Yikes! Root rot, why?!

[French323]

Thanks for the advice Philip!

I wouldn't have considered cutting the stem down but it makes sense after reading what you wrote.

I think I will leave the orchid for the weekend so that I can buy some new sphagnum moss/tree bark and a new pot (clear hopefully), and then cut and transfer it all at once.

Two questions;
1) I've heard that you should cut a stem above the 2nd node. Is this true? Is it for plant health or to attempt to get the stem to branch again?

2) Do I need to treat a freshly cut stem with anything? Hydrogen peroxide?
(If so, what kind of mix of the peroxide would be pertinent? I expect that I don't want to put the stuff from the drug store straight from the bottle on it.)

Thanks as always!
-Dave

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Originally Posted by French323

Thanks for the advice Philip!

I wouldn't have considered cutting the stem down but it makes sense after reading what you wrote.

You're welcome.

Originally Posted by French323

Two questions;
1) I've heard that you should cut a stem above the 2nd node.

a) Is this true?

I wouldn't think in terms of if anybody "should cut above the 2nd node". It is more accurate to say that this recommendation is optional.

Originally Posted by French323

b) Is it for plant health or to attempt to get the stem to branch again?

It is an attempt to get the flowering inflorescence to branch and produce more flowers, not for the plant's well-being.

If it was for the plant's well-being if the plant was ill, it'd be better to either remove it entirely, or leave it alone if the plant is producing a keiki on the inflorescence.

Originally Posted by French323

2) Do I need to treat a freshly cut stem with anything? Hydrogen peroxide?
(If so, what kind of mix of the peroxide would be pertinent? I expect that I don't want to put the stuff from the drug store straight from the bottle on it.)

Thanks as always!
-Dave

I wouldn't use hydrogen peroxide to cauterize a cut wound on the plant. The science behind hydrogen peroxide is that it acts as an oxygen free-radical. It actually damages cell membrane integrity and it does so in a chain reaction unless something stops it. Hydrogen peroxide also fizzles out quickly when it is exposed to the air and becomes water in about a minute or less.

Medical science does not really advocate the use of hydrogen peroxide on a wound anymore because it doesn't seem to help the wound heal faster, which is what we want in this situation. (I currently work in the medical field, we don't even use hydrogen peroxide much at all. We use saline water to clean wounds now.)

The other disadvantage of using hydrogen peroxide to cauterize a wound on the plant is that it is difficult to target the affected area without getting it all over the place. The reason I mention this as an undesirable thing is that ideally, you don't want any chemicals that can cause serious damage to the plant's roots to touch the roots. Hydrogen peroxide can do damage to the plant's root system if it were to touch the roots.

The better alternatives to cauterizing a cut wound would probably either be cinnamon, salt (NaCl), or heat. Just make sure not to get salt or cinnamon on the roots.

Please make sure to sterilize or disinfect your cutting tools before and after use.

[French323]

What a wealth of knowledge! Thank you, thank you, Philip!

Would you recommend anything specific to sterilize my cutting tool? (Handy to me in the office I have scissors, but I expect I will bring in a proper pruning tool to handle this job.)


Cheers,
-Dave

[D_novice]

It sounds as if you have all the makings of one of us, an orchid obessive. So, while we all want to keep every orchid alive and thriving, everyone here who has played with keeping these delightful plants has probably killed one or two, or at least watched them die. (And maybe one out of every two). If this one cost under $20 and came from a big box store, consider chalking this up to experience, and do the best you can and accept what happens.

For my part, potting in moss is best left to the pros. I know some will disagree, but there's a reason most use more porous media that dries and drains more readily. I think moss serves the mass market phal industry quite well - they don't have to water much, and they pretty much guarantee that most of their plants will be dead from overwatering within the month, so back to Home Depot or Trader Joe's for another! $$$

Enjoy your orchids. Many seasoned orchid obsessives started out just like this, with one store-bought or gifted Phal. You've been warned

[French323]

Hi there D_novice!

These are not my first orchids but definitely the first one's that I have cared to really care for. Others have been co-owned or accepted when they were stubborn enough not to flower.

