The little phalaneopsis that could...potentially - Orchid Board

inle · #1 07-20-2013, 01:18 PM

A friend just gave me back three phals that are in fairly rough condition. One has some fat green roots and really seems to be attempting to grow. It's leaves are pretty fat and waxy, and there appears to be some new ones going.

Another is pretty bad off. It's leaves are limp and a bit wrinkled. It does have some roots but they seem to be mostly rotted.

The third one looks pretty bad but is sticking out new growth all over the place so I'm just kinda letting it be.

I gave her medium coconut husks to repot in, but she mixed it with the sphag moss and overwatered, so they got pretty rotten.

Attaching some pics of them. Anyone have any advice? I haven't done anything to them yet. Apparently the one with wrinkly leaves, she forgot to water for three months. Not sure how you manage to do that......

MattWoelfsen · #2 07-21-2013, 12:00 AM

Are you not amazed how hardy these Phalaenopsis are? Based on the pictures you posted Inle, I think they are all salvage-able. I would prepare the potting media by soaking the bark--if that is what you are using. Find pots that are slightly smaller than what these plants are in--they all look like they have been over potted. Start with the worst case patient, remove it from its pot, dispose of its potting media. Examine the roots, trim dead roots. Then repot into new pot with fresh potting media. Repeat with all your plants.

I would trim any flower spikes as close to plant base without damaging or wounding the plant--you do not want to introduce any potential infection. Since you soaked the media before repotting, let these plants sit in their new home. Let them dry out before re- watering. I would use a weak amount of SuperThrive in the soaking potting media, otherwise use plain water. Suspend any fertilizing of these recovering rescue plants.

james mickelso · #3 07-21-2013, 01:51 AM

These phals have been drowned and need to dry out before anymore water is put on them. I would not overly soak the new media but just dampen it when you put it in the new pots. If you use bark make sure it is a medium grade bark as that will help the roots to dry quickly after you resume watering. In the wild most phals live in a humid environment not a swamp. They like to be watered but dry quickly.

inle · #4 07-21-2013, 10:31 AM

I have my personal phals in medium coconut husks and they do very well. Could I try that with these? And how small should I go in terms if pot size for them?

When I gave these to her they had roots two feet long. I'm disappointed that they're so bad off now.

james mickelso · #5 07-21-2013, 11:25 AM

As small as will just fit the roots.

MattWoelfsen · #6 07-21-2013, 11:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by inle

I have my personal phals in medium coconut husks and they do very well. Could I try that with these? And how small should I go in terms if pot size for them?

When I gave these to her they had roots two feet long. I'm disappointed that they're so bad off now.

Yes, it is a little disappointing when you give people your plants and they come back in such poor shape. At least you got them back in time to save them! If you do well with coconut husks, I think that would good to use for this rescue. As for pot size, determine that by looking at the healthy roots that remain, can they all fit in a smaller pot? The picture of the pots that you posted look like they were too big for the plant, hence the over watering. We humans pot these Phals for our convenience, in the wild the grow upside down, this allows water to drain away from the plant's crown, and they grow from trees, where the roots get plenty of exposure to fresh air. Even though they are in pots, we have to try to give them a similar culture in our environment.

The forum's eminent orchid rescuer, James, advised let the plant dry out and use minimal water. That is advise that I try to apply to my own growing environment. It works!

james mickelso · #7 07-21-2013, 11:57 AM

Absolutely right on Matt. I just posted to a thread about watering rescues. If a plant has a good vigorous root system it can be watered thoroughly with no problems. Plants that are in trouble can't use all the water we try to put on them because their root system has been compromised and can't absorb all that water. It's kind of like this....when we get a good cut on our skin we clean it and then keep it dry so our body can heal the wound. If we keep it wet our body can't grow tissue to heal the wound. That is precisely what the orchid is trying to do. So good answer Matt. Here's the catch though in regards to the roots. The good roots look too big to fit into a pot that would be appropriate for the size we want to pot into (remember that we are putting the plant into a small pot to minimize the time that the plants roots are wet. Too wet and bad juju happens right?). The quandary is how do we get the plant into a small enough pot. The answer is .....CAREFULLY. Slowly tease the roots one by one into the pot, yes they can bend somewhat, then put in the media. The pot does not have to be full of media completely covering the roots. These are epiphytes. Air plants. These could actually just sit in the pot without any media at all. As long as the roots were watered enough to keep them hydrated they would do just fine. So just slowly tease the roots into the pot and then put in just enough media without smothering the roots.

inle · #8 07-22-2013, 01:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MattWoelfsen

The picture of the pots that you posted look like they were too big for the plant, hence the over watering. We humans pot these Phals for our convenience, in the wild the grow upside down, this allows water to drain away from the plant's crown, and they grow from trees, where the roots get plenty of exposure to fresh air. Even though they are in pots, we have to try to give them a similar culture in our environment.

I don't think they were originally overpotted because they had a huge root system when I gave them to her. They were VERY happy phals! I repotted them with her to show her how to do it and there was just enough room for a little growth but not too much. I think she got tired of the coconut husks drying out so she pulled them back out, added a bunch of sphag moss, and basically packed them back in.

One has absolutely no good roots. Every single one was rotten. I saw a thread about reviving them in water so I figure I would try. I cut the bad tissue off, dosed with physan, them attached it to a stick with the tip in some superthrive water but the crown above. I figure the poor thing is on its last leg anyway. Last orchid I tried bagging died in 24 hours. This ones going on 36 and is still alive. Actually has a perkyish leaf of the six left..... So its further than my last orchid revival attempt. Lol. I'm not anticipating much. Its in a window now.

I repotted the one that's sprouting new roots everywhere. They have grown in a day alone so I think it will recover in a few months.

Here's a random off the wall question- I have other mounted orchids that seemed to have the same amount of healthy roots when I purchased them as the one that's better off (seven fat roots and a lot of bad ones.) I have a nice hunk of cork and some fresh moss, think it could handle being mounted? Could i cut the bad roots, leave the good, and mount it upside down? I've never mounted a phal. Only B. Nodosa and some catts.

Why can't they all be oncidiums?!