Flies all over my orchids

[Arizona Jeanie]

Here's a link to some good information about fungus gnats, although not specific to orchids, you might find it helpful. A product with Bt-i is a less-toxic way to get rid of them, you'll need to treat all of your houseplants. Letting the medium get pretty dry between waterings will help with both the gnats and the root rot.

Fungus Gnats Management Guidelines--UC IPM

Don't give up!

[DweamGoiL]

The media you are using Orchid Focus is mixed with coir (coconut husks), which can retain a lot of water. I think using plain bark or a product like Orchiata would be better for you. I have also had good success with Seramis Orchideen, which is pretty popular in Europe, but not available in the US anymore.

[bil]

Part of the problem seems to be that when an orchid has a problem, some people panic. (It's understandable. New stuff is worrying and you are desperate to get it right. It's like the way you panic with your first child, but with the second you are much more laid back. I know I was.)

So. People have a problem, they wash the roots in H2O2 or god knows what else, they dust with cinnamon all over, and each thing they do actually risks making things much worse.

I have bough orchids that have had terrible root problems. I don't do anything. I pot them up and water exactly as if there were healthy, and so far I haven't lost any from that sort of problem.. I have lost a few from other dumb stuff, but that's another story.

One I bought last year. I gotit home, took it out of the pot and the damn roots fell off. All of them.. I just planted it in fine bark (it was an Odontoglossum), and now, 10 months on it is flowering.

I have read with phals that you shouldn't go hacking dead or apparantly dead roots off as they do have a function to fulfil.

[George9999]

I used the smallest available pot 13 cm I didn't water the two plants very often approximately every 10 days all roots have gone soft I did not even know that there are even smaller pots like 6 cm Regarding the media it claims to be the perfect for orchid root grow What caused this I DONT KNOW Please some of your advices are contradictive cut the soft roots for phals or not

[AnonYMouse]

For gnat control, google "gnat traps". Someone here posted one but has been long buried.

Root rot is the result of air not getting to the roots, overwatered for the media conditions. There is no perfect media if the other aspects of growing is not part of the equation; watering, feeding, light, temperature and aeration.

If it hasn't already been suggested, read: Using skewers to determine when to water
and
The phal abuse ends here

Cut rotted roots. Leave the plant unpotted until the rot stops. You can leave it propped in a cup and wet the roots daily/multiple times a day and let dry to white/silver. If you can get seaweed or rooting supplement for plants, use that (according to the label).

[silken]

Originally Posted by George9999

I used the smallest available pot 13 cm I didn't water the two plants very often approximately every 10 days all roots have gone soft I did not even know that there are even smaller pots like 6 cm Regarding the media it claims to be the perfect for orchid root grow What caused this I DONT KNOW Please some of your advices are contradictive cut the soft roots for phals or not

The media you bought probably is good for some types of orchids. But there are thousands of species of orchids and there are huge differences as to how they grow. So for Paphs, Oncidiums, maybe some Dens, that media is likely fine. But Phals and Catts have large fleshy roots that need air and to dry fairly quickly. So it doesn't't look the best for those. Do a bit of research in the care of Phals. The two threads mentioned by AnonYMouse are excellent.

You will get contradictory advice because there is more than one way to grow any particular orchid. It depends on many things and all of our climates, homes, etc. differ. So you can only take that advice so far and then you need to experiment and find out what works for you. Knowing how they grow in the wild can be very helpful when trying to make them happy in your home. For example a Phal grows on a tree in a rain forest. Not in the ground. So being stuffed in a pot with wet heavy media is not what it likes. That's why the open many holed pots and chunky media is recommended. So that the roots can breath and dry fairly quickly.

I myself would cut the soft rotten roots because they may be a source of bacteria. And they are kind of long and prevent you from eventually potting the healthy roots down at media level in a small pot. But it doesn't mean that someone who chooses to leave the dead roots on will kill their plant either.

Good luck. With a smaller more open pot, some chunkier media and maybe some seaweed to promote more roots, that plant should do fine.

[George9999]

I repoted the orchids is small pots They have some new roots and some greyish roots