My Rootless Wonders

[ldaniels]

I've seen lots of posts from folks that had root rot and other root issues, to the point where their baby was a "stub".

I thought I'd share mine too!


I have 2 Rootless Wonders soaking in water right now....these were $1 specials I bought from my local grocery store (I just feel so bad when I see them in that specials cart to eventually be tossed...I need to stop buying them!)

I brought them home, and of course, they had roots that were slippery and slimy.....so I cut all of that off and got down to the stub/nub.

Here's both of them (the ones on the plastic knife in the top corner, those are leaves that broke off of some plants I have, and I'm experimenting to see if I can get any roots to grow)


Here's the larger one:


And the smaller one:



I can see some little bumps forming on the sides, which I REALLY hope are roots growing!!!

I read up on a few techniques that people have tried to help orchids in this situation. I thought about the "sphag and bag" but I'm going to try just letting the root base sit in water.

Right now I'm soaking them, just because the leaves are looking shriveled. After a soak today, I'll let them sit in water, just up to the base.
I plan to change the water daily, to give the plant some air.

Crossing my fingers this works!!!

Open to ideas and suggestions!!

[Optimist]

No. Do not drench them like that. Allow the tail end of the plant to "barely touch water" pretend you are trying to grow an avacado pit. Use condensation and humidity to give water to the roots. These little guys grow slowly and you are setting them up for rot and not growth.

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[Optimist]

Once they create roots they will grow new leaves. Once shriveled, they cannot be unshivelled.

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[My Green Pets]

Originally Posted by Optimist

Once shriveled, they cannot be unshrivelled.

I'd like to add my experience to the pool here.

I bought a shrivelled/wilted Phal from a big box store. It had not been watered, so the leaves were quite limp, but the roots were intact. I sat the plant in a pot with water over the roots but not touching the stem or leaves, and within a few days, the plant regained turgidity (is that word?) in its leaves.

Now these guys are another case. They have no roots to take in moisture. The only moisture they can assimilate will be through the leaves, which means they need very high humidity to keep them hydrated. I think that is the main idea behind sphag 'n' bag. Although...maybe it is possible for the plants to absorb water directly through the leaves as well. It will be interesting to see what happens.

Good luck!

[bethmarie]

I took a suggestion from an OB member and started soaking three very dehydrated plants every 3-5 days in fertilizer water. I soak the entire plant, leaves and all for 40 minutes to an hour, then use a paper towel to get water out of new growths and put them where the fans dry the leaves pretty quickly.

The plants are noticeably more hydrated. The limp leaves on the phal are firmer after soaking. It's still going to lose those leaves, but while they are there, I'll be using them to help the plant get enough moisture.

[Matorchid]

Hope it works.
Your kinda lucky that you do get to buy the throw always. My Safeway won't even sell those ones, come to find out why. I always wondered who the floral dept of said retailer got their NOID bags of soil. So congrats on save. My fingers are crossed for you all.
As far as leaves and drench, I have drenched them both with roots and very little roots, when I say drench a 5 gallon bucket with physan is involved, sometimes for a day or two even and no harm has been done. I think the leaves shriveled because there was no root mass to take up water because of rot. I believe(not sure) when shriveled they can be fixed to come back to that firm stand out leaf, it's when they droop and kinda get leathery is when they can't fixed, this takes new leaves, time, and proper culture to overcome.
I would say let it soak for a bit then take out making sure crown is dry then do what the one above said 'avocado method', that's my 2 cents. Hope it works I will be looking for update!!

Tony 'Matomo' "Matorchid" Briceno

Remember in the world, there is always someone having a worse day than you!!

[RJSquirrel]

keep in mind.....takes just as much time spent tryin to grow one thats in good shape to flower than spend so much enrgy on a zombie orchid that sucks yer brains out

[ldaniels]

Thanks for all the replies and support!!

I too read someone's post about soaking the full plant in water with fertilizer to help the leaves...which is why I tried it.

Plants are currently sitting all avocado style in their water....I'll post update pics every few weeks so you can see their progress (which I hope is POSITIVE progress!)

[mtorchid]

<<Right now I'm soaking them, just because the leaves are looking shriveled.>>

In addition to the good advice you received, keep in mind that leaves or Pbulbs will also shrivel due to having too much water.

Either way, it's because the plant is not getting the moisture it needs from the roots because there's not enough moisture or too much which causes root rot. Both scenarios will cause the plant to dehydrate and perish. Good luck and thanks for saving them from the dumpster!

[Matorchid]

Found a good link to this very issue, I don't know if you subscribe to it already but here it is Easy Orchid Care: Repotting a Phalaenopsis with Rotten Roots / Steps to save an Orchid with no roots - YouTube

Brads greenhouse, just another piece of the information bubble. Again good luck