How to get healthy roots

[buffalo]

Repotted two phal yesterday, One had no healthy roots in the bark all rotted . I repotted using the more air method. i have never been able to save a phal with no roots in the bark before. It usually last about enough time for the leaves to all fall off.
The bark was broken down so it had to be repotted, I'm hoping it will be the first i manage to save in that condition.

[Ray]

Keep it very warm and very humid while it recovers, and it'll probably be fine.

[gmdiaz]

Adding to all the great suggestions above:

Phals love bright, indirect light and be consistent with watering as well. . .don't keep them to wet or too dry.

When you water, flush the water through the mix. Don't let it sit in a saucer of water. Water throughly and then let dry slightly between waterings. . .think air plants. These grow in trees so try to duplicate the watering pattern of rain, where the roots get drenched and then dry off quickly.

I am having great luck with the KLN rooting hormone. . .you can get that from Ray at Firstrays.com. And do really like the clear pots with air slots but I also just use clay pots.

[m_ms09]

I have to agree with all the rest of these posts that suggest an airier root mix. I simply use spaghmum , which probably isn't the greatest of media, but it holds moisture very well. I've had great luck with this and LOTS of healthy root growth. I let the media dry out between waterings. I also don't like to grow them in plastic pots because they hold moisture too long and don't allow for air circulation. I'm a fan of terra cotta!

[Citra]

It sounds like what happened to me. Just like the other members said, phals really appreciate re-potting. And that's what I did about two weeks ago. This is the first time for me growing orchids on my own. When I bought the phal, it was in a very tight spaghnum moss and I couldn't see healthy roots at all. They were all in the verge of rooting.

So i removed all the moss, it was very wet, and I let the roots dry for a moment (this is the reason wy I don't like moss, it holds moisture for too long, and for beginner like me, that's a disaster). I changed the medium with charcoal and coconut husk and in a relatively short time, I have seen the growth of new roots and leaves (in just two weeks).

good luck!

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

The media also dries out quicker with a clear pot.

[thakshila smith]

This is my experience .
I planted it on a shallow dish like pot .On top of lots of bark mix and coconut coirs . Plant grow on them . hi ,hi ,
roots are above the bark mix now. and climbing out of the pot and attached to sides of the pot . How nice.
looks like one of the pics we can see on threads

[Lene Th.]

Originally Posted by Ross

Yes, one minor advantage. Phal roots can adapt for photosynthesis (ie, they will remain green.) In a "clear" or translucent pot this might occur.

Most of my phals have this greenish color, even when theyre all dry, same with the Cambria-mix that i have, some of the roots are faintly green, the rest are white.
This is a good sign?

I have a mix with coarse and medium bark, and use only moss in the bottom of outher pot on the phals, and a little around the top also on the cambria-mix, to keep up the humidity. This way the mix dry out fast, and due to the clear pots im using(plastic and outher pot is a glas-vase with driening in the bottom), with dreining on sides and bottom, the roots are in less danger to rot.

[maitaman]

To stimulate roots on almost any orchid you can dissolve a vitamin B1 tablet in a glass of water and water every day for awhile with it. B1 works very well for me on camelias and azaleas as well as orchids for rooting cuttings.

[Singingirl96]

I use clay pots (for my phals) because the bark is almost never too wet, that way I know I'm not over watering it. I use plastic on my Cats and paphs, cause they like it a little more damp. It works for me.
Recently when I repoted a few of my phals, I used a rooting hormone. And I can't believe the amount of new roots I got! I have one phal that is growing 10 new roots!
The potting mix is very important as well, I use a bark mixture. I bought it at walmart, it is very chunky and has charchoal, bark, rocks, perlite, coconut husks... my phals love it.

Good luck