Does this moth orchid need help? Is this root rot?

[nature]

That is my orchid: received as present, purchased from Costco. The plastic container has multiple drainage holes.

First, is it normal for there to be condensation on the inside of the container, or is this evidence of excessive moisture?

Second, is it rotting? Do the roots need to be clipped, and the plant repotted?

Okay, thanks so much.
Sarah

[dounoharm]

so far so good sarah, the moss its planted in looks good...some people take em out of moss and put them in bark, simply because the moss makes watering em more tricky...easy to overwater with moss....the roots look green, some brown wont hurt anything, if you repot you can clip the brown squishy roots off...you look like you have many healthy roots tho, without seeing the plant, i would say it is in fine shape like it is....let it dry well before rewatering it....

[RosieC]

Those roots look OK to me. One of mine has had a couple like that since I bought it about 8 months ago and they have just stayed the same and not caused a problem.

To me they look more like old dead roots than rotten ones, and the old roots do just die off sometimes and slowly become hollow.

Having said that, I'm peering at the roots of mine through the clear pot every time I water, to check they are not causing a spreading rot problem.

If you decide to re-pot you can check the roots then. If they are hollow and just have a brownish outer skin (with a thin 'thread' down the center), then they are likely to just be old roots which have died off.

If there is then still firm section below them I would suggest leaving them, the thin thread is the actual root and the surrounding material collects water and holds it next to the root. If a lower section still has this (can't remember the name of it) then it can still transmit water up the root to the plant.

If the roots are yellow/brown but firm then they are still good roots. Two of those you have indicated look like they may be like that. The green roots are photosynthasing and usually the yellow/brown healthy roots are further into the pot where there is no light. But mine has roots that look yellower/browner at the outside but still seem healthy. Maybe they have just stopped photosynthasising for some reason.

BUT if the roots are mushy feeling then they are rotting. Get rid of these as quickly as possible.

Basically, I have a phal which has been VERY healthy for the last 8 months (four new leaves in that time and a new flower stalk with about 16 fully open flowers at this momment in time), and the roots of this Phal look very similar to yours, right down to the odd dark almost black spots on the roots. I have kept careful eye that the dark areas are not spreading (whcih they havn't) and the plant seems to have thrived.

If you don't re-pot then I would checking the roots each time you water, but I don't think you have anything to worry about.

[camille1585]

Looks like healthy roots to me too! Sometimes roots do die, and since there are no signs of rot on any of the other roots, looks like it's fine. My phals also have a root or two that die once in a while, and I take care of them during the yearly repotting.
A hint as to watering, if you'd like. Since it's a clear pot, you can monitor the root color to know when to water. As long as the roots are green and you see condensation in the pot (as is the case in your photo) the plant has enough moisture. When the roots become white/silver, it's time to water again. This works very well in bark, but in moss it might be different since the center of the pot takes a bit longer to dry.

[Becca]

Hi Sarah! I grow my phals in a sphagnum moss misxture...it can be tricky...but with a clear pot you should be ok since you can see when it is time to water again. I let me moss become crunchy on top before watering again. Plus with clear pots, like others have mentioned, you can see if the roots are green or white-ish. If all roots are white and the moss is pretty dry feeling then it is ok to water. How fast they will dry out depends on your growing conditions and the size of pot. I like the clear pots with the slits on the sides for better air circulation. Don't get me wrong...I have and still do occasionaly over water and rot roots! It is a trial and error method of figuring out how to water with moss....you don't want it to soggy or wet. It may help if you add a little water from the top and wait about 15 minutes to see how far down in the pot it gets the moss moist and look for green roots. If you need to you can add a little more water. Also...loosely packed moss will dry out quicker then tightly packed moss. It is normal for condensation on the inside of the pot, as long as you see condensation in the pot I would hold off on watering. Good luck and feel free to ask more questions!

[nature]

thanks so much. i will keep an eye out, and definitely come back with more questions!