Need Help Saving Phal- Shriveled Roots - Orchid Board

ebethke · #1 03-19-2013, 11:23 PM

Hello Everyone! I am a beginner when it comes to caring for orchids and my friend recently bought me one for a house warming gift. It was doing really well, until like most beginners, I overwatered it

. The media also was packed pretty tightly so I don't think it had much room to breathe.

Long story short, it succumbed to root rot. Aftering reading how to treat this, I cut all of the dead/mushy roots, sprinkled some cinnamon on what remained and repotted the orchid in bark. However, I made yet another mistake by not wetting the bark so now my remaining roots are shriveled and dehyrdated (but firm).

I went back to the internet yet again to find a solution for this problem and came across the sphag in a bag method. I now have my orchid in a plastic cup with a moist paper towel at the bottom. I put the entire plant in a plastic bag to create huminity to try to encourage some new root growth (my house is on the dryier side). I have also been misting the roots daily with a spray bottle to keep them moist, but not too wet. It seems to be working as they have turned a light to dark green color. However, there are some that appear to be almost black or even white with black tips (is this ok?). I continue to mist them on a daily basis because they are still shriveled and tend to turn white and dry until moistened again.

Basically, I want to know if I taking the correct course of action and if there is anything else that I should be doing. I've attached some pictures. The leafs are a bright green color and appear to be pretty healthy, just alittle droopy. There is also what appears to be a new leaf growing out of the center (this began growing before the root rot and since the root rot and dehydrated roots, does not appear to be getting any bigger in size or making any progess). I also decided to leave the stem because there is what appears to be a green numb growing (it appears that it could turn into a new branch (again this began growing before the root rot and seems to have stopped/shriveled since). So I am not sure if should cut the stem so that the plant can focus on growing new leaves/roots. Finally, is this Phal salvagable?!?!

Any thoughts would be much appreciated!

PaxTea · #2 03-20-2013, 01:22 AM

I'm not any more experienced than you are, so take this with a grain of salt.

I see one healthy looking green root, two relatively healthy leaves, and no evidence of crown rot. To me, that says your orchid can be saved.

People will probably tell you to cut off the black roots and the spike, and hope for the best. You don't want it producing any more flowers right now, that is for sure.

But don't cut it yet, because they might tell you to keep the spike and hope for a keikei.

In either case, I think you should go out and get yourself a second, 100% healthy orchid. It'll give you something else to focus on while you wait and see what fate has in store for the old one.

Good luck!

(P.S. I like your nail polish...)

SlipperGirl · #3 03-20-2013, 09:16 AM

Yes you can save it

from what I know about sphag n bag its something you do when your plant is at deaths door and its the only thing you can do to save it your orchid is not there yet.

This is what I would do, first cut the stem off, you only ask a healthy plant to grow a leaf and roots and flower at the same time, its just to much for this little guy.

Then I would cut off all the bad roots like you did when the plant got over watered.

With my orchids I planted them in new zealand sphagnum moss really tight in some small plastic cups. But my orchids did not have any roots so I dont know if you want to do something different because it looks like you will still have some roots.

Hope this helps

Tim C. · #4 03-20-2013, 09:56 AM

I see a few healthy roots on your Phal, which is good. I'd pot it back up in fresh medium, and keep that medium moist (but not wet) and wait for new roots to form. Suspending it over a wet paper towel while in a bag is fine and all, but when it grows new roots and you repot it, you risk damaging those new roots.

As for what kind of medium to use, that all depends on how often you want to water. Sphagnum moss as a potting medium can be excellent, but as you see it can also be a bad thing. It retains a lot of moisture, and keeps wet for some time - which isn't good if you're a heavy-handed waterer.

Not pre-soaking the bark mix isn't such a grievous error - I've grown orchids for 15 years, and very rarely pre-soaked any bark mix I've used. Sure, the mix might not hold much water if your don't pre-soak it, but that just means you need to water it more, which I have no problem with.

Ask yourself how often you want to (or will be inclined to) water your Phal, and choose a mix to compliment that. Knowing what you've said in your post, this is what I'd do:

Plant your Phal in a plastic pot with a medium grade bark mix (most store bought "Orchid Mixes" will be medium to coarse grade, which is fine). Water it well - soak the mix through, let it sit and drain for 30 minutes or so, then soak it again. Place the plant where it will get less-than-normal lighting (too much light can stress recovering plants). The last step would be to put a plastic bag/cellophane-tent/etc. over the top of the pot, so it forms a little "mini-greenhouse" over the leaves of the Phal. After that, just keep the medium moist, and wait for the plant to form new roots.

