Huge Set Back for Noid Phal

[Im Just Saying]

Originally Posted by Discus

"regular heating pad" for plants of for humans? If it's a plant one, it will be fine; for humans, probably way too hot.

Learn something new everyday! I figured that a human heating pad was too hot but I was not aware that there was a heating pad specifically for plants. Is this something I can get from a plant nursery or do you think I will have to order one online?

@Philip: I wouldn't have ever thought of a salad bowl! I remember reading about the 2l method but did not have any around the house. With the salad bowl method do I just set the phal inside with damp paper towel or is the bowl flipped over like a dome?

@Lana: I don't think my environment is quite dry enough to try that, but I will keep it in mind all the same.

@orchidsarefun: Yea unfortunately this poor phal is what I'm getting experience from. As someone so new I didn't realize at the time that the pot was too large after trimming back roots from my previous bout with root rot, and the bark chunks were too small. I'm going to use a much smaller makeshift pot with styrofoam filler in the medium this time around. I am undecided though if I should use larger bark chunks or not now that there will be significantly less roots than before to anchor in the medium.

On a side note I think the reason this was such a shock was that I noticed a week ago that the phal started growing a new "aerial" root, so to discover the rot a week later was surprising to say the least. There's just so much to learn... In the meantime I'm grateful that there are so many knowledgeable people here willing to help me out. Thank you all!

[orchidsarefun]

I've used these for past 4 months with success
Amazon.com: Hydrofarm MT10006 9-by-19-1/2-Inch Seedling Heat Mat: Patio, Lawn & Garden
heat is emitted from both sides, so effective if you use racks ( it seems you are going to have to buy a couple more orchids )
I put paper towel, then egg crate, then orchids - on heating mat.

Generally speaking use this site to see which orchids are heat loving - until temps warm up in your orchid growing space
Internet Orchid Species Photo Encyclopedia

but I suppose heat mat is OK to get roots growing until temps rise.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Salad bowl right side up. Damp paper towel or damp newspaper - up to you. Saran wrap with holes.

Or if you have a clear Rubbermaid tub large enough, it will be similar. Except with the Rubbermaid tub you can drill holes into the lid.

The goal is to raise humidity, that's all.

[james mickelso]

In nature, phals roots are not "in" anything. They grow along a branch or rock and all they need is some mist or rain every few days and they grow fine. You don't need to "bend" the aerial roots into anything. Just lay on top of some spag or bark or lava rock/cinder and spray daily. Put the whole set up on a pie tin or clay dish and put pebbles or gravel in it and fill with water. That will provide the needed humidity. Let the aerial roots do their job. You can dust with rootone or other rooting powder which not only promotes root growth but is a fungicide/bacteriacide. Remember not to put the plant in the water but just lay it on top of the bark or moss. You don't need to keep the media wet. If you look at mount culture you will see that it is not necessary to put the roots in the media just on top of a substrate that supports the plant and then mist the mount plant and all. Daily. I mist mine morning and evening when I can. I miss a day or two sometimes and they do just fine. Try it. The whole point of spag and bag is not to keep the plant drenched but give it just enough moisture to keep it from becoming desicated. Too many people misunderstand the method of spag and bag and keep the inside way too wet. That invites all sorts of problems. The method also helps keep the plant warm. But I digress. Don't keep trying to "pot" the phal. Let it grow as it does in nature. Once it grows some roots, then pot it. Please let us know how you do.

[Im Just Saying]

Thank you everyone for your advice, after some further searching on OB and looking at what some other members tried in a similar situation I decided against re-potting just yet. I felt it was better to get new roots established first, in a manner that would allow me to easily track root growth.

Instead I lined the bottom of a cake tin with stones and expanded clay pellets (I didn't have quite enough stones to thoroughly line the pan). I then placed a layer of bark on top of which the phal is resting upon with a little sphag laying loosely on top of the roots. I added a small amount of water to the pan and I plan on coupling this with misting twice a day. I located this on top of my entertainment center which is near my ceiling fan in hopes that the fan will provide the air flow needed for my makeshift humidity tray.

On a side note, in my search today for rooting hormones I ran across a sad phal on a clearance rack at my local Lowes. It was packed in sphag and over potted. Most of the roots were dried husks and the leaves are floppy and wilted. However while examining I noticed that it has started putting out 4 new roots above the medium and two more nubs are pushing through the leaf on the stem. I felt this phal was a fighter and I was going to give it a fighting chance. So for $5 I have a new rescue and a nice new unglazed clay pot.

As for treatment I trimmed the dead roots off of both and soaked them in hydrogen peroxide for 5 minutes. After that was a 15 minute soak in super thrive, a treatment with Listerine, and applied cinnamon to the fresh cuts. On the new phal I also cut off both flower spikes and the two lower most leaves of the 4 it had. I wasn't sure if the leaves can still photosynthesize despite being wilted but I thought I read somewhere that they can.

I'm ordering a heating mat this weekend for these two to help give them the best chance at success. I've included some pictures and I'm open to suggestions if there are any tweaks needed in set-up or if I have made an egregious error.

First pic is NoID phal in new set-up, second is of the new phal's roots after trimming, third the new phal in set-up, and the forth is the flower that was on the new phal. Thanks again everyone for your help!

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[Wynn Dee13]

Hi- I just wanted to add that the spag in bag works great for me. I wet the moss then squeeze out most of the water so it is just moist not sopping wet. I also cut the bags bottom corners off for air holes and cut a few more holes in the side of the bag. You can also only close the bag part way so it gets some air flow but you also have more humidity than outside the bag. I also grow almost all my orchids in clay pots with a few packing peanuts at the bottom and the rest all New Zealand sphagnum moss. My phals are planted the same way but in clear plastic pots. If I use plastic pots I use the air cone pots or ones with slits in the sides. They love it. The trick is to not pack the moss too tight. I also am more of an under waterer, so if you tend to over water then moss probably won't be for you. Anyway good luck with your orchid!


Wynn Dee