The Phal abuse ends here.

[JessieC]

All right, thanks! I think my dry, shriveled roots are probably hollow. They're more brown than silvery at this point. Would it hurt to leave them alone or should I cut them if I'm sure they're hollow? Any idea why it looks like they're pulling away from the base (looks kind of like the leaves of an artichoke where the roots attach)?

Unfortunately, my one good root looks like it is getting flat and hollow in the middle too, even though I've been watering regularly (according to my bamboo skewer). I'll have to try something to stimulate root growth, mist it, and cross my fingers!

[silken]

I can't say whythe roots pull away but any old dead material will eventually fall off so that may be why. If you mean that brown husk around the base in the picture, that is the remnant of an old leaf and if it will come away easily you could remove it. Makes it easier for new roots to get thru. I would cut of roots that are definitely hollow just so they don't start to rot and cause more grief. Good luck with it.

[Aeon]

Hello everybody,
I have just joined not too long ago and I have to say you guys are awesome. I was told to check out this particular thread after posting some need for help. I have inherited 7 orchids from my mother after she moved. I have never took care of orchids. My previous post and the advice saved 5 of my new babies but it looks like 2 of them are not doing so good. These are 2 out of 3 mini ones.
The two that are struggling (pictures attached) One I cut off the spike to help it gain strength and the second still with the spike but dying. I don't know what to do. The one which I cut off the spike... barely has any roots now. (roots on pics) 2 roots that look semi good the longer one is only 0.75" the second maybe 0.375". Is it done and I managed to kill it or can I save it somehow? The second one is very close to meeting the faith of the first. The flowers are falling off and the leaves are soft. 5 out of 7 is not bad but if I can save the 2 somehow I would really like to. Any advice?

[The Orchid Boy]

They look like they can be saved. Have you heard of the sphag-and-bag technique? You plant the orchid in long fibered spagnum moss, get it a little moist, then put the orchid, pot, and all into a clear platic ziplock bag and leave the bag partially open. You could also use something like SuperThrive in your water to help het them to root. Others I know of have planted them in coconut husk chips and had good success. Make sure you rinse the CHC really well before use though. I like to use the sphag-and-bag method.

[silken]

I myself am not a fan of the sphag n bag method as I seem to always get mould. Some like it and others don't. But I agree with The Orchid Boy in the fact that they will need some higher humidity in some way since they don't have many roots to take up moisture. I assume you have just re-potted these, and pictures can be deceiving, but to me the media looks pretty fine and appears to have some almost soil like bits. For me that would be too fine since the roots need air pockets to breath. I find a mix of sphagnum moss and medium bark chunks works really well and all my Phal roots go crazy in this in clear pots. The reason I suggest clear pots is that the roots do photosynthesize and I think they grow better when they can. I would soak the roots in some water with SuperThrive as suggested or KLN rooting hormone or my favorite thing these days is some kelp (seaweed) in the water which does the same thing, promote root growth. Then either sphag n bag in a very open and not too wet media or potted in a fairly small pot with open media and let it almost dry before watering well each time. New bark dries out quickly when its new so some sphagnum moss help retain moisture so long as it is not soggy wet and gets to dry out between watering. You may have to mist the top surface of the pot or the leaves occasionally until some more roots grow. Be sure not to let water sit in the crown of the leaves or crown rot can occur. Repeat the Kelp, or SuperThrive or whatever for a few weeks when watering and do not over fertilize for now. I've had Phals with that many roots come back just fine but I would cut the spike on the one.

[Weekend Gardener]

I always make the simple assumption that plants bloom in response to stresses in their environment. Often this is measured stress - sufficient to signal a change in growing condition, but not severe enough to damage the plants irreparably. Stresses include one or a combination of 1) light 2) temperature 3) water/humidity, 4) nutrient availablity 5) air flow and 6) root disturbances (repotting/transplantation/root pruning). Back home in the tropics, I used to stop fertilising as the dry season approaches. Here in temperate Canada, I reduce watering and substitue high nitrogen feeds for increase in potassium, about 1-2 months prior to other stress signals. For the orchids, the latter are the arrival of fall and the shorter day light hours. Both coincide with our house's central heating furnace kicking in in the evenings! Almost all our orchids develop flowering shoots in the months of December through to early March. In general, if we don't see any flowering shots by the end of March, that plant will not bloom that year.

