Which type of roots is my Phal growing?

[Shikitita]

Hi!

I need some help as my orchid has gone bonkers and I am not sure if I have to do something and what.

On March I posted post582873 about this Phal (Orchid with Translucent Leaves) and which I updated on June. Basically, my orchid got cold damage and surprisingly has managed to grow a leaf, another leaf is growing at the moment together with the other new one, and is also growing four roots at the same time.

My worry is that I am not sure if I should do something with the roots, as they don't seem to be aerial ones.

I am attaching pictures so you can have a look at them and tell me your opinions. It's impressive how much they have grown from when I updated my other thread till today.

Any help will be appreciated.

Thanks!

P.S.: the first picture was taken on the 15th of June, and the second one on the 21st of June. The last 3 were taken on the 7th, not even a month later.

[butterfly_muse]

I don't actually know that there are "types" of roots, lol. As far as I'm aware they are all the same and it's just the ones that don't grow directly into the medium that are referred to as aerial.

Either way, your plant is very, very happy to be putting out that many new roots for you. Just let it do its thing.

[Shikitita]

Thanks, butterfly_muse!

By type I meant either aerial or into the soil. I'm guessing they are aerial, but for some reason they are going down... We'll see...

I am actually quite proud of this one after how bad the start was with her with all the cold damage. I don't know how I've done it but I hope she keeps growing so well.

My other orchids have taken the same way, and are either growing their roots, new leaves or both. I'm happy I finally managed how to take care of them!

Mind you, I started using Orchid Myst with them from the 19th of June, and I'm not sure if it might have something to do with them growing so well...

[butterfly_muse]

Originally Posted by Shikitita

Thanks, butterfly_muse!

By type I meant either aerial or into the soil. I'm guessing they are aerial, but for some reason they are going down... We'll see...

I am actually quite proud of this one after how bad the start was with her with all the cold damage. I don't know how I've done it but I hope she keeps growing so well.

My other orchids have taken the same way, and are either growing their roots, new leaves or both. I'm happy I finally managed how to take care of them!

Mind you, I started using Orchid Myst with them from the 19th of June, and I'm not sure if it might have something to do with them growing so well...

I looked that up and it seems interesting. Keep us updated on how it works, I'd be curious to see. My KLN and fertilizing regimen aren't working (I'm seriously thinking I got a bad batch of KLN, it hasn't helped a single plant), and my plants are mad that I moved so I'm having a lot of trouble keeping them going. Quite the opposite of your situation, really.

Just keep an eye on them and see where the roots go. Either way, it looks really happy. And big!

[james mickelso]

There is no difference in aerial and non aerial. They are one in the same. It takes longer for "aerial" roots to become spongy enough to absorb water in an instant but after awhile they do.

[Orchidflowerchild]

Most orchids do not grow in soil. Most cultivated tropical orchids are epiphytes. Meaning all their roots are "aerial".

-Ceci

[WhiteRabbit]

Roots are roots - the ones that do not grow into the potting media are called "aerial", because they are growing into the air. Yours look like the will find their way into the media with time. New roots will come from higher on the plant than the previous ones.

[RosieC]

Agreed, roots are roots. Some start in the air then go down, some start in the medium and stay there, some start in the medium and come up, some start in the air and stay there... it's just a matter of which direction they grow and they might change during growth.

We talk about aerial roots a lot, but we just mean those growing in the air, there is no difference in the actual roots.

[Shikitita]

Err... I don't know if thanking for the comments or apologising for having said something inappropriate or stupid...

My question was because I am not sure if they are gonna end up being aerial or going into the soil. And there is my worry, if they are going towards the soil, which seems to be the case of two of them, should I do anything as moving the bits of bark out and so on to "make space" or just let them "excavate" themselves?

[butterfly_muse]

Honestly, I'd just let them do their own thing. But that's just me.