Zygo growths have all rotted off - Can I save this chid?

[RosieC]

I bought a zygo in December and I have just found that all three of the growths have rotted off

It still has a large backbulb and healthy roots and I want to know if I can save it and if so how. To be honest I've probably rushed and done things I shouldn't already, if so please tell me so I know for the future.

I had seen that the outsides of the growths had gone brown but I naively thought this was just leaves dying back before the p-bulbs formed as on some other chids. About 2 weeks ago I gently pulled back some of the brown leaves and it was still green and firm inside so I left it.

Today this is what I found...



Two of the three growths just colapsed under light pressure and left stumps like this...



The third seemed like it was still good at the center, but then suddenly snapped off while I was handling the plant. Not sure if I was too rough or if it was doomed anyway



Considering the fact that like a lot of non-Phal chids being sold in the UK & Europe just now (as myself, Camille and Nicole have all found) there was a mass of rotten moss at the center of the root mass, the roots look to actually be in good condition. There were some odd rotten ones but mostly there are firm and healthly looking. The first picture here was taken part way through washing the medium out the roots and the second was taken at the end.



Well I've washed off the roots ready for repotting and I've also removed the two completely rotten growths down at the ryzome (not sure if I should have done that ). I have currently left the base of the growth that was not entirely rotten. I have rinced the roots in listerine and also plain water.

So I am left with this, one large p-bulb which seems healthly but one of the top leaves is brown (although does not seem rotten), a second small p-buld, the stump of one of the growths & a mass of reasonable looking roots.



So... should I leave the stump of the final growth or remove it? If I leave it should I try and clean up the rotten growth arround it?

Should I just pot this up and hope for the best or is there something else I should do?

Is there any hope for this chid?

[RosieC]

Finally, what may have caused this?

My sort of guess is that water may have got in to the top of the growths and caused it, but if so it was not me that did it and it must have happened at the shop

Could it be something else more sinister though?

[dounoharm]

it looks as tho it just drowned....too much water....sigh....they do like to dry out some, not entirely completely, but some....and that is hard to achieve in sphag....i think you have lost all the viable growth eyes on this one...they usually dont have more than 3 eyes, and you said you removed 3 growths, so i assume thats it for that psuedobulb....you did well in cleaning it up, but i fear that it may just sit in the pot for years without making any growth....if it doesnt sprout out with a new growth relatively quickly, i would say its a lost cause.....better luck next time...

[Bolero]

That is amazing rot, definitely waaaaay to wet as you've said. Should be easy to save.

I assume it's winter where you are right now and they don't need to be very moist this time of year, I would water similar to cymbidiums which I allow to dry out in winter before watering again. In summer they can take a lot more watering and I keep them moist.

Good air movement is also very important to allow the plant some time to dry. I wouldn't grow them in sphagnum moss in any climate, I would use bark or coconut chips only for this genus.

[Angurek]

It looks saveable. Though it appears that one of the leaves is about to fall off, the pseudobulbs look plump, and the roots look okay.

Bolero is right on target. Pot it in a breathier medium and don't feel the need to keep it overly moist. From my experience, though the species and hybrids from this genus like to be kept fairly moist, they can dry out somewhat without any harm. I've seen them put out multiple leads at a time, so it may recover the lost foliage at a decent rate. Might be a while before you see any flowers, though.

Good luck, Rosie. I hope your plant can recover.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

A slight dry out can be done without harming the plant during the cooler months.

[RosieC]

Thanks everyone.

It was mostly potted in bark (although very compact) with a central core of moss. This seems to be quite common for chids with p-bulbs being sold in garden centers etc in Europe and has caused several people here on OB problems.

The strange thing is that the roots are fine! I would have expected overwatering to result in rotten roots but they are not a problem. Even the roots on the rotten growths were fine

Anyway, it sounds like it all depends now on whether there are any viable growth eyes left

I have potted it to medium grade CHC which is much more open than the previous medium. Currently it's quite loosely potted as I just wanted to get it in something late last night (luckily I had some CHC soaked ready for another plant).

It's very interesting to know that these can dry slightly without harm in the winter. I will remember that when I get another of these.

As for this one, I will see how it goes and hope for the best. Thanks for the advise everone

[Bolero]

Well the water may have been sitting in the growths too long as well and this could also cause rot if wet too long.

[RosieC]

This is my thought. I know I didn't get water in the growths, but maybe it happened at the garden center.

When I look back at photos the browning started within a few days of me getting it. Unfortunately I didn't realise it wasn't normal

Well I've learn't from this anyway. I will keep this one for a while and see if anything happens with it, but I will definately get a new Zygo at some point and try again

[RosieC]

I think it may have a new growth starting!!!!

It's soooooo tiny, I will try and get a pic but I'm not sure the camera will be able to pick it up.

The main p-bulb is very very wrinkled now and the roots look in bad shape, I was thinking of giving up and throwing it out... but this morning I spotted this tiny tiny point sticking out near the base. Here's hoping it will grow in to something more