Aw man!!!! Rot!

[Pilot]

Hi all---

This is not a happy poster tonight. Despite my repotting efforts of three of my phals (my first), I have run into serious rot issues. First, two of my phals' leaves are still turgid and showing no signs of ill happenings-- but my third, purple NOID, is very floppy. Its leaves were always a little floppy but I figured it was because it was how they were squeezed into the plastic that they came in (clear plastic you often get with flowers). But alas, I took it out of its new pot and found the roots rotten to the core. After snipping off all the bad ones, this is what was left.



As you can see the only roots remaining are semi-aerial (because though they weren't deep into the pot they weren't out of it either). So since its late at night I didn't know what to do so I placed the plant on top of some new potting mix and put damp (not moist so much) moss over the remaining semi-aerial roots. What do you folks suggest I do?

Onto the next orchid-- my yellow one-- I was freaked out by Purple, I figured I better check Yellow-- so I pulled it out of the pot and once again, rot!!! Man!!! So I snipped off the bad ones being very careful not to get ANY non-mushy ones and then dipped it in a weak bleach solution (one of the methods I read about). I then dusted it with rooting hormone that also has anti-fugal properties in it. Instead of returning it to the same bark mixture, I opted for hydroton instead. I did not water it but put it back above its humidity tray. I still have to check my last orchid, White, which shows very healthy green roots through the plastic pot-- so I may not venture into it-- though if the center is rotted like the others, I want to save the good roots now.

What do you guys think I should do? I love these plants... I don't want them to give up the ghost.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Roots on your Phal in the pic doesn't look too bad to me. If you're potting, a recommendation would be to use fir bark. Maybe a clear plastic pot like some others have suggested in this forum can help you feel at ease and easily see what's going on with the roots. A great property to clear plasic pots is that the medium dries out quicker than an opaque one does. If you'd like to mount them, that's another option as well, especially if you had a difficult time growing them potted in the past.

[Pilot]

Originally Posted by King_of_orchid_growing:)

Roots on your Phal in the pic doesn't look too bad to me. If you're potting, a recommendation would be to use fir bark. Maybe a clear plastic pot like some others have suggested in this forum can help you feel at ease and easily see what's going on with the roots. A great property to clear plasic pots is that the medium dries out quicker than an opaque one does. If you'd like to mount them, that's another option as well, especially if you had a difficult time growing them potted in the past.

Hiya-- thanks for the advice. I should have mentioned that this plant was and is in a clear pot. The plant itself didn't have great roots to begin with and I think repotting it only helped the rot along. The roots you see in the photo are quite shriveled, too. My other plants had similar semi-aerial roots, too, and I managed to get them to be plump and a healthy green again by leaving damp moss on them. So thats what I did with this one... I guess I can only try.

Do you think it is worth using rooting hormone? I have rootone, though I've heard it doesn't work as well as others on orchids. Your thoughts?

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

You can try using rooting hormones. Make an experiment of it. You have three Phals...why not? If it works you'll get the results you want. If it doesn't you've done nothing bad to the plants. I haven't used enough rooting hormones on my plants to give you a definitive answer on them.

But I do know I've been fortunate enough to grow some orchids back to health when all the roots were badly damaged or dead without the use of rooting hormones. So count yourself pretty lucky to not have to deal with the stress of owning plants without any living roots and having to bring them back.

Your plants still have something in them to keep truckin'. Have faith and take the time to learn how to grow them well your way.

[ChasWG]

That stinks Ryan! It's good that you caught it now though. I just repotted one of my Phals and found some rot as well. Not a lot, but enough. Clipped it off, washed the rest of the roots and repotted into new fir bark with charcol and perilite. The plant otherwise looked fabulous. 4 open flowers, new leaves growing well. A very robust plant. It was totally packed into this tiny little clear plastic pot with thin little slits. The roots had grown threw the slits and I had to cut the pot appart to get the plant out. Ended up cutting one small section of root, but not bad really. I didn't have the next size up in plastic pot, so for now I planted it into the creamic outer pot untill I cn get over to Tagawas and get a new one. I'll try the watered down bleach treatment.

Good luck with your's!

[quiltergal]

Umm, I don't think a bleach solution on roots is such a good idea, even if it is weak. If you have cut all the rot off and rinsed that should be sufficient. No point in shocking them senseless needlessly.

[ChasWG]

Thank you for posting that Terri. I started to wonder after I wrote that. I'll just repot it again into a properly sized clear plastic pot.

Thanks again.

[camille1585]

I used to have issues with rot after repotting. I think the reason why was because the bark was soaked before repotting, and I would start my normal watering routine right after repotting. Now I wait for the plant to completely dry out after repotting and I take it easy on the watering for about a month, and I haven't had root rot issues since.

[Pilot]

Originally Posted by King_of_orchid_growing:)

You can try using rooting hormones. Make an experiment of it. You have three Phals...why not? If it works you'll get the results you want. If it doesn't you've done nothing bad to the plants. I haven't used enough rooting hormones on my plants to give you a definitive answer on them.

But I do know I've been fortunate enough to grow some orchids back to health when all the roots were badly damaged or dead without the use of rooting hormones. So count yourself pretty lucky to not have to deal with the stress of owning plants without any living roots and having to bring them back.

Your plants still have something in them to keep truckin'. Have faith and take the time to learn how to grow them well your way.

You're right-- it should be an experiment. I mean, i did know going into this plants that they didn't come from such a great place and even when I repotted them I figured I'd hit a bump the road with the roots-- they didn't look great to begin with. So I'll experiment with what I know.

I've used rooting hormone with some success in the past-- never tried it on orchids myself. Sometimes the stuff works great-- and other times it isn't meant to be. I've recently airlayered a crabapple tree in several places and used this hormone. Two of the three airlayers seem to be responding already-- the third isn't looking good-- so you take your chances!

[Sandy4453]

I don't think your plant looks bad at all. And I have Phals with leaves that flop and then, straighten out and become firm again. This usually happens on those that grow at a faster rate. In fact, these Phals have grown double spikes and put out more blooms than the slower growing ones I have.

If these were mine, I would put them in fir bark (big pieces) and add some chopped spagh in the center. If you've got CHC, I would add that to the mix as well. A little rooting hormones (SuperThrive, KLN, etc.) to the water will also help it along and don't pack it in too tightly. Don't over water, let it get a little thirsty first.

This plant looks fine. These roots aren't meant to live forever. As new ones grow, some older ones will eventually die off. Some Phals seem to grow a lot more roots than others and while this plant doesn't have a lot, it also doesn't have too little.

Good luck!