Problems during repotting. Help please!
 

Hello, I bought this Phalaenopsis orchid in January and it looked like it was doing great. There were lots of new roots growing, new leaves, a new flower spike and a new branch on one of the initial spikes.

I saw some white spots in the medium so decided to repot it. I now have 2 problems.

First, there was still a plug in the middle and the medium seemed quite broken down. It looks like quite a few roots are on their way to rotting? What should I do about them?

Second... it was my first time repotting and I injured the orchid's roots. There are a few that broke mid length but are still attached to the first part. Should I remove the part that is broken?

Thank you in advance!

Hi zaskia,
looks like you've done the right thing so far. As you have said a few more roots will probably not make it but what you have there looks ok.
If you can feel the roots and they have some firmness to them thats good. The plug has done a little damage to the center but there are enough live roots for this one to have good chances with a fresh media. Give the roots a good rinse under the tap to remove any old debris.

I would throw that skewer out. It looks degraded. Try to use completely fresh media and this one will recover.

You need to water this orchid, keep the roots hydrated but let them dry out periodically so they don't have a chance to rot as much. Use the color of the roots as a guide and let them go a bit silvery between waterings.

For a case like this one I would check the roots again in 3 months time, this is an optional step but like you suspect the orchid will probably lose a few more in the next few months but removing them won't be essential and most people would opt not to disturb roots so soon again. Removing the plug in the middle was the essential step.

Thank you for your advice Shadeflower. This is the second time you are helping me and I'm really glad I followed your advice last time!

So from what I understand, as the 'yellow' roots that are still plump might recover?

Do you think I could just leave it out of a pot for a while and water it more often when the roots go silvery? I can water it as often as it needs, mist it and whatnot. Or would that create a problem once I pot it up again?

And about the broken roots? Do I just leave them as is? The inner strings seem intact.

hey zas,
glad to hear your other one is doing well.
Don't worry about a few broken roots, that happens, the plant can handle it. Don't worry about the yellow roots either. If they have firmness to them then they will still do ok. I really can't see many if any bad roots on your picture.
Phalaenopsis can be grown in a glass or a small vase. People do do it. It provides great results as long as you keep the roots hydrated before they dry out too much.
I think it is good that you are worrying so much, it means this orchid is in great hands.
My advice will only help so much but ultimately it is the little caring steps one can't explain that will make all the difference - I can tell this one will do well with you.
It would do fine just potted in some bark but if you want to be 100% sure then put it in a vase and spray it more regularly. Phals are quite hardy and this one does not look bad at all. I've had much worse.

There is a good thread here for learning about growing Phalaenopsis. From the left yellow menu choose Forums then Beginners. Look near the top for the sticky thread The Phal abuse stops here.

Thank you Shadeflower. I've been looking after them like they were little babies (my first) and the worrying comes with it. There is so much to learn and I've got a few books on the way so I can understand better how they work. :)

---------- Post added at 09:51 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:50 AM ----------

I've had a look there before. Lots of very interesting stuff. :)

I just want to add, yellow or whitish roots inside the pot are normal! They are that color because they have not been exposed to light, and therefore have not had the chance to photosynthesize. If you do decide to leave the orchid unpotted for a while and they become exposed to light, they will become green.

You can leave the broken roots, sometimes they can heal, sometimes they die off. But if they're just fractured it'll probably be fine.

What's your reason for wanting to leave the orchid unpotted?

Thank you for the explanation! The more I learn about them the more I want to know! :)

As for not wanting to repot, I just thought I might be able to monitor the roots better if I could see them. I'm taking care of my first mounted orchid (Dendrobium) and I must say I'm really enjoying being able to see almost everything that's going on. That being said, I wouldn't have it that way permanently so I've repotted it. Hopefully it will be fine :)

When I take an orchid out of bark or moss and the roots are broken or cracked, I let them heal for a few days before putting them in bark, moss or any other medium. This usually works to prevent further decay of the roots.

I like the way mounted Phals look but I don't have the humidity.

I ended up leaving it out to dry as well! Hopefully it will recover from the entire experience.