den aggregatum help, please - Orchid Board

VickiC · #1 04-23-2009, 12:44 PM

I posted the thread below in the den forum late last night, but I wondered this morn. if I may have started it in the wrong forum ??:

Hi,
I'm sorry, I would attach a picture, but it's late and I don't have my camera handy. I have a slowly recovering small den aggragatum, that I almost killed...but I saved it by the skin of my (and it's) teeth. It was one of those "bag-baby-package-orchids" from Lowes that I bought about 5-6 mo. ago. It seemed to be doing well, but I got an impression that I was to cease or slow down watering during the winter months (for dormacy), so I gave it water only once per mo. during that period (I'm assuming now that this doesn't apply to seedlings ??). Anyway, although the leaves still looked nice and healty, I decided to unpot it last mo. because it started feeling wobbly in the pot. When I took it out of the pot, there were NO healty roots....totally dried up. So, by the time I trimmed them off, of course, the poor little plant was totally rootless. I put it in a similar sphag n bag atmosphre.....my Exo Terra tank. The humidity in there is from 80-90% (sometimes more). I have it just lying in a small pot on a thin layer of lightly damp sphag, and it has started growing tiny little roots. Almost minute ones, but still new roots. They have quite a bit of growing to do before I'll need to repot them permanently in some type of medium. That is my question to you: what type of medium do den aggregatum like best? I could pot it in S/H, a bark mixture, coconut husks/chips, coir, charcoal, sphag...etc...any or "all of the above"
I would appreciate your advice.....
Vicki

mojomick · #2 04-23-2009, 12:54 PM

I believe they really like to be mounted but will grow in a pot of bark mix. Mine is on a slap of tree fern fiber and doing very well with daily watering in summer and misting in winter. It is high in the gh as it likes lots of light. Betty

quiltergal · #3 04-23-2009, 01:04 PM

I agree with Betty. I have Den. jenkinsii which is a miniature version of aggregatum. Mine is not mounted, but is in a small vanda basket with bark. It's doing well and bloomed for the first time this year. (My avatar) They need a dry winter rest, but not as dry as a nobile for example. I watered it very lightly about once a month. If the roots were just dried I have seen them revive once you begin watering again. Unless they are mushy I would not cut them off. Obviously advice too late for your situation, but something to file away for the future. As for type of medium these guys like fast draining, so chunky bark would work well. If you haven't tried mounted plants yet give it a whirl. I didn't think I would do well with mounts but mine are thriving.

VickiC · #4 04-23-2009, 03:23 PM

Hi Terri!
As I was telling Betty, I believe I am gonna mount it when it gets more roots.....or hmm.....do you think it would be a good or bad idea to go ahead and mount it now, even though the roots are barely stubs?

Your avatar is very pretty! I love shades of yellow. Since my plant is so small, I'm sure that it will take a long time to bloom. I'm looking forward to it, though. (pics attached)

Well, I see now where my mistake probably was....I thought the roots were dead since they were brown and dry, so I whacked them off. Thanks for clueing me in on that, but I have another question that came to mind when I was thinking about dry, brown roots: Ok, let's say that I find roots like that on most any orchid (catts, phals, onc....the basics), can I assume that there's a possibility that they're not dead even if they don't turn green when I drench them with water before I repot them...or not?

Thanks for your advice,
Vicki

Quote:

Originally Posted by quiltergal

I agree with Betty. I have Den. jenkinsii which is a miniature version of aggregatum. Mine is not mounted, but is in a small vanda basket with bark. It's doing well and bloomed for the first time this year. (My avatar) They need a dry winter rest, but not as dry as a nobile for example. I watered it very lightly about once a month. If the roots were just dried I have seen them revive once you begin watering again. Unless they are mushy I would not cut them off. Obviously advice too late for your situation, but something to file away for the future. As for type of medium these guys like fast draining, so chunky bark would work well. If you haven't tried mounted plants yet give it a whirl. I didn't think I would do well with mounts but mine are thriving.

isurus79 · #5 04-23-2009, 05:32 PM

I think you should repot your plant now. There seem to be plenty of roots left and if you let the roots get too long, they will break when you mount/pot it up. This plant can deal with dry conditions pretty well, so dont worry too much about it.

mojomick · #6 04-26-2009, 12:01 PM

I totally agree. There seems to be some nice roots starting and mounting them now will give them a chance to adhere to the mount. So go for it but be sure to mist it every day if not more often depending where you grow. They are beautiful when they bloom but the blooms don't last too long. Betty

VickiC · #7 04-28-2009, 12:57 AM

Hi Steve,
I didn't even think about the possibilty of breaking the roots, so I'm glad that I've already mounted it.
Thanks for your help,
Vicki

Quote:

Originally Posted by isurus79

I think you should repot your plant now. There seem to be plenty of roots left and if you let the roots get too long, they will break when you mount/pot it up. This plant can deal with dry conditions pretty well, so dont worry too much about it.

learning2letgo · #8 04-28-2009, 08:58 AM

Hey Vicki! I think we all fall victim to the helpless little bags at Lowe's

Been there, done that... I'm still nursing a BLC catt back to health... Picked it up at Lowe's in February... I did hydro on it for a while and then repotted it... Seems to be doing well now... Best of luck in saving your kid