Phal with a few good roots, but NO LEAVES - Page 2 - Orchid Board

rosslyn1037 · #11 12-05-2012, 01:48 PM

Is it okay to leave it in it's pot? Thanks for all your comments, everyone. I really appreciate it. I really want to save this baby!

Stray59 · #12 12-05-2012, 04:33 PM

rosslyn

:
Whether to leave it in a pot or not would depend on several things. If it is potted in only sphagnum moss, there may be a fungal infection that is working against the plant. It may not be the reason for the loss of leaves, but if it was that neglected, I would be concerned. Also, if the medium is breaking down, then it may be working against you also. If there are a lot of dead roots in the mix, I would remove the plant from the pot and either work with it bareroot (requires much more attention and several daily mistings) or repot it in a sterile medium. If you re-pot, trim all the dead roots off; then I would recommend a fungal dip (something like Captan should work fine). Be sure and dust any cuts with cinnamon as a preventative. Plant it in damp medium, then don't water it for a couple of weeks (when the roots are bothered, it takes a couple weeks for them to start growth again - any water will just rot the plant) just mist it a couple times a day, or place it in a high humidity area, like the plastic tent I was talking about but even then mist it once daily. Also, misting with a transplant hormone like B1 may help also.
To sterilize the potting mix, I get my medium wet-damp and then microwave it in a glass bowl for about 4 minutes; it should be really steamy when you remove it from the oven. Let it cool to room temp, and it should be thoroughly clean. My seedlings are doing great in their medium that was micro'ed and they are very touchy when it comes to pathogens around their roots.
If you feel the medium is fine, then leave it in the pot and delay any additional trauma. But again, with the neglect it had, I would really suspect the mediums viability and the amount of dead roots in the pot.
Even if you don't re-pot, I would suggest that you do a fungal dip, to be on the safe side.

Again,

Steve

escualida · #13 12-05-2012, 04:43 PM

I would suggest taking it out of the pot and leaving it bare root for a while, with no leaves to photosynthesize the roots need to do so and they can only do this if they get light.

rosslyn1037 · #14 12-06-2012, 12:26 AM

Hmmm, I like what you both (Stray59 and Escualida) are saying. I just repotted it in new orchid mix about 5 or 6 months ago. I had to do it because it was so tightly packed in sphagnum moss only. So if I keep it in the pot, I don't think I need need to change the orchid mix. I also think that what Escualida said about photosynthesis makes sense, that since there are no leaves, the roots need to be exposed to absorb light. If I do leave the roots bare, at what point would I put it back in orchid mix?

escualida · #15 12-06-2012, 02:05 AM

I would say until it has at least one good leaf that can perform the photosynthesis.

violetta · #16 12-06-2012, 03:58 AM

If the stem is not rotted and the roots are good, pot it up in a clear plastic pot, so that the roots can photosynthesize and treat it like a normal phal (obviously it requires less water than the ones with leaves). It should grow a basal keiki.

This is a phal I've had for 5 years. It grew a keiki that took over the plant, so a couple of months ago I cut the phal in half and potted separately the keiki and the roots of the mother plant.
It took some time, but finally the roots responded and started to grow a basal keiki.
http://i48.tinypic.com/28vuaom.jpg

'Only roots' is good, but 'only leaves': not so good