NOID Phal Repotting Trauma

[Optimist]

I can second what Bil said. I watered them every day-- not tenderly, by hand, but with a regular garden hose during the spring and summer, and early fall (when temperatures allowed them to be outside in my climate). I think when it is cold, evaporation takes place at a much slower rate-- anyone who has hung a pair of jeans on the line outside in November, knows they dry more slowly than if they do the same in June.

Winter is also the dry season in many of the areas where orchids occur naturally. Even though it is "dry" it is still misty, and they get water, but at a much reduced rate.

I tend to do alright when I treat the orchids similar to the way I treat epiphitic cacti, or succulents. They are all CAM 3 or CAM 4 plants. If you can read up on photosynthasis and CAM plants, sometimes that will give you information about the care of these kinds of plants.

By the way, even if they are being watered, it does not mean they are "drinking" or using the water. They are highly adapted to live in low water situations (most of them, I wonder about the phrags because they are nearly a water plant like Louisiana iris).

---------- Post added at 10:02 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:52 AM ----------

By the way, Crown rot is a disease caused by Phytophthora fungus. A fungicide is used. Possibly get some through First Rays, or Re-pot-me. The fungus will kill roots, and crown of the plant if the soil (read bark) does not have time to dry out, or it is cool.

I just want to say that although Phals are available in bulk from grocery stores and so on, through my experience, they are not beginner plants, and not easy to care for. That honor I give to the cattleya and paphiopedilum. If you want plants that are harder to kill, maybe think of them?

[Roberta]

While the epiphytic orchids (the majority) do tolerate lower humidity (and need to dry out in between waterings... that is what happens on the side of a tree, even when it rains frequently) Phrags are different... they grow more terrestrially, often with roots directly in running water or seeps. (I have seen Phrag besseae growing right next to streams with roots in the water) So that is part of the fun of orchid growing - learning about the needs of each type, and their natural habitats... and giving each what it wants (or as close as you can manage) They're certainly not all the same.

[bil]

Originally Posted by dbarron

Yes, you know...i strongly suspect that phals in the wild get rained on....and that it even rains on the crown. And they don't immediately rot...they actually thrive

Usually people point out that the crowns point down in the wild, but there they also get wet from mist.

---------- Post added at 02:54 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:30 PM ----------

Originally Posted by Optimist

I just want to say that although Phals are available in bulk from grocery stores and so on, through my experience, they are not beginner plants, and not easy to care for. That honor I give to the cattleya and paphiopedilum. If you want plants that are harder to kill, maybe think of them?

Den phals are about the toughest. I think people see Phals as hard because of the numbers that are killed. No plant does well outside its comfort zone, but Phals are one of the easiest I have. They flower every year without fail, and they get no special treatment. In the winter they get shoved under the greenhouse bench, and already they are spiking like crazy.

[Roberta]

An "easy orchid" is one whose requirements match the conditions that you can provide with little effort. So "easy" for one person may be very challenging for another. For example, for me "easy" includes Cymbidiums , I put them out on the patio, squirt them with a hose when I think of it, and they grow and bloom, taking temperatures from 32 deg F (0 deg C.) in winter to 105 deg F.(40 deg C) in summer, nearly full sun. no problem. In places with hot, muggy summer nights the Cyms grow but don't bloom. In places where they have to be brought in for the winter, they don't get enough light to bloom. So for most people it's an effort to grow them - in most of Texas, or in Massachusetts for example, they're not easy, they are hard. There is a huge variety of orchids, and some will be quite happy with the conditions that you have. Find those, and you'll be hooked on the hobby.

