ROOT ROT!!! HELP!!!

[InspirChid1712]

Hi everybody!

My Phal. lueddemanniana seems to have lost all of its roots in since I got it at an orchid show in march. The leaves have gotten paper thin, and I am certain I need to take immediate action to save it. Should I remove all of the keikis and flower spikes to lessen stress? Any special treatment after repotting???? HELP PLEASE! I love this plant and have already lost a few Phal. species to this same problem... I refuse to let it happen again!!!

Thanks a bunch!!!

[Zoi2]

can you post a picture?
Joann

[Nico]

I would like to help, but please wait for more advices.

With no roots, the plant needs energy, so cutting the spikes is a good idea in my opinion. I don't know about keikis... How many keikis do you have? Yes, post a picture with your plant.

For roots you can use a stimulator.

[InspirChid1712]

I decided to act immediately...! I found some osmunda fiber at a local greenhouse, so I pinched off the flowers (left the spikes for future blooms), and also potted to two keikis (one was already blooming and the other had 3-inch roots). The keikis seem fine, but the mother plant still looks quite floppy. I think its survival could go either way. It still had a few good roots that seemed to be just starting to rot, so I think I may have caught it just in time! I figured if anything would save the plant, osmunda would be it, so I just shelled out the extra money, now I am hoping for the best. I will post a few pictures this afternoon... thanks guys!!!

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

I differ in opinion, and think the survival rate of your mother plant is actually very poor (as in, it may not have very long to live at all - I'd be surprised if it lasted more than a month or two in it's current condition), hence why you had keikis to begin with. The keikis were bailout plants to keep the genes alive.

My recommendation is to focus your attention on the keikis.

If you have questions about how to grow Phalaenopsis. I recommend you check out the beginner's forum (this is not intended to knock your growing skills, I actually posted a couple of very extensive posts on the basics of Phalaenopsis care, I recommend you read them and decide for yourself on where to go from there). Other people will comment further as well.

Good luck.

[Undergrounder]

Originally Posted by King_of_orchid_growing:)

hence why you had keikis to begin with. The keikis were bailout plants to keep the genes alive.

Keikis in Phal. lueddemanniana are actually pretty normal in happy/healthy plants, especially if you don't cut the flower spike after it's finished flowering. It doesn't necessarily indicate anything was wrong with the plant. I think InspirChid has done all (s)he can to give it a shot.