Reviving Ascocentrum Ampullaceum

[Nominder]

Hello,
I am new to Vandaceous. I purchased an Ascocentrum the plant came with no moisture due to poor packing. The roots were not healthy and the leaves had wrinkles.



In a couple of days, I lost two leaves as I was figuring out how to pot an Ascocentrum. By the time more roots deteriorated.

Now I have mounted the plant on wood with a piece of coconut husk loosely covering the root. I have been spraying water a couple of times a day. I had cut the bad roots and only three small roots remain. Now the plant looks doing OK.


I am from India. Is this plant has a dormant period? How can I figure it out? Can I use fertilizer?

In all these, am I missing something ?

Thanks

[Ray]

Sounds like you’re on the right regimen now. I’d not feed it until it regains more of its root system.

[Nominder]

Originally Posted by Ray

Sounds like you’re on the right regimen now. I’d not feed it until it regains more of its root system.

Thank you

[Dusty Ol' Man]

Originally Posted by Nominder

PS: I tried to add photos. I could not figure it out.

For adding photos, upload your photos to Postimages — free image hosting / image upload ,
select 'hotlink for forums'. Paste the copied link here. Your images will appear.

Welcome to the OrchidBoard.

[Nominder]

Originally Posted by Dusty Ol' Man

For adding photos,...

Welcome to the OrchidBoard.

Thanks. That helps

[estación seca]

To help when you're searching, realize orchids in the genus Ascocentrum were moved by botanists into genus Vanda. Most botanists have accepted this transfer. You might find more information searching on Vanda ampullacea.

The key to your plant's survival is keeping it well hydrated until it grows new roots.

These shouldn't stay wet all day, but they do need water every day if mounted or bare-root. If your climate has high relative humidity that will help, because the plant will lose less water through transpiration.

The Vanda group of orchids can use large amounts of fertilizer. I agree you wouldn't want to risk damaging roots now with a high concentration of fertilizer. However, tiny Vanda plants hardly grow at all without nitrogen. I would use low amounts of fertilizer at least weekly. What fertilizers are available to you?

Ray, who responded above, sells a kelp product containing rooting hormones. My experience is it works well on small Vandas. It is called KelpMax, but only available in North America. The same product is sold in the EU as Kelpak. I don't know whether anything like that is available in India. There is a discussion of the product here:
Kelpmax in Netherlands

[Nominder]

Originally Posted by estación seca

To help when you're searching, realize orchids in the genus Ascocentrum were moved by botanists into genus Vanda. Most botanists have accepted this transfer. You might find more information searching on Vanda ampullacea.

]

Thank you.
I don't find a kelp product in India. I can give a balanced fertilizer (20.20.20)

Is it really possible to use organic fertilizer provided the source nutrients are clearly analyzed and planned?

Any thoughs?

[SADE2020]

:Welcome:

Looks like some roots still alive. To me 20.20.20 is the best for growing.

Did you purchase the plant and arrived in that condition? Wow..

[estación seca]

Some people fertilize at every watering with smaller concentrations, and others do it periodically with proportionally larger concentrations.

In the US a cooking measure teaspoon holds 5ml. I would start fertilizing with 1/4 of a teaspoon of the 20/20/20 in a 4 liters / 1 gallon of water. Give this at every watering. As the plant begins to grow you can gradually increase the concentration. But for now the plant needs to recover and make new roots.

[Nominder]

Originally Posted by SADE2020

:Welcome:

Looks like some roots still alive. To me 20.20.20 is the best for growing.

Did you purchase the plant and arrived in that condition? Wow..

Thanks. Yes, the plant arrived in such condition. I know this can be a topic of deep discussions but is it OK to use urea as nitrogen source?