How is the health of my orchids? I know my phalaenopsis has rot.

[Viper]

Hi, i haven't posted in a while as my laptop broke so I am boring my grandmas. Anyway my orchid collection has got a bit crazy and I need help because I don't want any to die.

1. My well established white phal.

I had repotted it into a glass vase with a bark and pebbles at the bottom, then moss all around the roots and at the bottom of the leaves. I didn't water it for just over a week, then I noticed white fluffy rot and took it out today. It has rot all over the roots. Here are the pictures of the roots:




Here is the leaves and roots, I ripped of the two yellow bottom leaves (the yellow bottom leaf in the pic is now gone) and the green leaves feel a bit flimsy but not that droopey.



here is what it looks like standing up

here are the flowers and buds


a few flowers seem to be a bit weak and as you can see one of the smallest buds in a bit yellow/orange.

2. My yellow oncidium (Oncidium flexuosum)


I had-plucked a lot of flowers as many have wilted but it has flowered for a long time i guess, the mixture looks a bit dark, should oncidums roots be green silvery or brown?
3. My new sin yuan golden phals
my first one looks like it has healthy plump green -silvery roots, while my other 2 look a little too dark green and less plump.

my healthest sin yuan golden?



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the other 2 which look a little less healthy? v
(below)




only a tiny few of the flowers have wilted (about 2/3 each) on the 2 sin yuan golden which i feel are the unhealthier ones while the healthest sin yuan golden has had no flowers wilted.

4. My older sin yuan golden phal
Its leaves are very dark but it has new grwoth in the roots and a leaf and the leaves seem to be more firm.






5. My Burr nelly isler


where i have cut and sealed with wax they are yellowing, and the bulbs look very wrinkly




it has 6 bulbs

6. My unidentified miltonia hybrid






So sorry for loads of pictures if you could help or tell me whats wrong with them I would greatly appreciate it.

I have more orchids but they are in good health so Ill post them later

[WhiteRabbit]

The first one - potted in a vase- were there holes for drainage? Cut away clearly rotted roots. Roots with mold, but not rotted, soak in some 3% hydrogen-peroxide. Make sure your pot or vase has good drainage.

Good Oncidium roots are usually white-cream colored. But, they can become brown stained, or green from algae in them. Whatever the color, they should be somewhat pliable, and firm - not mushy nor very brittle.

The other Phals, roots at the media surface look dry, but if the roots in the pots look good, I wouldn't worry about that - or maybe just add some bark to the pots.

[OrchidLoverSA]

I personally think the phals (except the first one) look far too dry. In clear pots with small bark I usually aim to keep the roots constantly green (=moist) and then water as soon as there is almost no condensation on the inside of the pot (this method obviously only works if you have a warm growing area :-)). As for the oncidium type orchids... I always kill them, so no comment...

[Viper]

thanks the oncidium info has helped me out alot and can i use vodkha or moutwash for the mold/anti-bacterial

[WhiteRabbit]

I haven't used vodka - but I know 70% rubbing alcohol wont' hurt the plant, so, vodka should be, tho more expensive - tho - there are also sugars in fermented alcohol, so rubbing alcohol may be a better bet. Some people also use the brown listerine (or equivalent store brand) on plants.

For mold, I'd use 3% hydrogen-peroxide.

[RosieC]

I read something once about being careful about which alcohol you use, because of molecule size. Different types of alcohol (ethonol, isopropal, methonol etc) have different size molecules. If the molecules are small enough to pass inside the tissues of the plant then they could cause problems, if they are large enough they don't pass through the outer layer and won't cause problems.

I have no idea how true that is, but it's the reason I stick to Isopropal/rubbing alcohol.