Mini phalaenopsis, not the best roots... semi-hydro?

[lilin42]

Hi everyone! I'm an avid plant lover, but brand spankin' new to orchid growing. I've wanted one for a very long time, but had moved around too much to care for one properly. I finally caved and got a mini phalaenopsis to get myself started. Most of my plant experience up to this point is with herbs, succulents, tillandsia, and various odd ducks that have wound up in my collection! I am an apartment dweller, so my plants are all indoor.

I have done a little reading and I knew enough to look at the roots and crown before buying, but all the plants that were accessible and affordable to me had less than ideal potting, so none of them had the best-looking roots.

I'll attach a picture below, but to summarize, there is clearly some algae growing in the substrate, which I am going to immediately throw in the trash.

Some of the other plants had a couple of gnats hanging out in there, and white mold -- there was little to no ventilation in the pots and the staff clearly over-watered them. I didn't see bugs or mold on this particular orchid, but that doesn't mean it's not there obviously. It just means, at best, that it's less advanced than the other plants.

Still, I see what look to me to be a couple of good air roots, and a couple good potted roots too. The leaves are stiff and green, and the crown looks good. So I'm hopeful it will be ok?

I was wondering a couple of things, if I could pick your brains a bit!

1. I was thinking perhaps I would put it in a clear container without any medium, just soaking as needed, to let it air out and discourage the mold from growing. The only orchid medium I saw had condensation inside the bag, and I just didn't feel confident about it. If I were to soak the roots as needed, then let it sit bare root in the container, would that be ok?

2. How would I fertilize in this sort of set up? I have a blood-based fertilizer I could mix into water, but is that a suitable fertilizer type for orchids? I've been trying to figure out if the nitrogen in blood fertilizer is the right type, but it's surprisingly hard to get information about that!

Apart from that, my plan is basically: get rid of that substrate, snip any bad roots, squirt the roots with hydrogen peroxide 3% (do I wash off the hydrogen peroxide?). That's what I've gathered is the way forward from what I've read and watched. But I really have no idea what I'm doing! Orchids are so different from all my other plants.

Thanks so much for any help, and sorry for the brain dump!

[Dollythehun]

I'll stick my toe in the water: That plant looks very dehydrated. My first step, were it me, would be to soak the roots and pick off the old moss to see what you've got. Once the moss is off, soak it in some fish emulsion. Then either repot it in fresh media or proceed with your plan. Although, as my first orchid, I wouldn't go that route.

All having condensation in the media bag means is that there's some condensation ,imho. You're going to rinse it first (or soak it) anyway. You have some good roots at the top.

Go to the Phal forum and read "The Phal Abuse Stops Here."

[estación seca]

Hydrogen peroxide damages roots. The only time I would use it would be a few drops into the crown for crown rot, which your plant doesn't have. Don't treat plants for diseases unless you are sure they have diseases.

S/H isn't a good idea for rescuing sick plants. The adapting process can be difficult. Most of the old roots will die, and the plant will need to grow new ones.

I can't see the roots well. They might be in fairly good shape. The plant looks OK.

The sticky thread The Phal abuse ends here is in the Beginners forum.

[Dollythehun]

My mistake, apologies.

[WaterWitchin]

Agree... I would get the moss really wet, and start picking it out with fingers, tweezers, etc, so you can see what roots actually look like.

I sure wouldn't put it in S/H right now. You want active NEW root growth, which isn't where this phal is at present. There are many ways to grow a phal... I'd read up a bit prior to starting. There's a wealth of info here... enough to get totally confused. Consider what you think would work for you, then ask more questions. Good luck, and welcome!

[lilin42]

Thank you guys! I have taken out the moss and it wasn't as horrible as some of its nearby neighbors at the shop, but not great. A few little gnat-type bugs in there, lots of algae, but I didn't notice any significant growth of mold to my amazement. It was VERY tightly packed, and obviously quite old and broken down.

There were definitely some dead potted roots, but there's also some decent live ones, though many of them I did have to cut a dead tip off.

Right now... doesn't seem so bad? I did decide to put it in a clear container, which has a rounded shape, so it's able to sit up on the lip of it without slipping down inside, or getting its roots smashed. I soaked the roots for a few hours and I'll check it in the morning.

I don't have any orchid-specific medium right now, and won't be back at a garden store until Monday (I actually work in one!). If I do decide to add a medium, all I have at home right now that would be at all sensible to use is cork or stones. But I'm going to be home a lot this weekend and I think as long as I'm checking for dryness it should certainly be ok through Sunday?

I just didn't want to let it continue to get dry, since the leaves were starting to seem leathery, and I certainly didn't want to water it again with that medium. A lot of its neighbor plants had big clouds of white mold inside them and I was worried if I watered it in there, my orchid would experience the same.

[WaterWitchin]

Originally Posted by lilin42

...

Right now... doesn't seem so bad? I did decide to put it in a clear container, which has a rounded shape, so it's able to sit up on the lip of it without slipping down inside, or getting its roots smashed. I soaked the roots for a few hours and I'll check it in the morning.

It'll be fine like that. I have a few phals I've been doing like that with for a few months. They were mounted and I decided too much work so dis-mounted them. They're putting out new root growth very well.

[lilin42]

Originally Posted by WaterWitchin

It'll be fine like that. I have a few phals I've been doing like that with for a few months. They were mounted and I decided too much work so dis-mounted them. They're putting out new root growth very well.

Thank you for the reassurance!

How do I go about watering the air roots without winding up with water in between the leaves or crown? Those are definitely the best roots on the orchid, and the only ones that currently have active root tips as far as I can tell.

[estación seca]

People grow Phals bare root in in empty glass vases. To water, fill the vase and soak for a few hours. You can look up threads here on Phals in vases.

Spagnum rarely molds. Mold will grow on dead parts of other plants in the sphagnum.

[lilin42]

Hey guys! I've been soaking it for a few hours every other day and otherwise trying to let it air out. Just had a couple questions.

The leaves aren't looking significantly more hydrated to me. Should I be soaking it for longer? They do hold themselves up somewhat, but then again, it's a pretty small plant, so I'm not sure that actually means much. They look parched.

...Or is it a deeper problem? I'm not sure if the black on the base of the orchid is normal or not. Is this just typical dead tissue from the bad roots I cut off, or is this stem rot? Most of the stem looks green and fine, but the base, near the roots, has some dead tissue around it.

Also, since the best roots on the orchid are definitely its aerial roots, how do I get more water to them without potentially getting water stuck between the leaves and other places it shouldn't be?

Pictures of leaves and stem/roots attached. Thank you guys so much!