Excessive Arieal Roots - Orchid Board

llmills · #1 08-24-2013, 01:15 PM

Hi All

Please be gentle. I am not green fingered by any stretch of the imagination and my sister give me an orchid about 8 years ago, now I have 4 of them.

I have only re-potted 2 of them once ever and know the roots have been getting out of control, and I want to repot them now.

All of them flower beautifully a couple of times a years and seem healthy enough.

My problem is the roots really are excessive and I dont know how I am going to repot them.

I have attached some photos, can I cut some of the roots - or should I leave them alone?

LizB88 · #2 08-24-2013, 01:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by llmills

Hi All

Please be gentle. I am not green fingered by any stretch of the imagination and my sister give me an orchid about 8 years ago, now I have 4 of them.

I have only re-potted 2 of them once ever and know the roots have been getting out of control, and I want to repot them now.

All of them flower beautifully a couple of times a years and seem healthy enough.

My problem is the roots really are excessive and I dont know how I am going to repot them.

I have attached some photos, can I cut some of the roots - or should I leave them alone?

I disagree with you, I think you do have a green finger, your plants look good!

I don't know if you should cut any roots out of the pot, I would first look at what you have in the pot and then see if you can find a pot large enough to fit most of them, you will probably loss some roots in the repotting any ways so the more healthy roots you have the better (I say 2

)

But I would wait and hear what the experts say.

Silje · #3 08-24-2013, 02:15 PM

Oh my! I wish my phals had roots like that! You're doing something right, that's for sure. And I think you definitely have green fingers and that you're a natural at this. Your orchid love you.

Regarding potting up aerial roots... Sometimes that works and sometimes not so well. They don't always appreciate to be covered with growth medium. I think. I was wondering if a slated basket would be the way to go. Then you ensure lots of air to the roots and the change might be less dramatic for them.

ALToronto · #4 08-24-2013, 02:49 PM

I find the best way to contain areal roots is in a pot with lava rock. It's the closest thing to no medium at all, but it keeps the plants stable.

blackvine · #5 08-24-2013, 03:14 PM

Llmills, you DO in fact, have a green thumb. You must have several of them - those are gorgeous!

thepiecesfit · #6 08-24-2013, 04:17 PM

haha wow. gonna need to find a bigger pot!!

llmills · #7 08-24-2013, 05:10 PM

Thanks all for your feedback - you guys are too kind - slatted pots do sound interesting - I will have a hunt around and see if I can find any, then I could put the lava rocks on top.

I am really going to try with these - I will be sure to post a pick and let you know how I got on with them.

Thanks

HighSeas · #8 08-24-2013, 07:04 PM

OH toooo bad! I HATE to be the bearer of bad tidings....BUT....your orchids have a rare tropical disease called "Physiophytorootopathy". It's fatal. Fortunately...the University of Florida has been doing mega research on that particular pathology and they have just recently discovered a cure. It just so happens that I know the Horticulturist that heads the research. SO...just pack them up and send them to ME!

Seriously....I would mount them! They are gorgeous! Or...you could send them to me!

AnonYMouse · #9 08-24-2013, 07:45 PM

I think that qualifies as bare root. I'd just put it in a basket and continue what you're doing.

gdupont · #10 08-24-2013, 08:03 PM

WHOOAAA. Thats crazy... Looks almost like a pure bred Vanda!

I mean, the roots look awesome! The leaves on the plant on the right look a little hectic, not sure why that happens with the twisting but I've seen it before...

Phosphorous is the main nutrient that promotes root growth in plants, could you somehow be giving it an excessive amount of phosphorous?