Is this root rot?

[jreidsma]

Hi everyone

I am rather new to orchids, but not to plants in general. I usually have no problem finding root rot but this orchid kind of has me stumped (I am color blind, and so its difficult).


Its a dendrobium orchid I rescued Sunday, but today it has spider mites and mealy bugs. I treated it for those.

I also got it out of the dreadful waterlogged bark it was in and into the pot it is in now. It was so wet a centipede came out while I was repotting it.

I treated it like I do the rest of my plants and other orchids for pest, with rubbing alcohol and water mix sprayed over the plant and rubbed down with my fingers and cotton swabs. I need to look it over more as there is some sort of black stuff in the new leafs.

So what do you all think? Just roots that need to dry or should I remove them? Some of the darker roots are a bit squishy/soft.

[jreidsma]

here are some photos

[Bud]

Welcome Aboard!!!!

You did a good job repotting it.
Do not worry....this kind of orchid is a survivor...it can take abuse....
wipe the leaves using cotton balls dipped in hydrogen peroxide to rule out fungi infestation...otherwise those dark spots on the leaves might be just cold water droplets burned by the sun(magnifying glass effects)
Dendrobium roots dont like being disturbed....so the next time you repot is in two years....
*tip: make sure the plant is secure and not wobbly in the pot ....use a wire clip(cut it from a thick old wire hanger, using plyers=shape it like a distended paper clip on the diameter of your pot)

[jreidsma]

Thanks

So the roots look fine then?

There is a lot of water stains, that should come off with time.

I think the dark spots on the smaller plants are from damage done to them from people bumping them and fingering them We all know how that goes :P

I secured the plants to a wooden rod that came with it and it is pretty secure now, the pot is a bit limp but other than that it shouldn't tip over or anything.

[Bud]

the roots look fine to me....always trust your instincts....read about Dendrobium culture from Bakers or the sticky threads from other senior members....good luck !

[jreidsma]

Thanks

Oh is that a weight lifted off of my shoulders I was worried that I would have to disturb the plant some more :P

I will make sure to read up on all the threads that I can If this plant is as easy to please of my phal then it should be pretty easy after I get the pest off of it

[jreidsma]

Well, I finally got the mealy bugs and pest off for a week now. But then mold started growing out of the roots (which were not wet or anything) and it got rot on it. I took it up again and noticed that the rot was working its way from the orchid down through the roots, and so I separated one of the branches/pups and it was black and a bit rotted on the inside of the plant moving its way down.

So I know not to buy from Flowerland again, this is the second plant I have bought from them that ended up with something wrong with it a couple days after bringing it home.