Quote:
Originally Posted by estación seca
I would make a mental note of a vendor selling an Encyclia potted in soil, and not go back.
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This.
Did you get both plants from the same vendor? Then they're ignoramuses and shame on them.
There are Encyclias native to my region, and I grow a lot of the genus since they like my climate. They're too big and varied a genus for one size to fit all, but as a rule they're epiphytes who want a lot of light and to dry out well between waterings. Many (most or all?) come from regions with a definite wet/dry cycle and during the dry may go weeks without rain.
As an example, I have a cordigera (tipo) that spent over a year in a bag at my local Lowe's. I finally took pity on it and bought it. Yes it was alive, though pretty shriveled and didn't bloom the next year, just put on a ton of growth. It did put up a short out of season spike within a month of my purchasing it (figure it was a stress bloom).
Those roots are SAD. I'd remove the bloom spike (so it doesn't route energy to the bloom). The roots don't really look functional anymore, up to you whether you leave them for anchors like Optimist said, remove them, or leave just enough to be anchors. I've done all three successfully. If you have Kelpmax or similar to help stimulate root growth, I'd use it. The Hydroton should work well as a media (Encyclias want quick well draining media). Err on the side of keeping it dry.