Help for a sick phal - only has aerial roots left

[RosieC]

I agree with James. As well as his advice on the watering, I also agree about misting. I don't mist phals, certainly not the leaves. I don't think it does any good and if it collects where they join the stem it can cause rot.

I might mist arial roots if there are no good roots in the pot, but only the roots, taking care to dry the leaves afterwards.

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[liv_wire]

Ok so I'll only mist the aerial roots (to confirm, that's all I have left apart from a very tiny root near the bottom of the stem that was mostly dead) and that should also allow a very small amount of water to get into the media. I checked today and the media appears to be dried out all the way through to the bottom so misted the aerial roots but not the leaves.

James said in a previous post not to water it for a week or two though - does this include misting the aerial roots? It looks like the media is drying out every two days at the moment.

I think the bark is a medium sized bark - it was especially for orchids but for caletas not phals (the shop didn't have anything else).

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[james mickelso]

You potted it up right. Let it heal for the rest of the week and then water well. Then don't water it for a week. The media is large enough to allow drying. Every time you water, lift the pot and feel how heavy it is and then lift it a week later and feel how light weight it is. New bark is usually good at drying so there won't be any mold or fungus. But allow it to dry out before watering again until it heals.

[liv_wire]

Thanks James - do you think misting the aerial roots is a good idea or leave those as well? Sorry for 20 question!

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[james mickelso]

You can mist the roots but remember that your water must be very clean. RO or distilled is best. As the water dries out on the surface of the root it leaves behind deposits of whatever was in the water like iron, salt, calcium carbonate, manganese. That will be detrimental to the roots if left on them. Look at the deposits on glassware or clay pots. Same as what may be left on your roots. If there are cuts or cracks along the roots from handling and you get water into them that is an avenue for bacteria of fungus to propagate. Let the plant heal itself. That is why I said not to water for a week or so depending on your humidity. The plant should be able to handle that. I water these once a week right now. The temps are around 70 day and 40 nights. The humidity is around 30% to 70%. They are all growing new leaves and flower spikes. Orchids don't grow quickly. They are slow as is their metabolism. Too much water is almost as bad as too little water. Take it slow.

[liv_wire]

Ok thanks heaps James, I've got it now I think. Will report back in a few weeks and let everyone know how it's going!

[RosieC]

I agree with James on the watering. I like to mist any Arial roots in this situation to help keep the plant hydrated. Like James says you need pure water so the salts don't build up on the roots. I use rain water which is also low in salts.

[Maggs]

Hi,

I am wondering how it is doing after your potted this sick orchid.

I face the exactly the same situation with a only aerial roots but all other roots in the pot originally rotten. I cut off these rotten roots yesterday after I got this sick baby and I am hesitating to repot it in the barks but just keep it in a plastic jar with a bit water at the bottom. I have no idea how to pot it at this point. Thanks for your advise .

Maggie

[aliceinwl]

I know this isn't standard practice, but I offered to rehab a couple of Phals one of my co-workers has. Neither had anything but aerial roots and two small leaves. I decided to repot them in a bark mix and bury the aerial roots. I figured they could at least take up water for the plant and hopefully by the time the buried aerial roots died the plant would grow new roots adapted to the media.

It's been over a year now. In both cases, the aerial roots survived burial (no discernible root death) and proliferated. The pots are now full of roots and the plants are finally starting to push some new leaves. I think with bark being a fairly open media the roots were able to adapt to the change in circumstances.

I was not in a position to do something like daily misting so I went this route in the hopes that they would recover without more than weekly watering. It seems to have worked.

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[Maggs]

Thank you Alice!! Your message is so encouraging me to grow this sick phalaenopsis sent from my work friend. She called me a " Orchid Whisperer" and I know that I am not at this point.

I left this orchid in purified water for half hour yesterday a couple of times and dried it in a plastic cup.

I will pot this plant in barks later today and watch it closely to see if there is any rotten roots developing or not.

Thanks again for your advice Alice!!

Maggie