Rescue Experiment: Root Rot

[jh0330u]

Originally Posted by bil

"Also, I know that black root tips is an indicator of over fertilizing."
Ummm, no, it is an indicator of dead root tissue. Having achieved this myself once I can say that you can rinse it all you like, it will take months for the roots to recover, and most won't. New ones will have to grow.

I understand the desire to experiment, but this really is reinventing the wheel. A commercial fertiliser has the numbers, and by adding a KNOWN amount to RO water, you KNOW that what you are giving is correct. Orchids really only need a very small amount, ideally in every watering. Plus, low levels of P& K seem to do well for a lot of orchids, and in a home made mix, unless you are an analytic chemist with time to kill.....

I dunno, maybe age has made me less keen on playing these games.....

Thanks for the info Bil.
I remember reading black tips was a sign of over fertilizing but I guess at this point it actually means it is already damaged.

I actually have a dried seafood soup base boil pack so that's why I wanted to try with a pack after using.

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Finally, here are some pictures of my experimental phal!!!

Also, my last picture is my rootless phal. I've been keeping my rootless phal sometimes with it base submerged in water and sometimes in wet moss. I was thinking of throwing it out if it gets too ugly but a new root appeared and it's baby leaf growing extremely fast!


(The black dot there is where a rotting root was, I had to cut away the entire limb and noticed spotting on the inner root. I suspected black rot spores. As an experiment, I tried burning the inner root and seeing its effect - it was very effective. A black dot was there but completely stopped the spread of rot.)


(Suspended in the air with a paperclip and a flower spike brace stick.)


(In a coffee mug. I cut down on coffee.)

[thom144e]

any one use cinnamon on the cut roots? i had a tray of Anoectochillus Roxburghii that I saved 1/4 from rotting root disease by using cinnamon. they were dying so I just dumped it all over teh media (coconut husk with some humus). just a thought I read somewhere that cinnamon was good for plant injuries. and a good antifungal

[Ray]

Originally Posted by thom144e

any one use cinnamon on the cut roots? i had a tray of Anoectochillus Roxburghii that I saved 1/4 from rotting root disease by using cinnamon. they were dying so I just dumped it all over teh media (coconut husk with some humus). just a thought I read somewhere that cinnamon was good for plant injuries. and a good antifungal

NO!!! Not on roots!

Yes, cinnamon is a good fungicide and bactericide, but it is also a powerful desiccant. If placed on roots, it will kill them.

I have seen folks dust the cut ends, and don’t know if they will branch above that, but why bother, when a day of air drying accomplishes the same sealing?

[Love my Orchids]

I keep my orchids that like humidity in a pot & saucer sitting on small round marbles in a larger tray with water up to the marbles. The larger the tray the more humid loving orchids can sit in the tray.

[TreeHugger]

Very helpful thread on root rot! I am in process of rescuing a Mother's Day victim. noID, likely Phalaenopsis. I severely overwatered it, (don't "soak" an orchid in a container with NO drainage..!) then once the blooms fell, I repotted it in some supplies from rePotme.

Out of three leaves, one was yellowing and fell off, but two leaves remain and appear green, perky, and healthy. Her roots were BAD: black spots, black ends, a lot of what was described in the first post of this thread. So I trimmed all that rotted stuff and miraculously, she was still left with 4-5 strong roots.

Now she is sitting pretty in a slotted pot, I let her air out in the moistened bark for a day. Soaked her yesterday -- I hope that I have successfully fended off the rot, but we shall see!

The fact that the spores spread make sense -- I am glad that I intuitively trimmed those spotty roots; although I didn't take NEARLY as much sanitary precaution with the trimmers. I used RO water and gave her a good dip in that after the trim to rinse her off.

All that is to say, pray for me and my rescue girl! This is my first post, glad to be here! <3

[TreeHugger]

Quick update; by about a month later, the other leaf fell, and the roots were too black to recover. If I ever try to recover from root rot again, I will definitely be using hydrogen peroxide to sterilize and prevent spread!

[Phalaenoptics]

Originally Posted by TreeHugger

Quick update; by about a month later, the other leaf fell, and the roots were too black to recover. If I ever try to recover from root rot again, I will definitely be using hydrogen peroxide to sterilize and prevent spread!

Thanks for the update, Treehugger!

I'm sorry to hear that she didn't make it...

So much of the info out there makes it seem like saving orchids is so easy!