First, get the plant as wet as you can get it... Soak for a couple of hours, then flush under running water. You can also add a few more paper towels, and soak well. Or even elevate the plant just a bit (rocks or whatever and then you can even leave some free-standing water in the bottom of the box (just don't have the orchid sitting in it) Give it a running start, and it will slowly dry out while you're gone, when you get back give it another through bath, then go back to the regimen that has been working. But don't be afraid of starting the plant off really wet - it will have plenty of time to dry in your absence.
I've decided to leave water on the bottom of the box with a couple of paper towels standing on the side-testing the idea now.
Unfortunately, something else has happened (or has begun to happen). Today, when spraying the roots of the phal, I noticed something extremely concerning--
There are wrinkles forming on the new leaf!
I've been spraying the roots every day with RO water. I did start spraying with a fertilizer solution (~171ppm) yesterday-was it too soon?
Some shots of the roots-
There are some small brownish spots on this root-
Note the grayish patch in the middle of the root on the right-
I'd also like to ask another question. I could move the box (and the orchid) to another room with more light and warmth, especially at night. Would it be a good idea or would it be a bad idea to keep moving it around?
Thank you all so much for sticking with me in helping this orchid recover. I truly appreciate it
__________________ GoldStar135
Last edited by GoldStar135; 08-01-2017 at 08:14 PM..
I think just leave it. And relax... Frankly, I would not bother with fertilizer at this point. Fertilizer will help a healthy plant grow better, but won't make a weak one grow... Remember, orchids teach patience. It could take several months for it to grow enough roots to give the energy/water-absorption capacity to do much for the rest of the plant. Low light probably reduces stress... remember, you're not trying to get it to bloom now, just to keep it going until it's ready to get to the next state. So my advice would be to just let it be.
What if a plant is suffering from a severe nutrient deficiency? Wouldn't withholding fertilizer result in making the plant even sicker?
It would be rare if that were the case. Maybe a few years of only very pure water might create a problem, but that's not the case with your plant - leaves are nice and green, so it is making its own carbs... without roots, it can't absorb much in the way of fertilizer at any rate. It needs the fertilizer nutrients to grow well eventually, but in very small amounts. Epiphytic orchids are very efficient. In the case of your rootless Phal, you mostly need to provide it enough humidity that it does not dessicate any more (since those little roots can't absorb much water) and leave it alone to grow. You would not want to give more light, since that would tend to increase water loss from leaves. Once it has grown some roots, it will be able take up more water and fertilizer nutrients. This can take months, not days or weeks. So patience...
Goldstar (Koshi et al): I have been reading your posts with interest and not saying much. Here's my two cents...orchid growing is not a race; not a competition, it is a growing, learning, experience. Like a craft to be perfected...like a potter with clay...you will lose some, just as he throws out or reworks new pieces from mistakes. All your mistakes will be useful in growing someday. Please, please, take a deep breath and relax. Enjoy the living things you care for, a new root or shoot, enjoy them as individual bits of success.
You are among experts, yes, but they learned just as you are. Think of them as coaches it mentors, not gods. Please, relax and enjoy what's been put in your care. Life is to be enjoyed, not endured or obsessed over. You are valued members of a community so please take this with the fondness ( and momness) that it's intended. Slow down, enjoy the journey of learning.
Carol
Your orchid looks a lot like mine that did the same thing. It lost the roots. Started growing a new leaf then lost the bigger leaves and is now a smaller plant with only small leaves and a few roots. I think the new roots couldn't support the larger leaves so it lost those. I don't know if this would help you, but what I did was use an empty fish tank (any glass or plastic box would do though) and I put the plant inside of the fish tank sitting on top of an inverted bowl. Then I put sphagnum moss on the bottom of the fish tank and thoroughly wet that. Then I used saran wrap to cover 3/4 of the tank. I think if you did that you could keep the orchid pretty humid while you were gone. You could also do this and have someone you trust come and water the orchid at the end of the first week. The other option is to soak the container the plant is in for an hour or so before you go and then put it in the fish tank.
Thanks for helping me understand that Roberta.
I am beginning to understand that plants run on their own time, not "people time". I'm just used to seeing my other two phals grow relatively quickly, so seeing this one as though it's not doing anything makes me worry.
I do jump in happiness whenever I see a new leaf or a new root emerging-whether it's on my phals or just on any other plant that I grow. I just really hate to lose a plant.
I have another question just out of curiosity-since orchids are CAM plants, would it be a little more important to keep it humid at night than during the day since its stomata are open during night? Whatever answer you give won't change how I'm keeping the phal currently (it's in the box 24/7)-I'm just curious.
I'll try to add some pics of its current setup tomorrow-I'm exhausted atm. :P
In the natural run of things, the temperature goes down at night and the humidity rises as that happens, at least in my climate. So the plant is "expecting" a humidity bath at night. It will happen naturally with whatever moisture you have available.
I have mine in different medium, from the chunky bark, mix with moss, and bare-rootet.
I'll assume you will read all the advices and try for yourself what works for you, and what you prefer.
Just wanted to say I totally agree on the rewarding part. It is more fun to bring an orchid back to health.
Two months apart. This one did had roots though, and lost only one leaf in recovery. When it will be strong enough to flower I don't know. But it's worth the wait.
: Okay...relaxing
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