Sphag 'N Bag Techniques - Orchid Board

khozmo · #1 06-21-2009, 09:49 PM

Hello All,

I have a couple of rescues on my hands. My mother likes the flowers but does not care to keep the plants. I am not taking her hand me downs and attempting to save their pretty existences.

about 5 of these plants were left on top of a root mass belonging to a tree fern. Little to say the roots grew into the media and choked off pretty much ALL of the roots. Any of the plants I have that had root have been put in S/H or Bark. (I would have them all in S/H but I did not buy enough).

I have been reading through these forums and am seeing mixed results from Sphag and Bagging. I would really like to rescue as many as possible.

I have one dendrobium and one Oncidium(I think) in bags right now. Neither have leaves or roots. I have soaked the Ryzomes in KLN and given them a misting of listerine. I will give them a misting of Physan 20 soon as it just arrived in the mail and I saw some mold growing on the Oncidium. I am having a hard time keeping these plants upright.

From what I have read you do not want the plant to come into contact with any of the water and to keep the bag closed as long as possible.

I have two of the plants now in ziplock bags with a piece of moist paper towel. Here are a couple of questions/issues.

1. I see people have put moist sphag moss right at the base of the plant. Is this good or bad.

2. How much water should there be in the bag. I am using paper towel right now. I wet it under the tap and then squeezed a good portion of the water out.

3. Should I add KLN to the paper towel? or would this be a waste.

4. Is the general consensus not to add any type of fertilizer to the bag?

5. How long is long enough before calling the plant a lost cause. Some people on the forums are saying it has taken many months to get results.

6. Could I take a terracotta pot soak it in water.put some moist sphag moss at the bottom. Put the rootless plant on top of that then put the whole thing in a bag. This would help keep the plant upright and away from actual water

7. Same as 6 just put the moss outside the pot.

8. Ray this one is for you. put the plant in a small S/H pot with water in the reservoir. Put the who plant and pot inside a bag.

9. How often should the bag be opened to allow some fresh air? Should the bag maybe have a hole or two some air circulation. I know the name of the game is humidity but at the same time I read that stale air can cause rot/mold/fungus.

Sorry for such a long intro but from what I can find online it seems like luck is a factor in this method.

seamonkey · #2 06-21-2009, 10:01 PM

I have a sarcochilus in a ziploc veggie bag which has multiple perforations to allow ethylene to escape from produce. It dries out a lot more slowly than an exposed plant but it also gets some circulation. It's been in the bag for about a month and is growing three robust new roots.

khozmo · #3 06-23-2009, 12:55 AM

Seamonkey,

I will go and look for the those bags at the grocery store. What is your setup inside the bag?

Sphag moss? Paper towel? Also is the plant sitting on the moist media or not?

seamonkey · #4 06-23-2009, 01:07 AM

Sphag and the plant is sitting just beside the media but not touching it.

Cookiemonster · #5 06-23-2009, 02:25 AM

Jusy wanted to drop my 2 cents- everytime i have tried to do sphag and bag, I have killed whats inside, I dont recommend it- its too humid, no air exchange and leading to a fun session of fungal problems which will probably put an end to your plant-

I find putting a plant with some sphag around the base in moderate light with high humidity is the trick to sprouting new roots- spraying with some kln would be great as well. Make sure the moss is dry before you water again so you dont create rot-

I hope camille will stop by here and chime in about Water culture, has worked amazing for some of her plants without roots!

Good luck to you

khozmo · #6 06-23-2009, 02:29 AM

Right now I have no root and no leaves on the den and on what I think is the oncidium it is just a clump of pbulbs no leaves.

You mention putting the plants in some sphag with high humidity. How do you create this high humidity. I am in San Diego so humidity is pretty low.

WhiteRabbit · #7 06-23-2009, 02:54 AM

I have had success getting roots too grow by placing in one case the potted plant (small oncidium) inside a fish tank - layered the bottom of fish tank with moist peat moss and pebbles on top of that - covered the tank with top it came with allowing a small amount of air exhcnage. The peat moss on the bottom needs to remain moist so occassional water may be necessary. Tho I found that with the top on the tank it did not need to be watered more than once a month or so.

In another case this was not sufficient and I had read about live sphag seeming to be helpful so I obtained some live sphag and made a 'bed' of that on top of the peat/pebbles. wrapped a bit of the live sphag loosely around the rhizome and place it like that on top of the live sphag in tank - then covered top of tank allowing for some air exchange.

Both were placed in moderate light. I believe it is recommend that if/when you do get enough roots to pot your plant to slowly allow more air exhcange over course of a couple of weeks.

I have not tried sphag & bag myself.

Cookiemonster · #8 06-23-2009, 02:56 AM

Well being that your my neighbor I understand that humidity is verrry low!
One solution humidifier in an enclosed space! Im able to get it from a horrible 12% to about 40% not ideal for orchid growing but it will have to suffice.
I think you have higher humidity in San Diego....

Im wondering what else...

khozmo · #9 06-23-2009, 03:30 AM

Right now I guess we are "lucky" having a spate of high humidity. Part of the may grey and june gloom. My wife is a little upset that I took the babies temprature and humidity monitor and put it next to my orchids. Reading around 45% right now I saw it up near 60 this weekend. Right now I am moving most of my rescues over to S/H. I have some more pots and media on order right now.

My bright idea was to put the plant inside a clay pot that I soaked in water. That way the plant will stay away from direct water. Also makes it easier to keep the plant upright.

If I have an extra S/H pot I might just bag one of those up with the plant (with no roots) already in the media. the Reservoir can provide the extra humidity. Put it in one of those vented ziplock bags.

Mist with KLN now and then. Physan to keep the mold/fungus at bay and hope for the best.

khozmo · #10 06-26-2009, 10:12 PM

Okay since my first post a couple of things have happened.

First we had a little green mold growing on an open wound. His wound was there from separating a part of the plant that was sprouting roots and looking generally healthy. A nice solid spritz of physan 20 (1tsp/gal) looks like it cleared that up.

Second I took the paper towel out of the bag and squeezed a good portion of the water out of it.

Third opened the bag once or twice a week to inspect mold situation and get some nice fresh air in the bag.

Forth.... and the best part. I inspected what the group of pbulbs in the one bag and lo and behold there is a little green shoot. I am hoping its new grown that will put out some roots. It is right in the middle of the pbulbs. Will try and get a photo tonight or tomorrow.