Can my orchid be saved?

[ThomasC91]

Hi all,

Had this orchid for about 3 years in moss in glass thingy bob

Repotted it few weeks a go in clear pot with all bark. Snipped off dead spike, non green. Cut off dead roots.

Noticed a leaf which had dark patch, smelt and area of patch was paper thin...suspecting bacteria rot so I've cut the leaf off.

I've taken some more roots off as I can't decide if they are dead or not and put it in a Listerine bath (I don't have peroxide)

It is drying out now. Might go get some cinnamon from shop to put on leaf I cut.

Do you think it's even worth bothering or is it dead dead?

Roots look ok when I have taken off some of the dark sheefs to reveal white stringy root underneath, but I don't really know exactly what I am doing. It looks rotten at crown too

Thanks





---------- Post added at 08:36 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:34 AM ----------

I also washed it in contact lenses solution.

[ThomasC91]

Hi all,

Had this orchid for about 3 years in moss in glass thingy bob

Repotted it few weeks a go in clear pot with all bark. Snipped off dead spike, non green. Cut off dead roots.

Noticed a leaf which had dark patch, smelt and area of patch was paper thin...suspecting bacteria rot so I've cut the leaf off.

I've taken some more roots off as I can't decide if they are dead or not and put it in a Listerine bath (I don't have peroxide)

It is drying out now. Might go get some cinnamon from shop to put on leaf I cut.

Do you think it's even worth bothering or is it dead dead?

Roots look ok when I have taken off some of the dark sheefs to reveal white stringy root underneath, but I don't really know exactly what I am doing. It looks rotten at the bottom too

Thanks

[estación seca]

Hi, you somehow posted 3 threads on this. Maybe the moderators will combine them.

Yes, it may survive and grow fine. What I see shows healthy roots.

In the future just repot into fresh medium without cutting roots and without treating the plant. It's hard to tell which roots are truly dead. Peroxide may damage roots. Cinnamon does damage roots, so don't use it.

The most important factor for growing Phals. is ambient temperature. Higher is better. In general they're happiest in the range of 35C and up. Obviously that's difficult in a home in winter, but the warmer you can keep them, the better they do. For rehabbing a sick Phal. consider a seedling heat mat.

There is an excellent stick thread here on Phals. From the left yellow menu choose Forums then Beginner. Near the top look for The Phal abuse ends here. Read through the first few pages.

[rbarata]

Oh my!

I'm sorry for the bluntness in my reply but it seems your actions are not helping the plant at all.

First of all, potting and repoting is not good. You've repoted which is okay but the best course of action is to leave the plant without further action (except, at minimum, watering and give it low light as well as a warm temperature). Too many manipulations at root level doesn't let new roots to grow (or risking their damage). The white stringy root is the portion of the root that actually absorbs water, being the spongy material around it a kind of absorbent material to store water to be absorbed by the "string". Without this material, altough not so effective, the root might still absorb some water.

Secondly, don't cut any roots unless you are sure they are dead. I almost never cut any dead roots during a repot not only because they act as anchoring points to the plant, avoiding lack of "fixation" in the new medium, but because in a new bark medium it will be almost impossible for the dead root to spread any rot to the rest of the plant.

Thirdly, patches on the leaves are common and due to many reasons, not necessarely diseases (bruises by contact or any other mechanical damage, for ex). Before you cut anything, monitor the patches and cut only if they spread to the rest of the leave.

Fourthly, the product you've been using. Listerine has a high alchool content and it will kill the plant, especially if used on the roots. Peroxide will also kill the roots due to its oxidant action so don't use it. Regarding cinammon, it is a highly disecant substance that must never be used in the roots (only used in small amount to cover any cut on a leaf, for example).

I think the plant has 100% chances of survival, unless the Listerine bath already gave it a death sentence. What I would do is to repot it again in bark, put it in a warm and sheltered place and keep watering it as usual. Note the new bark in hydrophobic so you need to water with a higher frequency that with old bark.

Let's see what others have to say.
Good luck for the plant!

[ThomasC91]

Originally Posted by rbarata

Oh my!

I'm sorry for the bluntness in my reply but it seems your actions are not helping the plant at all.

