Hahaha! Who needs the sphag OR the bag? :)

[cb977]

I learned something new this week!

I had severely overwatered (not surprising, actually) one of my Catts
I pulled it from it's pot to find nothing but mushy roots, there wasn't a trace of life or green anywhere but the leaves!
At that moment, I was busy doing...something ...and just put the plant on a rack so I could take the name off and declare it dead later in the day.
Well, for whatever reason, I never got to it.

Yesterday, I glanced at it and saw two tiny little roots growing! No sphag, no bag...nothing but the plant lying on it's side and getting the overspray from when I misted the plants around it

Moral of the story...
Orchids are not the delicate fragile plants most of us assume they are before we start learning
Never Give Up!

[Royal]

Great story! Reminds me of "The Dend that Wouldn't Die". I pulled a hopeless Den. with only a few dried up canes out of its pot, declared it deceased, and moved on. About a month later I found that the neglected piece sitting in the searing afternoon sun had begun to keiki in two spots. They are tough little boogers, and most grow despite my crappy culture. Thank goodness.

[flhiker]

Great news. Totally agree, I did a very similar thing. I removed a catt. from a wood mount and left it on my BBQ smoker, only because I was too busy to throw it out at the time. Good thing I did, I noticed about a week or two later that it had new roots and 2 new grows starting. Now I give all my plants a second and third chance.

[camille1585]

Really makes you wonder why people think orchids are such delicate plants. Most normal plants would probably finish dying with that type of neglect, but not the orchids!
I usually give orchids a second chance before tossing them, but now I think I'll give them a third and fourth chance even!

[Sun rm.N.E.]

Susanne

These are the stories that keep me trying in spite of the many failures. I want to know the name of this orchid. It obviously sensed it is in the best orchid hotel in Florida and wants to stay.

My most successful survivor is Onc. Sharry Baby 'Short Sharry'. I gave a lare plant away to someone years ago. He said he lost all his houseplants to neglect except for this one. Never fertilized it just took it to the sink for a soak once in a while. I looked at it five years later the new pseudobulbs were the size of my thumb (mine now are 3.5in across), hanging over the edge of the pot. It had a few miserable little flowers with a big scent. I am glad he saved it since I had to give away my entire collection and the four other Sharry Babies I have tried since then have not been so healthy or free-flowering.

[jkhom]

Great story. I also tend to over water and have almost lost some dens. Tried bag and sphag and never had good results.
When I just left the den canes dry, they grew keikis.
Plants seem to recover better dry then very humid like in a bag.

[brush]

I too am amazed at the toughness of orchids . I repotted one a few months ago , no roots to speak of left on it . To my amazement , it has grown at least 4 new roots and leaves are doing very well .
Never give up , even if there is no green left.

I am surprised with the people I talk to also . When they buy an orchid in bloom , and when they have finished flowering , they will throw them out . What's up with that . They are totally missing something special .

[Gin]

That is what I do with any rootless Catts. never had any luck with the Spag and Bag . Nice save Sue ..

[cb977]

Originally Posted by Gin

That is what I do with any rootless Catts. never had any luck with the Spag and Bag . Nice save Sue ..

I've tried sphag and bag a few times and it never worked for me either

My new process is:

1) remove rootless plant from pot
2) throw it on the side
3) forget about it
4) get a big surprise in two weeks when roots start popping up!

[camille1585]

Originally Posted by cb977

I've tried sphag and bag a few times and it never worked for me either

My new process is:

1) remove rootless plant from pot
2) throw it on the side
3) forget about it
4) get a big surprise in two weeks when roots start popping up!

Sphag and bag never worked for me either, but neglect always works! Maybe your 4 step process is what we should start suggesting to people instead of sphag and bag? The newbies in search of help are going to think we're crazy!