Remove cinnamon on roots

[WaterWitchin]

Thanks Optimist...makes sense. Listerine...hmmmm, good idea. And may even cure my catt's gingivitis?

[WhiteRabbit]

I just keep ground cinnamon away from roots! Honestly if there are bad roots, I just cut them off. Getting rid of the bad ones, and fresh media is usually sufficient.

[Bud]

Never put powdered cinnamon on the roots of orchids, it will desiccate it. If you accidentally do so, repot and make sure the roots are washed of the powder and the mix is also thoroughly washed....
some home remedy says to put cinnamon powder on the cut area or wound of the plant....in order to not have an accident of putting powdered cinnamon on the roots: I make a cinnamon paste out of water and powder then I apply it to the wound or cut area of the plant to serve as an antiseptic.

[Vanda lover]

Good advise Bud.

[WaterWitchin]

Okay, learn somethin' knew every day. I've cut the h-e-doublehockeysticks off roots, 'til there was almost nothing left. Usually without cinnamon, which I figure is a Good Thing now {{Martha voice}}.

Have mostly cut off leaves, then applied cinnamon. So guess this is more okay. Best thing I have to say, is a beginner thread made me say "huh?" then keep asking questions. Kudos to Giggirl who originally started this thread, and it's carried me away like Calgon.

[Jayfar]

Some people do use cinnamon on roots, but ONLY ON THE CUT ENDS, after trimming off bad parts of the roots. I sometimes do, sometimes don't. The key thing is to ONLY apply it to the cut. The easiest way is to just put a little bit of cinnamon on your work surface and stick the cut end in it. Or, if the cut is in a harder to reach spot within the root ball, moisten a fingertip, dab up some cinnamon and then dab it onto the cut end.

[WaterWitchin]

Originally Posted by Jayfar

Some people do use cinnamon on roots, but ONLY ON THE CUT ENDS, after trimming off bad parts of the roots. I sometimes do, sometimes don't. The key thing is to ONLY apply it to the cut. The easiest way is to just put a little bit of cinnamon on your work surface and stick the cut end in it. Or, if the cut is in a harder to reach spot within the root ball, moisten a fingertip, dab up some cinnamon and then dab it onto the cut end.

Got it. Makes sense, and thank you!

[Optimist]

It acts kind of like that styptic stuff that stops bleeding by drying up the cut.

[weederwoman]

Hopefully it just sets things back, and doesn't do things in. I had only read about cinnamon as being a way to help deter bacterial or fungus infection of cuts on orchids, phrased as if it had some natural antibiotic properties, not that it just helped by desiccation. Previously I only used it on leaf or stem cuts. I have never damaged healthy roots before. But I purchased my first plant mail order, and it came mounted. Isochilus linearis. I much preferred the Web photos of the plant in a basket, so I chose to remove it from its mount. As expected the roots dug into the mothering arms of the wood were not happy. However the majority of the roots were loose and free. If not for the cinnamon I would have no worries. Within a year I am sure I can tell whether the cinnamon was a boo-boo or a disaster. (Sorry, I'm a grandmother - my babies have boo-boos).

[WaterWitchin]

Exactly what I'd previously thought... a natural bacterial/fungicide, from what I'd read. If 'tis of comfort, I've used it pretty extensively on roots I've cut in the past with no ill effects.

Having said that, I'm gonna back off on using it as freely. And yes, mostly have used it when cutting a leaf back, etc, unless repotting something and having root damage.