Questions on Root tips & salt build up

[drone]

1. When the root loses its brown/green tips(becoming completely white while dry), is that a sign that it has stopped growing? Why does this happen? Will it resume growth later on?

2. How do you know if there's too much salt in the media from fertilization? What's usually the first signs?

Thank you.

[RosieC]

1. Yes it means it's stopped growing, but it may start up again. I'm not sure why it happens, possibly just that the plant thinks the root is big enough, or something in the conditions. I have plants where some roots have stopped growing while others right next to them carry on (so conditions should be the same). Most of mine stop growing over the winter but then I keep them a little on the cold side (for Phals). In general I don't think it's anything to worry about.

2. You may get white fuzz/residue on the medium if it has REALLY built up. I would advise always flushing well on a monthly basis to avoid it ever getting that far.

[Eyebabe]

You would be surprised how much salts can build up especially with a hard water source.
Water with distilled water or water from an RO system.
Fertilize a lot less than recommended...I do about once every 4 weeks and only during active growth.
If you really want to "see" how much salt you are building up, plant one of your specimens in a clay pot and the salt residue will build up along the outside...EWW
High salts are hard on the root systems and will cause necrosis of the roots making them susceptible to bacterial and fungal infection and causing the ultimate death of your plant

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

1. Roots can also stop growing during dormancy.

2. Or during times when there is a scarcity in water (which is part of the reason why plants go dormant).

But keep these two facts separate from each other, because they can independently occur from one another, get what I mean?

[drone]

Ok, thanks all.

What about those white dots/stripes on the roots(they show up prominently when the roots are wet)? What are those?

[Zdenglan]

Hard to tell without picture but sounds like the parts of velamen (the absorbent coating of the root) that haven't soaked up the water yet. My Phals do that unless utterly drenched.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Originally Posted by drone

Ok, thanks all.

What about those white dots/stripes on the roots(they show up prominently when the roots are wet)? What are those?

That's normal. Don't know what they're called.