Rotting roots problem with my C. Genie May Spots x Bl. Morning Glory

[Judi]

Yet an other root problem ! I have a C. Genie May Spots x Bl. Morning Glory that had rooting roots so I repotted January 1 his year; I trimmed off the dead roots, soaked the good roots in a Physan solution, and repotted in fresh orchid bark to which I added a very little spahg and soaked in KLN as per directions. I watered it about once a week--depending on weather conditions and humidity--with a weak KLN solutuon. I just hapened to notice yesterday (2 days after watering) that there was some milk white slimy substance in the pot . So I dumped the medium only to find all the roots with the exception of 3, were rotted. I couldn't be sure, but it didn't look like the slime was coming out of the dead roots, it just seemed to be between two roots. So I again repotted the same way after washing off the three roots and allowing the plant to dry overnight. I always bake the medium and sphag to steralize it. Has anyone had a similar sounding problem ? Do you think the sphag could have decomposed in the baking process and turned to a white slime ? I hope I can save this plant, sphag and bag is not an option as I kill anything in straight sphag. On the bright side, there seemed to be oval pinkish growths at the base of a few leaves, I hope they will be roots. Any adeas as to what I did wrong?

[beanluc]

Hi, Judi, any time there's any kind/color/flavor of slime on/at/near the roots, it means watering was happening too frequently.

The re-pot mix you described sounds good except for the sphag. It probably held too much water for too long. A faster-drying mix will let those roots breathe, dry, and stay firm and clean.

Best is to use that fast-drying mix, water less frequently, and when watering, let the plant sit in a bucket for 15-30 minutes so it has time to really drink it up. This way the plant still gets all the water it needs to live and to store between waterings, but it also has plenty of time for the roots to dry between waterings. If the pseudobulbs are visibly wrinkling between waterings, and plumping again after the soak, then the plant is getting plenty of water yet at the same time being protected against root rot.

Good luck,
BL

[Ray]

Judy,

In reverse order...

You have the wrong concept of sphag-n-bag. You put the plant in a baggie as a way to maximize the relative humidity around it so it will not desiccate while it grows new roots. The clump of moist sphagnum - or wadded-up paper towel, if that's more convenient - is to provide the moisture source to do so. The plant should not be in contact with it. Once the roots have begun to regrow, you remove it and pot it up.

I must ask why you soaked the new roots in Physan? The rot that affects roots will not spread to healthy tissue; it only attacks dead tissue. I'd be concerned that your Physan soak (depending upon the concentration and duration) may have contributed to their demise.

Moisture, by itself, will not cause root rot. It may contribute to cutting off the air flow to the root system, suffocating and killing them, but it's the roots' inability to conduct adequate gas exchange that is the cuase of the problems.

Read this: Air Management

[Judi]

Thanks BL and Ray! I guess I'll just remove any spag--I put in a little for moisture retention, but I guess it wasn't a good idea, I'll just soak the pot for a little longer when I water. I loosely planted in the medium thinking I had enough air flow, but maybe not. I soaked in Physan for ~ 5 minutes (1 T/gal water per directions) just in case there was some fungal infection, what damage can Physan cause? I read about it on the Orchid Board. And Ray thanks for the air management link, I found it really helpful. Obviously I do not understand the sphag-n-bag method--how do you get the plant to stand up, or can the leaves touch a surface without damage? How much air circulation should there be in the bag? Do you have a link to a site with step by step instructions and pictures?