loose and wiggley rothschild

[mrphilips]

since he's actually in a cut-down water bottle, i could easily make it shorter. or use a wider water bottle, again cut shorter.

the problem i have now is that i've found all roots are rotted off!! not even sure where to begin giving him a new chance

[bil]

That might well explain the problems you have been having.

When I have bought an orchid and found that it has no roots, I just pot it it up as tho it had roots, support it with a couple of pebbles/rocks and water it regularly.

Either it has the reserves to put out a new set of roots, or it hasn't. There isn't a whole lot else you can do.

I have pulled several back from the edge like that, but I have not tried it with a Paph.

[mrphilips]

well i noticed a wee, light green "bump" near the lowest part... i figure it's trying as hard as it can, so i should do the same.
and yeah, i've saved more than one withering phal the same way and have done much as you just suggested here.

time will tell

[bil]

Originally Posted by mrphilips

well i noticed a wee, light green "bump" near the lowest part... i figure it's trying as hard as it can, so i should do the same.
and yeah, i've saved more than one withering phal the same way and have done much as you just suggested here.

time will tell

Well, best of luck with it. Hopefully that green bump will mean that it has good reserves, and will get over this.

[Optimist]

Originally Posted by mrphilips

the problem i have now is that i've found all roots are rotted off!! not even sure where to begin giving him a new chance

Try smearing some Keiki paste on the nub where the roots should be. The way I have learned it, the cellular structure of certain areas are kind of like "stem cells" and will revert to creating the part of the flower they need to. I am rather inelegant when describing scientific things, but if you have ever grown a pineapple from the cluster of leaves on the top, if you peel the skin, you have, generally, the same thing you are seeing now-- a rootless cluster of leaves.

But a narrow band of the leaves at the bottom is a "root zone" where the cells of the "leaves" can potentially create roots if placed in the right medium and given the right care. Obviously a pineapple is a bromeliad, and they follow bromiliad rules.

An orchid also has these root "zones." With Keiki paste, you apply "growth hormones" to the area around the base of the plant. Hopefully, in a few months the roots will form.

The 2nd thing you must do (or the first if you have to wait a few days to get your keiki paste in the mail), is the sphag and bag method. If you cannot get Keiki paste, then try table sugar, or rooting hormone in your daily water change. With a roth's huge leaves, you may want to go to a store and buy a clear plastic container, or you can use a fish tank. Then keep it moist, watered, not sopping. I started a rootless oncidium by using zip ties and tying it to a piece of rain gutter plastic mesh, to keep it nice and "still."

(Pictured below). I have found that the plant will kind of hibernate, using more and more of its resources, unless it is firmly attached to something. All the roots you see have grown since being attached to that mesh. Yes, plant it in a pot like this, and keep the root zone on the top layer (not heavily covered). The mesh keeps the rootless plant "hovering" with root zone near the top of the planter. This will help you to avoid crown rot, which will happen if you bury the root zone deeply. I use the leca type potting material. but like I say. change water daily.

[mrphilips]

i understand what you're saying.
curently i have him "pinned" to a metal support with an elastic band. i have smeared his rooty area with groth hormone and set it in some wet sphagnum. hopefully he takes to it!
thanks

[Cilla221]

I am having similar problems with my vanda orchid. I am thinking about growing it in a vase without potting mix, but I am a little afraid i might kill it if i do that.