Phal has no roots but has air roots HELP

[EkkieMom]

I have had this particular Phal for about two years. Recently I noticed that it's leaves were wrinkled and limp. I started to read on this forum and pulled him out of his pot to take a look. The pot the plat was in was one of those soft plastic pots and was in moss. Thinking maybe the roots weren't getting air I cut off the plastic pot a carefully pulled off the moss. To my horror there are NO ROOTS! It does have 4 leaves each between and 10 inches long. There is one new leave just coming out. It has 6 what I call air roots that were growing outside the moss. I have apologized to the Phal. What should I do now. He is sitting on some dried moss at the moment. Am I supposed to repot using bark and bury the air roots because they are really root roots?

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

You can put the "air roots" in the potting media, but watch how much you water.

Yes, "air roots" and roots in a pot are the same thing. Roots exposed to more air will be able to withstand a less humid and less wet environment compared to roots inside a pot.

[Ray]

King is right. Within reason, a root is a root is a root.

Repot the plant into fresh medium, with a slight covering over the aerial roots, and in time, it will be good and healthy again.

If you can get hold of a decent root stimulating product that might help it branch from those aerial roots accelerating the recovery.

[EkkieMom]

While I go get the medium, can I should I mist the air roots to give hem some water?

[Orchid Whisperer]

Just rinse the roots with tap water in the sink until you can get it re-potted. Wet the roots only; try to avoid having water sit on the leaves.

While the roots are out of the moss and in the air, you can even soak those roots for a few minutes at a time, as long as the roots can dry a bit between soaks. Most epiphytic orchid roots tolerate exposure to air quite well (it is what they are designed for).

I suggest re-potting in bark sold specifically for orchids. Lowes, Home Depot and similar places will sell it.

[EkkieMom]

Thank you for the good advise. I will let you know how it goes.

[james mickelso]

You can also get a spray bottle and spritz the roots and under sides of the leaves. Don't try to fit the roots into a small pot if that means breaking the roots trying to do so. You could get some plastic hook rug webbing at a hobby or cloth store, spread out the roots on it and layer some moss over the roots. You can even trim the aerial roots to fit the pot. Then leave the plant out to heal the cut ends and when they are dry (two days without water) you can then repot in a bark mix or moss. get some of Ray's root kelp stuff and the phal will take off. Here's the key. Don't drown the plant. These new aerial roots take time to mature to the point where they will absorb moisture readily. Right now the velamen is immature and won't absorb moisture easily. As it sits under the new media it will become spongier and accept more moisture as time goes on.

[EkkieMom]

Hello,
I didn't see this good advise and unfortunately my orchid lost all it's leaves. I removed it from the medium bark I had planted it in. I sprayed the roots with water and laid the patient on the bark. Is it too late to try your remedy?

[ALToronto]

Why pot them up? These roots are accustomed to a drier environment, and are keeping the plant alive. Yes, mist them or water them, but I would bet that if you put them in media, you will kill them.

I'm pretty sure you have overwatered your phal. I would pot it in lava rock in a clay pot, and then you can water every day. But leave the aerial roots in the air.

[RandomGemini]

Originally Posted by EkkieMom

Hello,

I didn't see this good advise and unfortunately my orchid lost all it's leaves. I removed it from the medium bark I had planted it in. I sprayed the roots with water and laid the patient on the bark. Is it too late to try your remedy?

Your orchid will take a couple of years to recover from this state. You are probably better off tossing the plant and getting a new one that is much healthier.