Smelly phal roots

[iammadeofdreams]

I just finished repotting a phal, and I noticed that it had a weird musty smell to the roots. This would have made sense if it had a lot of rotting roots or seriously decayed media, but neither was the case. It had a whole pot full of healthy fat roots and only a couple of small ones in the center that had died. And other than the fact that I found a few weird things mixed in with the bark (a couple bits of plastic and some shreds of what looked like foam carpet padding clinging to some roots) the media looked almost new. So, I can't figure out why it would have a funky smell. Is there anything else that could cause it?

It does have some black spots on the roots that I assumed were staining from the bark, but I gave it a rinse in peroxide just in case. A couple spots bubbled a little bit, but only for a few seconds so I just left them alone and potted it in fresh media.

I don't notice the smell now that it is in the new media, but I didn't notice it before I unpotted it either. So, should I just wait and see or stop being paranoid and let Floyd (my phal's name) continue to do what he does best: amaze, amuse and confuse me?

[SlipperGirl]

I don't know why Floyd would smell the only time when my plants have smelled is when my cat used it as a bathroom instead of the cat litter that was down stairs

[Bud]

The only musty smell I can recall in my orchids is when I found algae and mold in the media....your instincts were right=change the media mix

[WhiteRabbit]

I've noticed a sharp smell sometimes - it's usually been when repotting newly acquired plants that are in broken down bark - but, also noticed it once repotting a plant in pumice ... so media wasn't decaying, but plant had been grown very moist.

[mayipis]

I'm having the same issue but the smell is still there. I got a miniphal 2 weekends ago, and i didn't like the smell to begin with. I immediately repotted to hydroton pellets when i got home, washed, and sprayed with 3% hydrogen peroxide. I let it dry overnight prior to potting in my new medium. The flowers are almost completely gone now. I guess they were stressed from repotting. The aerial roots are now shriveled also. And the smell - the smell is still there. What is it? I'm so close to just throwing it out cause i can't stand the smell. Sharing photos as reference.

[mayipis]

I'm having the same issue but the smell is still there. I got a miniphal 2 weekends ago, and i didn't like the smell to begin with. I immediately repotted to hydroton pellets when i got home, washed, and sprayed with 3% hydrogen peroxide. I let it dry overnight prior to potting in my new medium. The flowers are almost completely gone now. I guess they were stressed from repotting. The aerial roots are now shriveled also. And the smell - the smell is still there. What is it? I'm so close to just throwing it out cause i can't stand the smell. Sharing photos as reference.

[Paphluvr]

From what I have read, hydrogen peroxide is death to roots. Has someone been wathing U-tube videos of how to treat root problems?

[aliceinwl]

Some Phals can have a strong almost herb like fragrance to the flowers. Are you sure it’s the roots? It’s not a smell I’d have ever expected from a flower. Alternatively, the peroxide bath may have killed some root tissue that’s now breaking down.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

The roots shouldn't smell like anything but plant. You may be smelling the odor of the metabolites of the bacteria breaking down the potting media that has lingered on the roots.

Once conditions no longer favor the bacteria, their numbers will die back. When their population decreases to where they are not in the majority anymore, the smell might go away on its own.

I do not recommend using hydrogen peroxide, particularly for roots. Hydrogen peroxide is a rather strong oxidizer while it is active and it tends to damage cell membranes when it comes into contact with cells. It will not discriminate what cells it kills.

If you were wondering why the flowers blasted out prematurely, it was most likely the application of hydrogen peroxide to the roots that did it. Any kind of significant root damage, will usually cause flowers to drop prematurely. It is possible to repot a Phal while it is still in bloom and not lose flowers. Once roots get stressed out/significantly damaged, the flowers drop.