Rootless Zygo--please help! - Orchid Board

Reeses · #1 12-07-2014, 10:38 PM

I had problems earlier this year with my Zygo. Advance Australia. I got a bit over-excited with semi-hydroponics, and I just plonked it right in even though the roots weren't actively growing. I had just gotten this plant, and it was potted in pure sphagnum. There was nothing wrong with it, the sphag was good quality and wasn't breaking down; I was just convinced the Zygo would LOVE S/H.

Well, so far, it hasn't. It lost most of the roots within a week or so, and I dosed it up on K-L-N, and left it alone for a few months, still in S/H. I noticed yesterday that its new growth had stalled, which made me concerned, so I unpotted it, and, to my horror--all squishy, grey roots! I cut them off and gave it a long soak in some K-L-N solution, and I potted it up today in a mix of fresh LECA and sphag, in a much smaller, more ventilated pot. It's now sitting on a heat mat with some of my other struggling orchids.

I have two main questions: 1) since Zygos tend to be cooler-growing, should I keep it on the heat mat? I thought it might help stimulate root growth.
2) Is there anything else I can do for this plant? I really love it, and I want to do the best I can for it, but I'm still learning. Any tips would be greatly appreciated!

WhiteRabbit · #2 12-08-2014, 07:06 PM

Rainshadow · #3 12-08-2014, 07:42 PM

My sister and niece bought me a Zygo as a gift 3 (?) years ago and helpfully repotted it into cheap heavy orchid medium. By the time they got it up to me it was very sad indeed, I can't remember if it had any live roots at all, maybe a couple of short ones. I repotted it into medium/large bark and left a couple of dead roots on it to hold it in place. It was pitiful for the first year but has recovered, I may have missed a year of blooms or it may have bloomed off season, I am not sure but I have had great flowers for the past 2 years.

I just kept it a little drier until it grew some substantial roots but was careful not to let it dessicate, I don't have good humidity but it recovered anyway. Take heart, don't give up! :-)

Rainshadow

Leafmite · #4 12-08-2014, 07:52 PM

I grow my Zygopetalum mackayi seedling in straight Aliflor (LECA) with my usual basket pot and just water it every other day. I don't really do S/H as my house is just too cool for that to be successful in the winter. Aliflor is just the medium.
Heat does promote growth and bottom heat should promote root growth if the new pseudobulb is at the right stage to begin growing roots.
Good luck!

My Green Pets · #5 12-08-2014, 09:18 PM

My only Zygo is also rootless. Luckily, it has 6 backbulbs to support its single new growth. It has sprouted a new root, which seems to have stopped growing at 1 cm in length. Not sure if it will survive.

Good luck to us both

King_of_orchid_growing:) · #6 12-08-2014, 09:31 PM

Zygos do tend to grow cooler, but summer temperatures prompt the orchid to grow the fastest.

Warming the Zygo up doesn't guarantee 100% success, but it will offer a slight chance for it to possibly recover.

Zygos are tough. You never know, it might bounce back.

Reeses · #7 12-08-2014, 10:39 PM

Thank you all so much!! Glad to know all hope is not lost

I'll just have to work at making sure it doesn't dry out. It has one good pb that's hanging in there, and one that's pretty much shriveled. It has two new growths, but I haven't seen much change in them over the past few weeks. Hopefully it will pull through!

Leafmite · #8 12-08-2014, 10:43 PM

Before the internet was available as a marketplace for plants and orchids, I had to buy whatever was available in this area. What was available in the orchid department were the dying orchids that the local florists had bought to use the flowers in arrangements. They were always rootless and half-dead. One of the things I would do in cooler temperatures was to bag up the orchids and then set them near a heating vent. It worked quite well. I got the idea from working in a greenhouse, potting/re-potting cuttings. They used heat to get the cuttings to root.

Reeses · #9 12-09-2014, 03:48 PM

Thanks, Leafmite! What sort of bag would you use, or did it matter?

Kudos to you for saving those poor plants!

Leafmite · #10 12-09-2014, 04:38 PM

I usually use ziplock bags and just seal them in. (I do this with cuttings, too, especially ones that take a long time to root.) If they are rootless, they don't need water or medium. Once they start getting roots, I take them out and stake them on top of the medium and let the roots grow down into the medium. By putting them on top of the medium, I don't accidentally damage the delicate new roots.
Rescuing orchids was an interesting deal but I am very glad now to have the opportunity to order online.