Phal with no potted roots but lots of aerial - salvageable?
 

Hi there!
First post and I’m hoping someone who knows more might be able to advise.
I’ve this phal for about 10 years and up until recently have sadly been pretty ignorant to her needs. I repotted about a month ago and found that her potted roots had all rotted so I removed them. She does have a lot of aerials though. I feel she should be salvageable, and have watched a few videos that would suggest so, but I’m just hoping someone can me some reassurance I’m doing the right thing! Or tell me I’m not and guide me as to what to do instead!

Currently the plant is sitting in fresh bark, just the stem is potted and I’ve tied to a stake to stabilise. I saw something that suggested using sphagnum moss round the top of the pot to try and retain more moisture than usual around the aerial roots, but not smothering them so they still have air. I don’t have moss so have used cotton wool. She also had a big flower spike with about 20 blooms, but I cut this off so it doesn’t drain energy which I guess she could use to try and grow roots. She’s currently living in the bathroom and gets indirect light in the mornings and obviously it’s a little more humid in there than other rooms.

As I said, would love advice as to whether I’m doing right or not. Thanks in advance!

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Just dunk the roots into clean water for an hour or so - to try get some water into the plant (leaves).

After that, i would just pot into something like scoria (lava rock) - and very carefully push some of the aerial roots into the pot while potting.

Also - watch out for bathroom environments. If the room has not much air-movement or hardly any air-movement, then that can lead to issues (eg. fungal etc.).

Welcome! Do follow South Park's advice--after a good soak in water, the roots will be more pliable and you will be able to work them down into the pot. If you don't have lava rock, any chunky medium will work. The air spaces between the chunks are the important thing! The leathery leaves may not plump up completely, but the new growth will be fine. There is lots of life left in that plant!

Thank you! Really appreciate the responses.
I’ve only got bark at the moment, would it be ok potting the roots into that? Do I need to keep an eye on those roots in future or will they adapt to being potted?

Yes. Use the bark. Just soak the bark and the roots first.

I’ve had no issues with air roots on Phals adapting to life in bark :-)

Brilliant! Thank you :) That will be tomorrow’s project I think. Give her a good soak and repot with the roots in the bark.

Is there anything else I should do to help her along? Or just continue to water when the bark dries out?

If you can get a plastic pot with slots or holes in it, the roots will get more air, which is good. A kelp fertilizer would help the roots turn on the growth they need to settle in to their new home. Personally, I like clear pots, as you can tell when the roots are drying out. Phals like a moist-but-airy environment, so if you can water just as they are getting dry, but not too dry, it is best for your plant. The roots turn from green to silvery when they dry, so a clear pot helps you monitor.

Thank you! I have got a clear pot with ventilation holes on order (with only the grocery stores open at the moment I’m a bit limited to what I have in the house) I’ve given the plant a good soak this afternoon and put back into the pot I have. Most of the aerials potted in no problem but some of the longer ones and ones growing in a very upward direction felt like they’d snap if I tried to force them, so I’ve left those out of the bark.
Am I best to just leave it now? Or should I move into the new pot when I have that? (It might be here Thursday)

Stripey - the long soak was good (what you did). Later - until your gear arrives, you can just spray a little water into the bark media whenever the media approaches dry. Not approaching super dry, but just starting to get on the dry side. This keeps the media lightly moist (and not dripping wet). If the roots have access to moisture (existing in the air within the media) or on the lightly-moist media, then the orchid can get the water it needs to get going again.

Air for non-still air growing environment too, as well as maintain recommended temperature range for phal orchids.