Help for a sick phal - only has aerial roots left - Page 2 - Orchid Board

OrchidLife · #11 08-07-2011, 03:00 PM

I would have liked to put it in a smaller pot but because the aerial roots had grown out and over the edge of the pot that was the smallest size I could get it in without snapping the roots. I did soak them but they only softened a little, unfortunately not enough to force them into a smaller pot

Do you think it will be ok for now? Maybe if they soften up over time and it remains healthy I can put it in a smaller one?

RosieC · #12 08-08-2011, 07:43 AM

This can often be the problem in this sort of situation. The arial roots are too big, but the pot is not full of roots so really is too big.

My solution to this in the past is to put another small pot, with holes made in the sides, inside the larger one. This means there is bark around the outside of the bigger pot for your long roots, but a big air space in the middle. You have to be careful it will drain correctly, and you can use cut up pots or food containers to make an air space inside the pot if you don't have a small pot the right size.

It's worked well for me, just make sure the inner pot has holes in to let air and water flow well and it should help and stop there being a big mass of damp bark which does not dry properly.

OrchidLife · #13 08-08-2011, 10:27 AM

I'll try that - thanks

liv_wire · #14 02-21-2014, 12:10 AM

Hi,

I have a similar problem to the original poster except I only have 2 and 1/2 (one is really short) good air roots - they are healthy but nowhere near the length of the original picture. All the in pot roots were dead - I'm not sure if it is root rot or not as there doesn't seem to be any mould, but the roots were all just bits of dried out string with skin hanging off them.

So I've made a few mistakes with mine (which is also a Phal). I think I've over watered and over fertilised. But basically it now has no roots left except a tiny little in pot root and a few aerial roots which seem to look healthy but aren't very big.

I've cut off the bottom leaf which was a really big leaf and looking really dry at the end to try and remove the number of things that the plant has to sustain and repotted today in brand new bark mix. I watered it in dubiously as per the packet (but just enough for the water to run through the bottom) but thought I wouldn't water it again for a few weeks as I've read on here.

So my question is - although there is a really small pot root left (note: I had to cut half of it off as the end was dead), should I cut the base off up to the bottom of the healthy aerial roots?

I cut a bit of the base off last night and it looks dried out inside. It wasn't stringy like the roots and it isn't moist. I'm assuming further up the plant where the aerial roots are that it's still nice and green. I'm a bit worried about whether the dried out part of the plant has become diseased or not and whether it will spread to the rest of the plant, but after repotting today not sure I should take it out to cut it off and then repot again. I guess there's nothing really left in the pot part apart from the stem that I could shock too much?

Sorry for the rambling.. would really love to save this plant as it is my first orchid and I'm quite attached to it.

Thanks,
Liv

Lani · #15 02-21-2014, 07:20 AM

Hello,
I've had to deal with this recently. Got a discount NOID from Bunnings at Christmas time. It had real crappy roots excepts one nice short (3-4cm) aerial root. I've mounted it and 2 months later I must say I'm proud of the little thing, it's root system looks lush.
I'm happy to gets some pics tomorrow if your interested? Also, post one of your so we can see what your working with

RosieC · #16 02-21-2014, 10:36 AM

I wouldn't cut anything off the bottom. I did on the first one I tried to save (against the advice of people here) and I now agree with them... it was a mistake.

Personally I also wouldn't remove any leaves. They are not just things for the plant to support, they are also stores of energy. Phals don't store much in the leaves, but they do store a little. I would wait until the plant chooses to drop them it's self (they fall away really easily when it's done with them).

As for the roots, if the arial roots are quite small I would try potting those as well, but in a tiny tiny pot. Personally I then like to water every time the medium dries which could be every few days. I know some people prefer not to water much after repotting, but if a plant is already struggling then I try and get as much water in it as I can without rotting the roots. In a tiny tiny pot I find it can dry fully within a few days, and so I water every few days. I have one now that I was given with rotted roots. I have that in leca rather than bark because it is very airy, but I water the plant every 2-3 days even in winter. I've also used seaweed extract to encourage root growth and it's growing a lovely new root just now... only the one but that's good going for this little guy

james mickelso · #17 02-21-2014, 03:24 PM

Val is right. Don't water this for awhile. Let it heal. The "aerial" roots are the same as those under the media. Aerial roots are just a little different because the velamin which is the spongy material covering the actual root isn't as open as the roots under the surface of the media. But as you can see when they come in contact with water, they absorb it. I would not repot this into a smaller pot simply because it has had all the trauma IT CAN TAKE FOR NOW. Just water it sparingly for now. I would wait at least a week or two before watering it again. Let it heal. Keep it in subdued light and keep it warm. The media it is potted in is fresh enough to not absorb a lot of water which would then create rot. Just let it heal for now. the leaves won't flesh out as much as new leaves but that is not an issue. You did a good job.

---------- Post added at 03:12 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:03 PM ----------

A word about phals. Phals store water and nutrients in their leaves and roots. Thinking that cutting these off to balance the root mass better is not necessary. leave on all viable leaves and roots. Cutting these off robs the plant of needed moisture. Phals grow in southeast asia where it may rain for months but can go months without any rainfall also. During this time the plant slowly uses the moisture and nutrients it has stored in it's leaf and root material to sustain itself through these dry times. let whatever is on the plant wither completely before cutting it off. I mean paper thin. It's a natural adaption.

---------- Post added at 03:24 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:12 PM ----------

Would love to see pics Lani. Also for the newer growers here. The purpose of potting up orchids in as small a pot as practical is that all the wet media around the roots will after awhile promote molds and fungus as well as bacterial rot. Most orchids like to dry out almost completely before being watered again just as they experience in the wild. I prefer to pot into a larger size media so I can water more often without the fear of the media underneath the root mass staying wet. As the media ages it becomes more absorbent and stays wet in the middle of the pot for longer and longer. If you must pot into a larger than desired pot, don't sweat it. Just monitor your moisture in the pot either with wooden skewers or by the weight of the pot when you pick it up. Here's how to judge by weight. It's foolproof. Water the bejeezus out of it and let it drain. Once drained, pick it up and feel how heavy it is. Let it dry a couple days and then lift it again. Feel the difference? Do this a couple times and you'll never over water again.

Lani · #18 02-22-2014, 12:08 AM

Unfortunately I didn't take a before photo. I think this little guy might have been ready to fire out some new root when I mounted it so may have been a case of good timing. I'm happy regardless

(By the way, this is pre-watering hence looks a little dry)

liv_wire · #19 02-23-2014, 09:16 PM

Thanks everyone for your responses.

So I made a mistake cutting off the bottom leaf. Will remember that for next time.

With watering should I still water if the media is completely dry or not at all? I watered it in when I first repotted and today I very gently misted the leaves from a distance and also sprayed water on the aerial roots/top of the media. Should I not even be doing that?

On the plus side I have noticed that at least the media is drying out, previously I had a bark mix with a bit of charcoal in it and that always seemed to be moist through the bottom.

james mickelso · #20 02-24-2014, 01:00 AM

That depends on what type of bark you used and what size it was. Medium size bark should dry out fairly evenly due to the large void spaces. Charcol never gets wet really. As long as there is sufficient air flow through the media it can stay moist. I let my media dry out completely if a 5 or 6 inch pot but I water the smaller 2 and 4 inch pots more often and don't let them dry completely because the plants in these are small to begin with. Misting? Only if there are no or few roots. Otherwise I'm not a fan of misting. Only the undersides of the leaves take in water.