Phalaenopsis Root Rot!

[Buds!]

Hi everyone,
I have just discovered my new Phalaenopsis I bought today from my local market has ROOT ROT! I bought it from a flourist, and she is not a good woman for selling and drowning her sick plants!
Anyway, I have cut away 85% of all the rotten hollow roots and repotted it in fresh orchid medium. This poor plant still has 5 beautiful flowers, 1 bud and 3 large green leaves.
Do you think it will make it? I have not watered it because the orchid medium quite moist.
This is not good, I have only started re-discovering orchids after a 10yr absence (I have just posted my introduction!)
My first phalaenopsis is in ICU!
Any advise would be most appreciated!
Thank you,
Buds

[cb977]

Sorry to hear that...but unfortunately it does happen more often than we'd like It's the reason I go against all the "rules" and repot everything as soon as it gets home I've saved a number of them and haven't lost any (from that problem, anyway )

Once you start watering it again, I'd add a few drops of SuperThrive or K-L-N to the water. It may give it the boost it needs to promote root growth and de-stress the plant.

Good luck...keep us updated

[Miyuki]

Don't worry too much. With some tender loving care, it may come back just fine. I have "adopted" most of my phals from people at work who consider orchids disposable. I've even heard retailers telling this to prospective buyers! Whenever I bring home an orphan, I immediately clean off and examine all the roots just as you have done. Then I give it a soak in a solution of rooting hormone before repotting it. Usually the leaves are a little limp, so I mist then lightly a few times a day.(away from the crown of course) It never seems to be long before new roots peek out. Good luck

[gixrj18]

You might want to hit it with a fungicide, just in case that (fungus) was why the roots were dying. Better safe than sorry.

[Lagoon]

Hi Bud, welcome to the forum

That sounds like a pretty typical story with folks who really don't know how to care for them. To many flourist it's the flowers they are more important then the plant.

85 % of roots is alot to cut, but if you think you had to, then the 'chid is better off, it'll make new healthy roots.
I would cut of the spike and allow the 'chid to gain some energy and set new roots, very important right now. Give it good strong lighting (not sun) which will help it in faster growth & setting down new roots.

What did you pot it up in?
Agreed with the fungicide, sounds like good plan to me.

[Buds!]

Thanks for all your advise! I will get on with the fungicide today!
I repotted in a 'special orchid potting mix' I bought from the local Flower Nursery, formulated for Phals. It looks a normal orchid mix but more fiberous.
Should I cut the spike all the way down to the plant?
Thanks again!
Buds

[mayres]

It kind of depends how bad your loss of root mass is. It does help to remove the flower spike clear down at the base to get the plant to focus on rebuilding its roots instead of providing a flower display. You can put the spike in a flower vase and still enjoy the flowers for a few weeks. Enjoy! mike

[gixrj18]

You might also want to feed it some kind of blossom booster for your fertilizer for a while. Something high in phosphates and potassium, so you can build up your roots before trying to grow foliage (spiked with a little K-L-N, of course).