Sphag & Bag - only new leaves

[dianecty]

Hi all!! I put a miltonia in a ziplock bag with moist sphag to make it grow new roots. All of its roots were cut off due to root rot. After being there 1 month, I discovered that it is growing new leaves but there are still no roots. The new leaves are ruffly and so I added water to the sphag.

I also had to cut off 1 pseudobulb bec it became orange. Why does it do that? Some old sheaths are also orange.

What should I do? should I take it out of the bag?

[bkim]

Obvious questions is, did you add the rooting hormone?

[dianecty]

I put rooting hormone on the bottom where the roots are supposed to be. It is in powder form. should I get rooting hormone specifically for orchids? I got this at Walmart and I think it is for all plants.

Is it not going to get roots unless I put rooting hormone? It doesn't do this naturally?

[bkim]

From what I've read here, most people use KLN or superthrive. Here are some instructions someone linked on the forums -- Sphag-n-Bag

[justatypn]

Ray's article is an excellent way of gaining healthy roots when we think one of our orchids are on their way to orchid land. I have a paph that looks extremely healthy without roots and it sits in a bag with aliflor.

[Ray]

The powdered rooting hormone formulations are really intended for getting roots on cuttings from shrubbery and the like, and may be too strong for orchids (I don't know for sure). The base of the plant should not be in contact with the moss. It is present merely as a humidity source.

[gmdiaz]

Sorry for the hijack. . .

A quick question, regarding Spag n Bag:

If there are no leaves but good roots, will this technique work? Or is the plant a goner?

[dianecty]

What do the orange pseudobulbs and leaves mean? If the powdered rooting hormone is too strong for the orchids how come nothing is happening? '

If it is ok without roots, then I'll just take it out of the bag and mount it or something. Thanks!

[Ray]

Gwen - sphag-n-bag is intended for rootless plants.

Diane - Orange is just one color the waning tissue can take. Don't worry about it, the plant is resorbing the water and nutrients while it tries to grow roots capable of doing that.

[quiltergal]

Diane, it's not OK without roots. Leave it in the bag. This process can take a while.