Perhaps I'll take your advice and move from the sphagnum moss to wood chips/bark. Those are mediums I'm more familiar with anyways, so that makes sense.

Here's hoping I can revive one such "mass market" Phal!

If not...maybe I'll try for a keiki off of the other Phal I have that is doing ridiculously well.
I should really post a picture of that one too.

[SaraJean]

Originally Posted by French323

Hi there D_novice!

These are not my first orchids but definitely the first one's that I have cared to really care for. Others have been co-owned or accepted when they were stubborn enough not to flower.

Perhaps I'll take your advice and move from the sphagnum moss to wood chips/bark. Those are mediums I'm more familiar with anyways, so that makes sense.

Here's hoping I can revive one such "mass market" Phal!

If not...maybe I'll try for a keiki off of the other Phal I have that is doing ridiculously well.
I should really post a picture of that one too.

I see you are in Canada. Moss can be a bit tricky to use in cooler temps with warm growers. Damp sphagnum can make the roots a bit cooler than the air temp. Bark dries faster and cooling was not as big of an issue that I found. I’ve seen some people one here use seedling heat mats to help out with keeping the roots warm

[aliceinwl]

I haven't had any issues yet with re-potting Phals in bloom as long as I don't accidentally cut off a viable root. I wouldn't cut off any of the roots unless they are mushy all the way to the tip, even roots with mushy or blackened sections interspersed with firm sections are still working. Such roots eventually die on me, but cutting one off prematurely can really set the plant back (drooping leaves, dropped flowers, etc.).

In the flimsy plastic pots full of moss, I'll use a sharp pencil to punch holes all over the cup. This really improves root survival and condition for me if I want to wait to repot. I'm wondering if I just grow my Phals at temperatures that are too cool for their roots to do well in sphagnum.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Aliceinwl, how cool the air is is not the only factor, how much air the plant's roots come in contact to is also. If you saw a bunch of photos of Phals growing in the wild, you will notice that their roots are usually not covered in moss. Usually, there is either no moss or very little moss on the trees they grow on. This means their roots are exposed to a lot of air in the wild. The reason why they do not dry out is because of how humid the areas they grow in are. How humid? Think the swamp forests of Florida if you've ever been there. The humidity is around 80% - 90% year round.

When commercial nurseries are using moss to grow Phals, it is a cheap, temporary, and efficient way to keep the Phals hydrated. The Phals are often watered only once a week or less. If there are any Phals that are overwatered and/or dies before they are sold, the nursery moves on without a blink. The reason why is because they are commercially cloned or produced by the millions. They don't care like you do about your Phal because they have no shortage of Phals to replace any that don't make it. As a grower, you have very limited resources to Phals, and therefore, it is one reason that accounts for the differences in cultivational practices.

---------- Post added at 07:33 AM ---------- Previous post was at 06:57 AM ----------

Originally Posted by French323

Would you recommend anything specific to sterilize my cutting tool? (Handy to me in the office I have scissors, but I expect I will bring in a proper pruning tool to handle this job.)


Cheers,
-Dave

A lighter? A gas stove?

Otherwise rubbing alcohol might give you mixed results.

I don't know how likely anyone in the public can get a hold of these, but antimicrobial sanitation wipes might be ok as well.

You could also boil the cutting tool in water or steam it with a pressure cooker. I know that people who do home flasking of orchid seeds use pressure cookers instead of autoclaves.

Physan 20 is easy to get a hold of. Physan 20 can be useful to clean tabletops and tools. Do not use on the plants.

[French323]

Hello all,

I thought I'd chime back in with an update this week.

After losing 3-4 flowers, my phal seems to have recovered from its stressful state and has stopped dropping blooms. There are still four remaining and they seem content enough.
I plan to change the medium from moss to woodchips/bark after I lose the remaining flowers.

On another note, I mentioned that I would post a picture of my big beautiful white phal. So here she is!
Currently the only stem has branched twice and the primary stalk is hosting seven flowers with what looks like another 2-3 on their way.
One of the two branches has 3 buds that are coming along nicely and looks like it will continue to grow more.
The last branch doesn't seem to have much action but I have high hopes