving, and you do not need to hurry. The both have plenty of good roots, and will grow well with good care.

Yup, estación seca has it exactly right. These two plants look pretty good, actually. They just need a bit of TLC.

The larger plant is potted slightly higher than I would have done.

I agree with estación seca here too. Planting too planting too high results in more aerial roots and fewer in the media. estación seca's advice on potting is also good.

The pot and bark look very good. I don't think you need to repot it now, though you could.

Agree again.

-Keith

[MahsaTaheran]

Originally Posted by rbarata

My sugestion is:

For the larger, repot it and put it a little lower (the plant seems to be in the air). If you dodn't repot it, it will grow also that way. So, it's your call if you want to repot or not.

For the smaller, the chances of survival are high because of those aerial roots. You can pot it is the same mix as the large one (although it might be a bit difficult to anchor the plant). As it still doesn't have new roots adapted to grow under the mix you have to provide food and water to the plant via those aerial roots by misting them everyday (if the temp is not too high and the humidity isn't too low).

The key to know how to proceed properly is yo know your temps and humidity values. Can you give us that information?

Thanks alot. I did repot the bigger one as you and others suggested.
I am in Germany, it's quite humid, but we don't get much sun and warm days don't happen that often. I only have one Southern window, and I keep these along with some other plants that need more sun there.

---------- Post added at 10:45 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:44 AM ----------

Originally Posted by estación seca

The newest leaf in the small plantlet is brown and dry not because of crown rot, which would have led to it falling out, but due to underwatering.

When a Phal of any size has a good root system, and there remain meristems from which new growths can form, there is an excellent chance it will survive and grow with even average good care. There is a meristem at the base of every leaf, and one at the growing point. This plantlet almost certainly has an intact growing point.

Don't give up hope too early.

Thanks alot for the information!

---------- Post added at 10:47 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:45 AM ----------

I should thank everyone, I did repot the bigger one lower. I also repotted the smaller one, with root above the bark. I hope it feels better soon. I should really thank all of you who commented and shared your experience with me.

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