encyclia cordigera v. rosea help

[merkity]

hi - need some help, it might be too late already, but i just realized my encyclia bulbs are rotting. i pulled it out and realized it was in dirt. i bought it last year but didn't check the medium. i am not well versed in this type of orchid and not sure if its salvagable or if i should just wiat til feb and pick up a new one at the orchid show

[Optimist]

Encyclia is a water loving plant. I am sure that spag and bag method would work to get some roots going. Some rooting hormone ( Ray is the expert) and put in a bag or fish tank or a tall glass or plastic containor that the entire plant will fit in. Put moss on the bottom, and wait for little nubbins to begin to develop roots. Root nubs look like little bumps at the base of the p-bulb. They eventually elongate and become real roots. Rooting hormone is good but often the first year you get wacky looking flowers. Growing the roots back on the orchid is often a several year long project, at least one year, and possibly 2-3. Once you have roots, say about 1 inch long, then you put in semi hydroponis until it is time to re-pot-- that is when the roots are totally bound in there. It works. I was a skeptic, but have really become good at this, and have no problem with it now. Plenty of people here do it, and have saved many orchids this way.

---------- Post added at 01:19 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:15 PM ----------

Oh, as to wether to cut it off. I would wait. That new growth is still gaining nutrients from the bulb. Basically that new growth is what you will be left with. That is going to become a new plant, but several years from now.

[merkity]

awesome - thank you! should i trim off all that root mass or just leave it alone for a bit...some of them seem firmish - but many of them definitely look dead... I also have hydroton clay balls that i was thinking would be good to put it in and then bag the whole thing. or would just moss be better. should it sit on the moss directly?

[Optimist]

Many here do. I do not. I feel that the left over wiry roots can give the plant the stability it needs and would not be "trimmed off" in nature. In fact, dead roots are used by orchids to create humidity around the base of the pseudobulb. Apparently I am a minority, but I have found in every case where I have left the old roots on, the plant has done better than times I cut them off.

So, it is "relitive" to who you listen to.

[merkity]

thanks - i will just strip the mushy stuff like i do the phals....

[Orchid Whisperer]

Before doing anything else, I would remove any pseudobulb that is turning brown. If all of the mature pseudobulbs are turning brown, the plant is pretty much done for.

I can't quite tell from the photos, but I am concerned the plant may have black rot (look for the St. Augustine Orchid Society website & follow links on orchid diseases). If you think it could be black rot, it is best to isolate it far away from any orchids you have.

IME, my E. cordigera likes to have the medium dry completely between watering. If this one survives, or if you try another one, try growing it in a coarse, fast-draining/drying medium, such as "lava rock" or similar inorganic medium.

[ryrycochinco]

Originally Posted by Optimist

Many here do. I do not. I feel that the left over wiry roots can give the plant the stability it needs and would not be "trimmed off" in nature. In fact, dead roots are used by orchids to create humidity around the base of the pseudobulb. Apparently I am a minority, but I have found in every case where I have left the old roots on, the plant has done better than times I cut them off.

So, it is "relitive" to who you listen to.

I agree with not butchering the plant if possible, however if the rot is caused by some sort of bacterial infection which can spread
and not simply from excess moisture maybe it is best to remove the dead roots. Just leave what is alive in a humid and shady environment and see what happens. Good luck

[estación seca]

I agree you should cut off the black-bottomed pseudobulbs ASAP. There is a high risk for black rot in orchids kept too wet, especially Cattleya alliance. Just look at the recent thread here on black rot.

I can't see the newest mature pbulb on your photo, the one from which the lead is growing. But the two old ones you showed must go. If the newest mature pbulb has the brown stuff at the base, it's likely a goner. If the new shoot has any roots there is an outside chance it will make it. Otherwise I wouldn't bother.

If the newest pbulb does not have rot at the base, sterilize a blade. Make one cut as close to the newest pseudobulb as possible. Look closely at the part you hope to keep; you may need to use a magnifying glass. If you see any rot, you need to sterilize your blade and keep cutting. It is possible the rot has already spread throughout the plant.

Once you are satisfied the remaining pseudobulb is rot-free, sterilize your blade again and in one cut remove all the dead roots. It doesn't look as though any of the roots remain alive.

Let the plant dry. Dip the cut parts in sulfur powder or cinnamon powder, both of which are good fungicides. Then use the sphag & bag method so well described above by Optomist, but I would not let the plant touch the sphagnum. The aim is to maintain nearly 100% relative humidity with a dry plant.

Notice how wrinkled the pseudobulbs are. The plant hasn't been absorbing water for some time, which means the roots have been dead for quite a while. Older Encyclia pbulbs gently wrinkle over time while the new ones should stay shiny and smooth for over a year. If you see severe wrinkling as here, immediately pull the plant out of the container and find out what the roots look like.

[merkity]

thank you all! i will see what i can do with it. the main bulb is also turning - so i am afraid that its pretty much a goner.

[snowflake311]

I say leave it alone. Just repot it so the bulbs are in in the substrate. Watch it close water only when it feels dry.

I cut off a mushy bulb and now my plant that was doing OK is slowly dying. Orchids have a way of surviving as long as you don't do too much. The perfect amount of neglect. Repot in a Moss mix and leave it alone. If it's green you have hope. The roots don't look that bad.

That dirt mix was most likely peat Moss. I use peat Moss for my water loving plants it's grest.