Best of luck.

-Tim

Edited to add: Oh, and I'd definitely cut off that spike. The last thing you want is for your Phal to try and flower or form a keiki - that's energy that could be put into forming new roots.

RosieC · #5 03-20-2013, 10:11 AM

I've saved once like that so it's certainly possible. However be warned that if you succeed it could be a slow process to get it back to a large healthy phal. I agree with PaxTea, get another as well to enjoy while this one recovers.

I would cut off the spike and the dead roots, it does look like you might have one good one. Usually if a root is dead part way, but alive at the tip I would advise removing it, but in this case if that's all you have left I would leave any like that. They do seem to draw up water to the plant in my experience even if those roots will ultimately die, they will help keep the plant going for now until it grows more.

I would then pot in the smallest pot you can fit the roots in. A small yogurt pot with holes made in it can be good if you can't find one small enough. If the plant is unstable like that use an empty larger container to support it.

Previously I would have potted in small bark pieces when trying to rescue a phal, but the last couple of years I've had better success with lecca then water quite regularly. Lecca allows a lot of air flow even if you water regularly and the regular watering is good for plants in a poor condition, as long as you can get plenty of air flow (that's why a small pot is good as well). However if it can dry fast enough to allow fairly frequent watering then I think any medium should be fine.

Finally see if you can use something like kelp extract, or green coconut water on it. These are things which people here have found can prompt root growth in orchids. I've had amazing results from a seaweed extract as have others. Our member John Blagg has had similar amazing results with green coconut water. Search on the forum for Kelpmax which is the product many have used to see the discussions on it.

---------- Post added at 01:11 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:05 PM ----------

Oh, and other tip I've just remembered. Water with luke warm water, not cold. That seemed to help for me.

ebethke · #6 03-21-2013, 10:55 PM

Thank you for all of the valuable advice. I bought some potting bark a week or so ago so will plant in that. I still don't think I have a good understanding of how to properly water my orchid. Tim mentioned to soak the bark through. Do you mean by that to wet it to the point where water is draining from the holes and then I wouldn't water again until it dries out? Any clarification or links to sites that explain this would be very helpful

.

SlipperGirl · #7 03-21-2013, 11:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ebethke

Thank you for all of the valuable advice. I bought some potting bark a week or so ago so will plant in that. I still don't think I have a good understanding of how to properly water my orchid. Tim mentioned to soak the bark through. Do you mean by that to wet it to the point where water is draining from the holes and then I wouldn't water again until it dries out? Any clarification or links to sites that explain this would be very helpful

.

before you use the bark soak it over night. I like to take my orchids to the sink to water, when you water the orchid put the water in the top of the pot and let it run through, do not let the water get in the crown of the plant, water in the morning use room temp water and let the plant drain all the way before you put it back.

If this is not clear I can try to find a video so you can see what I am trying to say.

Ordphien · #8 03-21-2013, 11:16 PM

I fill a small pot I have on my kitchen counter and lower the pot in the water and place a rock on top.
That way there's no risk of rot.

And I leave they put there for about... 20 min or so.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2

RosieC · #9 03-22-2013, 09:19 AM

I water in a mixture of ways.

Sometimes like Hannah I pour water through, you need to do more than just wait till water comes out the bottom though. If you water this way with clear pots you can see water coming out the bottom long before the medium looks thoroughly wet.

Other times I water by putting it in an outer pot (if it isn't already) and filling it to just below the surface of the medium. I then leave it there between 5 and 30min then fully empty it, making sure I come back to pour out any drips that have collected at the bottom later on.

Generally before potting up a plant in bark you would soak the bark in water for 24hours. Some people soak them after with the plant in and I think that's what Tim is referring to (like my method above filling a pot with water and soaking it up to the top of the medium). If you've potted up without soaking the medium it's definitely worth doing afterwards.

ebethke · #10 03-23-2013, 09:25 AM

Thanks again! I am goin to use the method where you put the pot inside another pot that has water in it and let it soak because I think this will help me water it just right. How often should I do this with an orchid in the state that mine is in? On a side note of the leaves us starting to turn yellow near the crown. Could it be that it needs more shade. I have it near a window but it isn't getting direct sunlight.