ICU for phals...no more spag and bag for me!

It is great that you found a method that works for you. I never tried the sphag-n-bag for phals, but it did work for dendrobiums.
My method for phals is a bit simpler.
If I get a phal with all rotted roots, I don't cut them off, but just peel away all rotted velamen, leaving the inner roots strings on. Then I pot it into sphagnum moss and treat just like all the other phals - water when dry. Eventually plant starts to grow new roots.
I had amboinensis that was unfortunate enough to get roots rotted in the late fall(actually that's when I discovered it), so it survived and grew a new leaf through the winter only on those strings. When the spring came it pushed out three new roots at once.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Just as kind of an "explanation" for this method working...

If you're aware of where many Phals grow in the wild, you wouldn't be too surprised that deep water culture works. It'll still be a pleasant surprise, but not so big of one.

Some of the blogs that bloggers put up talking about Phals in the wild, mention that many of them grow on trees that are partially submerged in water in low to mid elevation, seasonally wet tropical Asian swamp forests. Sometimes the bloggers will find the occasional Phal with its roots dangling off their perches and dip into the water below. The bloggers have noted that it is interesting that some of the roots that are partially submerged are not negatively affected.

So to sum it up, deep water culture are conditions that are close to what Phals actually do experience in the wild on occasion. It's just that they are in a swamp forest, and their roots are in swamp water, versus being held over a jar/bottle with water from a faucet.

[cythaenopsis]

I think a lot of what attributes to Phal roots being able to soak in water and not be adversely affected is when there is plenty of oxygen. The problem with sphagnum moss is that it can suffocate the roots and encourage root rot. Most of the healthy Phals I've seen are in a chopped bark potting of some kind, with only a few that have some added moss to help trap in moisture. But for the most part, when you get a Phal from a store and it's packed tightly in moss, it is best to repot once the flowering is done. I made the mistake of not doing that TWICE, and in both cases the plants started suffering from root rot by the second flowering.

[Susie11]

I have one phal that was potted in sphag when I got it and it was in bloom. I left it in it and when blooming was over I repotted -into sphag!! This phal has given me loads of new roots and five leaves in a year. I will keep it in sphag but it is the only one that is in sphag my others are in bark. Having said that all of my other phals have rebloomed a year on but the sphag one hasn't -yet

[RosieC]

I am tempted to try this again with one I have that has lost it's roots recently. It was a present in March and as per many mini-phals sold in the UK was in a rotting sodden mass of compacted moss. I've so far only saved (long term) 1 out of 5 that I have bought this way so usually don't buy them. I tried water culture on one of the previous ones without success, however I am thinking that the algae in the water helps a lot as those who are successful always seem to have it. I had mine in water in a black pot, no algae formed. I have algae growing in a couple of S/H pots now, so I might try this 6th mini-phal in a clear pot and purposfully transfer some algae from one of the S/H ones to get it started.

[Island Girl]

How do you get the algae in the jar to begin with?... If u don't have any? I have a rescue Phal that could use the green water treatment... What exactly do I do? Is there anything I should put in the water other than the Phal? & as someone said they did- leaving the stringy parts of the roots on... Could those be put in the water as well? I am not sure what all the roots look like (I will tom. afternoon) but I don't think there r very many good roots on this one :/

& how much of the plant and/or roots r actually in the water? B/c with the first pics in this thread, posted by Phals in love (right name?) I couldn't tell... I'm just kinda worried about crown rot or something if the Phal is too deep in the water....? I really love the color of the flowers on this Phal, I don't wanna lose it!

A reply would be very much appreciated! THANK YOU!

[RosieC]

I'm not sure how to get the algae in the first place, that was part of my problem the first time I tried this. Part of it it light, which is why I think a clear pot rather than the black one I used first time is needed, algae needs light to grow. It just appeared one day in my S/H pots and now while I clean it out regularly it never goes completely.

You can probably leave the stringy parts of the roots on, some people say they don't help draw up water but I'm never sure either way so leave then on just in case when I have one that has no good roots.

You want very little of the plant going into the water, just barely touching at the base. Otherwise you are likely to get crown rot as you have suggested.

[camille1585]

Clear pot and light, and I guarantee you that you'll have algae!

[Island Girl]

Thank you so much, Rosie & Camile!! That helps a lot

[james mickelso]

Phal in Love, how is your phal doing in the green water? Has it grown roots yet? Can I see a picture of the set up and growth? I'm interested in trying this method on some phals I have that are nearly dead. Found in the trash behind HD when they said that the vendor would come and pick them up after I asked them to give them to me and I would get them going and sell them for the orchid club I belon to. Liars!!!