Encouraging some roth roots?

[The Mutant]

So, one of my two very expensive Paphs, the rothschildianum, came with a very poor root system. As a matter of fact, both the rothschildianum and the Michael Koopowitz had practically no root system at all, but the MK did have some root nubs going and something that looked like the beginning of a basal fan, and after a week in my care these root nubs have started to develop into real roots and the possible basal fan has swelled considerably.

On the roth however, no such thing is happening and I wonder what to do to promote some root growth on it? I'm going to give both of them seaweed extract like all of my chids get and this I've understood that it does have some root promoting abilities, but will it be enough?

Also I'm wondering whether or not I should keep it a bit dry to promote some new root growth, as one should do with Phals?

Finally, I'm planning on adding some seaweed extract to the water I'm using to spray the sphagnum daily with, this also to promote some root growth. What do you guys think about this? Is it a good idea or a bad one? I've sphagnum as top layer on all of my Paphs to keep the moisture a bit more even in the pots and to prevent any possible root nubs from dying from dehydration. This is working wonders on my Paph roebelenii for example and I was so happy to notice that it actually works (I recommend this to all of you Paph newbies out there!) that I'm continuing doing it. So, good or bad idea to add some seaweed extract to the spraying water?

Here are some photos of the Paphs in question. The first two are of Michael Koopowitz and the other three are of Mr roth and its lack of root nubs.

[Daethen]

If they have very little root systems, do you have them over potted?

[The Mutant]

Originally Posted by Daethen

If they have very little root systems, do you have them over potted?

They're a wee bit overpotted due to me not having any smaller pots available, but I've mixed some packing peanuts into the substrate to increase the airflow and prevent root rot. I potted both of them down in size compared to the pots they came in though.

I realized I have some lousy photos of their root systems (or rather, the size of their root systems). This is from when I had got them and was in the middle of repotting them. I had hung them up to dry before repotting them, I hope you can see their small root systems since the pictures are not that good. The MK is to the left and the roth to the right.

[dounoharm]

they look like normal divisions off a larger plant....they dont look like seedling grown plants....but the roots are adequate, i would pot them deep enuf that you cant see the roots and mysterious swelling, i think you have them both a little high in the pots.....the roths roots are ok, it will get better....they are very slow to develop and grow, so dont get all hyped up over them, lol....you have two very nice plants! gl with them!

[The Mutant]

Originally Posted by dounoharm

they look like normal divisions off a larger plant....they dont look like seedling grown plants....but the roots are adequate, i would pot them deep enuf that you cant see the roots and mysterious swelling, i think you have them both a little high in the pots.....the roths roots are ok, it will get better....they are very slow to develop and grow, so dont get all hyped up over them, lol....you have two very nice plants! gl with them!

Oh, I thought they had very small root systems compared to the rest of the plants, what to say, I'm a newbie.

Normally you can't see the roots or the mysterious swelling, I just removed some of the top layer of the substrate on both Paphs so as to be able to take pictures of the action and non-action going on beneath the surface.

Thanks! It feels much better now. I've been told again and again that the roths are reeeeaaal slow growers, but I think it's one thing to be told they are slow and another to experience it first hand. The MK seems to be coming along fine so I'm doing something right I figure.

[james mickelso]

I use a product called Rootone on all my poorly rooted or rootless rescues. It works very well. It is a powder and I just sprinkle it on the wet root area and then plant. I don't water the plants for a week then just dip them in a bucket once to wet the media slightly. There are no roots to take up water anyway and the dry has never hurt anything. I also spray the leaves with bottled water a few times a week or more often if it gets warm to help keep the plant hydrated. I use a finer media with sponge rock and charcol along with peat moss. An alternative is to put the orchids in a gallon ziplock bag with some spagnum moss in the bottom to help hold a little moisture. Here's a picture with a rescue growing a new root and another potted phal with few roots although last week it looked like it had two roots poking out the bottom of the pot. This one is about 1 month in bag. You don't need to close up the ziplock although I do. Also vitamin B-1 rooting solutions contain rooting hormones.

[rangiku]

The best part of this thread, Mutant, is your comment on your handwriting. BTW, it's fine.

I'm sure your Paphs will grow lots of roots for you. Alert the Orchid Guardians to pass this info along to them.

[RosieC]

I have a paph which has been rootless (completely) since Apr 2011 (about 14 months). It's a Maudiae type so a little different to these, but basically I've kept it alive by daily spraying of the leaves.

I say this to encourage you that with some roots like yours don't worry to much

I've kept mine alive by almost daily spraying or the leaves with water mixed with fertiliser. It's even had 3 leaves grow, although they are tiny compared to the old ones.

I can't get it to root though and I'm not sure how to do that, I was sort of hoping it would get far enough to put out a new fan as roots tend to grow on the new fans. Still hoping for that :

Anyway, looks like what you are doing is along the right lines and those roots really don't look that bad.