routs are rotten...after changing media... - Orchid Board

t_riachy · #1 04-03-2009, 06:10 AM

i wasn't able to find some pine husk from the stores so i got some from the nature, directly from the tree's...
after a while the plant didn't seem doing well, so i checked the root and find out that some were rotten, and that some of the media too were rotten, so i'm changing it but what should i do? so phal won't die??

kiki-do · #2 04-03-2009, 09:26 AM

Oh, not pine husk, but coconut husk chips is what we use. Do you have any good roots left? Can you send a picture through? Cut any black or mushy roots off with sterile scissors. Rinse the roots with listerine mouth wash (plain, not minty) or some kind of bacterial cleansing for orchids. Then if you have any root hormone growth, I would spray some of that on them. Repot into fresh orchid mix. Bark, charcoal (the charcoal for potting plants), coconut husk chips, perlite....any or all of those would be good. If you have spag. moss it might help revitalize your plant roots. Just don't overwater if using moss as your medium. It won't hurt the plant to be exposed to air (might even help), so you have time to get some new medium.

t_riachy · #3 04-03-2009, 10:29 AM

oh i'm sorry i used pine bark and not pine husk*...
i've cutt all the black roots and dusted the cuts with cinnamon, and then i repotted them in new well cutted pine bark... ( i hav some roots in good condition)
is what i did enough? or i hav to do something else??

kiki-do · #4 04-03-2009, 10:33 AM

I'm not familiar with pine usage on orchids. I know some use fir bark.
It sounds like you did everything right. Lets hope all goes well for you. Good luck!

tuvoc · #5 04-03-2009, 11:10 AM

If I understand correctly, you're using bark directly of the tree? I don't think this a good idea, as there are resins and maybe critters that may not be good for the roots. Cinnamon on roots could be causing some problems too. It can smother them. If you can, get some comercial mix that has been cleaned and sterilized. In the meantime, wash the roots off, and keep them moist. As Kiki said, they will be fine until you can find a good mix. Good luck, and keep us posted.

Kim

t_riachy · #6 04-03-2009, 11:25 AM

well yep i'm using bark from the tree directly and it didn't give a gd solution in the first time:S
so i'll try to buy some commercial bark the problem is if i don't find can a buy a coconut clean it well and break the shell to little peaces?? would it work??
and in the mean time i wash all the cinnamon of and putt the plant in moss??

camille1585 · #7 04-03-2009, 11:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kiki-do

I'm not familiar with pine usage on orchids. I know some use fir bark.
It sounds like you did everything right. Lets hope all goes well for you. Good luck!

Pine is fine too, in france I use Maritime Pine bark for the orchids. I think it has to do with availability. In france there are many of these trees grown in the south west.

But pine bark or fir bark, you should not collect the bark yourself. It is still full of sap and acids and whatnot, which probably explains why your plant's roots aren't doing well. I think the bark we use for orchids is treated.
As for the coconut, orchids grow in coconut husk, not coconut shell. I doubt you buy coconuts with the huge husk still on it!