[jo514]

Hello,
I am new to the boards so my apologies for redundancy. My Christmas present from my husband was a trip to an orchid farm. Just beautiful. One of my orchids Paph Hing red has a leaf turning a bit yellow. A think it is a lighting issue. What is ideal for this little guy
Many Thanks

[Wynn Dee13]

Originally Posted by jo514

Hello,
I am new to the boards so my apologies for redundancy. My Christmas present from my husband was a trip to an orchid farm. Just beautiful. One of my orchids Paph Hing red has a leaf turning a bit yellow. A think it is a lighting issue. What is ideal for this little guy
Many Thanks

Hello- You will get more responses and people will see your question more if you start your own new thread. You can start it in either the Beginner forum or if your plant is a Paphiopedilum (slipper orchid) you can post it in the Paphiopedilum forum. This thread is for Phalaenopsis orchids. I don't grow Paphs but if you just got this plant I doubt it is a light issue. The plant wouldn't change that fast. If it is one of the bottom older leaves that is yellow it might be that the leaf is shedding naturally. It also is probably adjusting to your home especially if it came from a greenhouse. Coming from a greenhouse to your house is a big environment change. When you post your own thread with your question post some pictures of your plant and the leaf you are worried about so we can help you better. Good luck!

[GeorgeBoy]

Hi,

I am very new to this so I would appreciate any help.

I am now the owner of two phals - my first orchids. I picked up my first literally off the side of the road 3 months ago and have been nursing it back to health. I have it in a draining ceramic pot with bark/sphagnum moss medium and I immerse the pot in water 10-15 minutes on a weekly basis. I have it on a westward-facing window and am about to figure out how to fertilize it as I try to coax a blooming stem out of it. This is going pretty well and I don't have any questions on it, but if anything stands out, let me know. I appreciate all advice.

Because I have been enjoying this minimal success, my wife rewarded me with another phal for Christmas. This one, however, is situated in a glass box surrounded by 0.5"-2" rocks and 1 inch of gravel at the base (pic included). No draining. Here's my question: I'm not quite sure how to water this. I threw a couple of ice cubes on the top to give it a drink, but I'd like a better permanent solution for watering and feeding. I'd like to keep it in this current potting set-up, as it is visually pleasing.

Thanks for any help.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Originally Posted by GeorgeBoy

Hi,

I am very new to this so I would appreciate any help.

I am now the owner of two phals - my first orchids. I picked up my first literally off the side of the road 3 months ago and have been nursing it back to health. I have it in a draining ceramic pot with bark/sphagnum moss medium and I immerse the pot in water 10-15 minutes on a weekly basis. I have it on a westward-facing window and am about to figure out how to fertilize it as I try to coax a blooming stem out of it. This is going pretty well and I don't have any questions on it, but if anything stands out, let me know. I appreciate all advice.

Because I have been enjoying this minimal success, my wife rewarded me with another phal for Christmas. This one, however, is situated in a glass box surrounded by 0.5"-2" rocks and 1 inch of gravel at the base (pic included). No draining. Here's my question: I'm not quite sure how to water this. I threw a couple of ice cubes on the top to give it a drink, but I'd like a better permanent solution for watering and feeding. I'd like to keep it in this current potting set-up, as it is visually pleasing.

Thanks for any help.

There are a few choices for the Phal in the glass box...

1. Drill holes in the glass for drainage. It's very difficult, and I don't really encourage it.

2. Get it out of the glass box and put in a functional pot (a pot that provides proper drainage), and then put the plant in the functional pot inside a decorative pot (that also hopefully has at least one hole in it so that water doesn't collect in the bottom).

3. Forego the decorative pot altogether, and just grow the plant in a functional pot. You can choose from a terra-cotta pot, an opaque plastic pot, a clear plastic pot, or you can make your own pot out of a clear plastic 2L soda bottle.

I personally like going with the clear plastic pot or the 2L soda bottle converted into a pot. The clear pots allow roots to photosynthesize, they allow some visibility into the root zone area, and the potting medium dries out a little quicker in a clear plastic pot compared to an opaque plastic pot or a terra-cotta pot.