[bil]

Originally Posted by Roberta

An "easy orchid" is one whose requirements match the conditions that you can provide with little effort. So "easy" for one person may be very challenging for another. For example, for me "easy" includes Cymbidiums , I put them out on the patio, squirt them with a hose when I think of it, and they grow and bloom, taking temperatures from 32 deg F (0 deg C.) in winter to 105 deg F.(40 deg C) in summer, nearly full sun. no problem. In places with hot, muggy summer nights the Cyms grow but don't bloom. In places where they have to be brought in for the winter, they don't get enough light to bloom. So for most people it's an effort to grow them - in most of Texas, or in Massachusetts for example, they're not easy, they are hard. There is a huge variety of orchids, and some will be quite happy with the conditions that you have. Find those, and you'll be hooked on the hobby.

That in a sense is the core of any hobby that involves living things. It is a damn sight easier to focus on plants that do well in your environment than it is to change the environment.
Mind you, having said that, you can usually push the boundaries a bit....

[estación seca]

Back to what sapphirerose asked about...

Many plants in stores have lots of dead roots. They have leaves and flowers proportional to the root system when it was healthy. They suffer until they grow enough new roots to support the plant, and in the mean time they don't look so good. Your task is to care for the plant so it grows new roots and can thrive.

Your repotting job looks fine. Continue to use the skewer method to tell when to water.

Wait until all the medium is dry. This will be emotionally hard to do, because your plant is going to stay wrinkled, and you will have an overwhelming need to water it. It doesn't have enough living roots to keep the leaves watered and in perfect shape. If you overwater you will kill off even more roots, and your plant will get worse. So you need some discipline.



But if you are patient, it will grow new roots, and new leaves will come out nice and plump.

The way to encourage new roots is to, first, not overwater and kill any more roots; next, keep the plant as warm as you can; next, keep the plant as humid as you can; and, finally, consider using a kelp-based solution to treat the roots. I'm partial to KelpMax from FirstRay's but they're closed until sometime in January while they move house. You can probably find something similar at a nearby hydroponics shop.

[Optimist]

Originally Posted by Roberta

Phrags are different... they grow more terrestrially, often with roots directly in running water or seeps. (I have seen Phrag besseae growing right next to streams with roots in the water) So that is part of the fun of orchid growing - learning about the needs of each type, and their natural habitats... and giving each what it wants (or as close as you can manage) They're certainly not all the same.

I had my phrags in water all last summer. I never had to water them as long as the water was there. They loved it. I would say phrags are super easy to grow because you do not have to worry about watering, you just fill it up and leave it.

[etcherkate]

Originally Posted by bil

Of course you can grow phals in pure moss, but to me that is a game for experts. Yu have to be on their case 100% and there is very little room for error. NOT, IMO a technique that should be suggested to beginners.

Bil, just out of curiosity, what do you mean by being "on their case?" I have one phal that seems to be potted exclusively in moss. I water and fertilize about half as often as the phals that I have potted in a bark/perlite/moss mixture, but otherwise, its conditions are the same. The phal in moss came from a nursery and not a big box store, and seems to be the healthiest one on my shelf.

[dbarron]

Just remember, orchids (and phals for sure) can be grown in any media if you treat them appropriately.
In the case of pure moss, it's very very moisture retentive and you will either need to have high drying potential or water very sparingly.

[bil]

Originally Posted by etcherkate

Bil, just out of curiosity, what do you mean by being "on their case?" I have one phal that seems to be potted exclusively in moss. I water and fertilize about half as often as the phals that I have potted in a bark/perlite/moss mixture, but otherwise, its conditions are the same. The phal in moss came from a nursery and not a big box store, and seems to be the healthiest one on my shelf.

What I mean is this. When my bark potted phals are watered I just spray them till the water runs out the bottom. I can stand there for twice as long and it doesn't matter. I can water every day if I chose, and it wouldn't matter.
If they were potted in moss, I would have be very careful to ensure that it dries out well. llus, the longer it sstays wet, the more likely the roots are to suuffocate, so, watering has to be continually adjusted to make allowance for humidity, wind movement etc.

Now ask your self this. Which method, moss packed into a small pot or coarse bark in a larger pot would you advise for a newcomer to orchids?