Cracked and shriveled aerial roots

[lindasbabies]

I just re potted them all into larger pots than they came in so do they really need bigger pots than this?? Especially the 2 smaller ones that have very short new roots because they lost all their roots to root rot?

[Roberta]

Originally Posted by lindasbabies

I just re potted them all into larger pots than they came in so do they really need bigger pots than this?? Especially the 2 smaller ones that have very short new roots because they lost all their roots to root rot?

If you want to coax the aerial roots into a pot, you'll need to get one big enough. These grew the aerial roots because the ones in the pot were bad... so it was gasping for air. The goal (and there are multiple ways to achieve it) is "humid air" rather than "wet" around the roots. That's where the bigger bark, in the bigger pot, comes in. You don't want it to stay wet, but some surface area to hold some water - and plenty of air pockets - will get you where you want to be. If there is a lot of air space (so that it dries out quickly) you can water frequently without fear.

[estación seca]

I would not repot again. Just water more often in warm weather.

[Roberta]

Originally Posted by estación seca

I would not repot again. Just water more often in warm weather.

I missed the part about their just being repotted. I totally agree... don't repot again.

[lindasbabies]

Okay I won’t repot again. Thanks for all the great advice! I am going to start watering them every day. Someone told me before to just water around the edges of the pot so that’s what I’m doing. I water with tepid to warm water with my kitchen sink sprayer. I just want these girls to live! I’m trying so hard!

[estación seca]

The Phals that are ancestors to most of this kind of hybrid grow on trees in very warm, wet and humid places. Winters may be a little cooler, but not much. Their roots are exposed to air and light all the time. Their roots stay moist all the time.

The best way to grow them will depend on the grower's environment - light, humidity, temperatures - and schedule. When you do water plants in bark or bark mixes, completely flush the entire pot with large amounts of water. This both rinses out as many accumulated salts as possible and replaces the air around the roots. Some people who grow in large bark or scoria chunks set the pot in a bowl of water so the medium in the pot is submerged for minutes to several hours. As long as the roots are re-exposed to air after a few hours of soaking, they will be fine. This works well in low-humidity houses where it's hard to keep plants hydrated.

Clear pots are great, because the green roots actually photosynthesize and make food for the plant. I'm slowly moving all my Phals to clear pots as it is time to repot.

If you have time to water every day, it is good to grow them in something with large particles that has big air spaces. If you don't have the time, use something with smaller particles, but you need to be careful to preserve the air spaces by letting the medium dry somewhat between watering.

If you want to water only once every 2-3 weeks use tightly packed sphagnum moss, but then you will need to relearn how to water. It's very different from watering in other media. You never fully soak the sphagnum of a Phal in this medium; you just briefly pass water over the surface. Water will diffuse through all the moss, preserving the air spaces.

I will add that eventually you will learn to look at your plants and see when they need watering.

[JScott]

Originally Posted by estación seca

The Phals that are ancestors to most of this kind of hybrid grow on trees in very warm, wet and humid places. Winters may be a little cooler, but not much. Their roots are exposed to air and light all the time. Their roots stay moist all the time.

The best way to grow them will depend on the grower's environment - light, humidity, temperatures - and schedule. When you do water plants in bark or bark mixes, completely flush the entire pot with large amounts of water. This both rinses out as many accumulated salts as possible and replaces the air around the roots. Some people who grow in large bark or scoria chunks set the pot in a bowl of water so the medium in the pot is submerged for minutes to several hours. As long as the roots are re-exposed to air after a few hours of soaking, they will be fine. This works well in low-humidity houses where it's hard to keep plants hydrated.

Clear pots are great, because the green roots actually photosynthesize and make food for the plant. I'm slowly moving all my Phals to clear pots as it is time to repot.

If you have time to water every day, it is good to grow them in something with large particles that has big air spaces. If you don't have the time, use something with smaller particles, but you need to be careful to preserve the air spaces by letting the medium dry somewhat between watering.

If you want to water only once every 2-3 weeks use tightly packed sphagnum moss, but then you will need to relearn how to water. It's very different from watering in other media. You never fully soak the sphagnum of a Phal in this medium; you just briefly pass water over the surface. Water will diffuse through all the moss, preserving the air spaces.

I will add that eventually you will learn to look at your plants and see when they need watering.

I LOVE clear pots. I grow all my smaller plants in clear pots, but i have started moving my bigger plants into bulb pans, and they have done great, but I can't find clear bulb pans,and that breaks my heart. It makes it so much harder to tell when it's time to water. But yes, I suggest clear pots. You can see the roots, and if they are still green, they have enough water. If they have started to turn silver or gray, that means it's time to water.

[lindasbabies]

Thank you Estacion Seca. I have my phals potted in clear slotted pots and their media they are in is from repotme. It’s their fir bark, sphagnum moss, and hydro ton mix. I’ve forgotten the name of it. It also has some white rock like stuff in it. The reason I chose this medium and these pots is because my first two phals, the little ones, have both lost their roots to root rot so I don’t want to go through that again but I also don’t want them to suffer from dehydration so I will water every day if I need to. They are growing some new roots now but they just look too good. Thanks again for your advice!

[SouthPark]

linda - my growing area in the tropics generally has pretty good humidity, but also has nice gentle air-flow ---- being semi-outdoor and under a balcony.

I've got 1 phal, and find that there's no problem with the roots if they are a little dry. It's ok as long as they don't seem to be shrivelling down to some obviously bad state.

For my phal, most of the roots are inside the pot, and some are outside ---- the humidity supports the ones on the outside quite nicely.

What you could probaby do is to grab a humidity sensor, to see what the relatively humidity is at various times of the day.

I think that - even if it's sort of low - I agree that watering more should be fine.

For my phal, in the attached pics - it does have a very yellow leaf ----- that was due to the sunlight being too high, so now it's been bright yellow like that for several months - and staying like that permanently hahaha.

I use small size scoria for my phal. And I just use a sprayer nozzle to spray water into the regions toward the side of the pot ----- in places roughly indicated by the blue coloured arrows. I water pretty much every morning. Although, I have found it's not absolutely necessary for my conditions to water every day - but I just know that watering in the regions where I apply it doesn't harm the orchid at all. And I have also found that my phal has no problem with its roots becoming temporarily dry - in the whole pot. It's ok - as long as it doesn't stay dry for ages heheh.

Just below my phal is a zygopetalum, also doing excellently in the same type and size of scoria.

Google Drive image links:

Link 1
Link 2
Link 3

[SouthPark]

Adequate humidity is definitely beneficial for lots of orchids. But definitely can compensate for low humidity by watering more - or keeping the inside of the pot moist/humid - and maintaining it (lightly moist).