First of all, potting and repoting is not good. You've repoted which is okay but the best course of action is to leave the plant without further action (except, at minimum, watering and give it low light as well as a warm temperature). Too many manipulations at root level doesn't let new roots to grow (or risking their damage). The white stringy root is the portion of the root that actually absorbs water, being the spongy material around it a kind of absorbent material to store water to be absorbed by the "string". Without this material, altough not so effective, the root might still absorb some water.

Secondly, don't cut any roots unless you are sure they are dead. I almost never cut any dead roots during a repot not only because they act as anchoring points to the plant, avoiding lack of "fixation" in the new medium, but because in a new bark medium it will be almost impossible for the dead root to spread any rot to the rest of the plant.

Thirdly, patches on the leaves are common and due to many reasons, not necessarely diseases (bruises by contact or any other mechanical damage, for ex). Before you cut anything, monitor the patches and cut only if they spread to the rest of the leave.

Fourthly, the product you've been using. Listerine has a high alchool content and it will kill the plant, especially if used on the roots. Peroxide will also kill the roots due to its oxidant action so don't use it. Regarding cinammon, it is a highly disecant substance that must never be used in the roots (only used in small amount to cover any cut on a leaf, for example).

I think the plant has 100% chances of survival, unless the Listerine bath already gave it a death sentence. What I would do is to repot it again in bark, put it in a warm and sheltered place and keep watering it as usual. Note the new bark in hydrophobic so you need to water with a higher frequency that with old bark.

Let's see what others have to say.
Good luck for the plant!

Thank you, that's all very helpful

I think I have messed with it way too much expecting it to be growing new stuff every day.

The Listerine bath was out of desperation.

I shall replant it back in the bark and just leave it be in a warm place like you say, with light. I have been using grow lights.

It was a big patch so I was quite sure it was some sort of disease. It smelt, was dark/green black and only the patch was really thin and a bit paper like. Hard to explain. The rest of the leaf was fine but I thought it would spread

Would you recommend sealing the cut with cinnamon or will it not make much of a difference?

[ThomasC91]

Originally Posted by estación seca

Hi, you somehow posted 3 threads on this. Maybe the moderators will combine them.

Yes, it may survive and grow fine. What I see shows healthy roots.

In the future just repot into fresh medium without cutting roots and without treating the plant. It's hard to tell which roots are truly dead. Peroxide may damage roots. Cinnamon does damage roots, so don't use it.

The most important factor for growing Phals. is ambient temperature. Higher is better. In general they're happiest in the range of 35C and up. Obviously that's difficult in a home in winter, but the warmer you can keep them, the better they do. For rehabbing a sick Phal. consider a seedling heat mat.

There is an excellent stick thread here on Phals. From the left yellow menu choose Forums then Beginner. Near the top look for The Phal abuse ends here. Read through the first few pages.

Yeah I tried to post and didn't seem to work so has duplicated post

I shall look into the heat Matt

I have done lots of research myself and you read some conflicting stuff.

I shall repot it back and not mess about with it too much.

I bought some seaweed extract which I thought might help.

Thanks for your help

[rbarata]

Usually we say tht orchids teach us to be patient 'cause most of them grow slow. As a norm, we don't expect to see anything happening from one day to the other. Nor even from a month to the other.
If your plant stays doing nothing for a long period, no problem...it will do what it must do when the time has come.

Stay away from alcohol based products, especially on the roots. Alcohol has some applications but only under specific conditions not applicable here. The same goes for peroxide.

I think it's a good practice to seal the cut with cinammon...remember, only the cut, nothing more.

About the light, your orchid it's a Phalaenopsis, a low light plant so don't go overboard with it.
Temp and watering are the most important factor at this stage.

[ThomasC91]

Originally Posted by rbarata

Usually we say tht orchids teach us to be patient 'cause most of them grow slow. As a norm, we don't expect to see anything happening from one day to the other. Nor even from a month to the other.
If your plant stays doing nothing for a long period, no problem...it will do what it must do when the time has come.

Stay away from alcohol based products, especially on the roots. Alcohol has some applications but only under specific conditions not applicable here. The same goes for peroxide.

I think it's a good practice to seal the cut with cinammon...remember, only the cut, nothing more.

About the light, your orchid it's a Phalaenopsis, a low light plant so don't go overboard with it.
Temp and watering are the most important factor at this stage.

Yeah I need to learn some patience. Lol.

I shall avoid using any alcohol based products and just water

I did stick the bark in the microwave for two minutes incase there was any disease and it was quite wet so might leave it and give it a little water in the morning