Phrag struggling in S/H..Advice please
 

Here is a picture of the new growth on my Phrag Robin Redbreast x Lutz Rolke 'Emily' After it bloomed I decided to try it in S/H and it has been going down hill ever since. I moved it while it had LOTS of new roots and they all burned and turned black where they came into contact with the Prime Agra. I repotted it with small hydroton on the surface.

It is at around 1250 foot candles right now. Average humidity between 45% and 65%. Day temps 75-80/ night temps 60-65.

I am down to one main root and this new growth and I really hope I can save it. There are spots on the new growth and I think it is from misting the area and new growth daily. I'm doing this in hopes that if it sends out new roots they will actually live.

Should I nix S/H altogether and repot in another mix or ride this out and see what happens. Any help would be appreciated.

What did you mean by small hygroton on the surface. What is underneath? What are you using for fertilizer? When did you transplant? Betty

It is mostly prime agra with hydroton at the surface. I repotted into Prime Agra about 6 months ago. There was new growth and new roots and both came to a complete halt when the root tips burned.

It is in a pot with 2 holes about an inch up. I flush it with ro water about every 3 or 4 days and use MSU at 150ppm every 3 waterings.

Your prime agra looks a bit dry, do you have any mineral build up on it? That will burn roots.
I had root burn when I wasn't flushing enough. I now flush the pots 3-4 times on Wed and 2-3 times on Sun. then fertilize weakly. My roots stopped burning and are growing.
Joann

I can think of a few things that could be having a negative impact:

• the medium was not washed properly before use.
• it is not being kept sufficiently moist
• the plant is not being watered properly
• there is something "wrong" with the fertilizer solution being used (thinking in terms of pH, primarily, but the super-hard water of Louisville might play a role, particularly if there is another of the issues above in play.)

It is also a bad idea to mix coarse- and fine grades of LECA (or any medium components, for that matter). Doing so leads to a more dense (=less airy) medium than sticking with a single size grade.

-The medium was boiled 3 times in RO water and soaked for well over a week with a changing of the water every couple of days.

-If my humidity gets much over 65% I would run into mold issues. My humidity has never been an issue before and I am sure it is not the problem
now.

-The fine grade Hygroton was not mixed, just sprinkled on the surface because the roots did NOT like contact with the Prime Agra.

-I've concluded that the plant will not take well to S/H and am moving it back to an organic mix. Do not want to risk the roots from the new growth dying again. I'm guessing the new roots will have the same blackening with the hygroton as well.

don't worry Phrags send new roots out like mad, your plant will get well soon

All sounds pretty good to me - after boiling and soaking, all that's left is inert clay, for sure.

But I just can't see a phrag not liking semi-hydroponics!

I have seen roots "shrink back" from LECA if it is kept dry, and your description suggests that may have been the case. Some folks mist the top of the LECA, others put a layer of sphag on the top until the new roots sink in, and one guy makes a plastic cover that stays permanently on the pot (sort of like a Christmas tree skirt), so condensation drips back into the pot.

I had a Phrag sedenii that just refused to take to Hydroton, I tried all the right steps and every other Phrag I have has gone made for it - but not sedenii - it just looses leave and gets more and more sad - it even started sending growths down into the pot instead of up ???? Perhaps some phrags just dont like SH :o(

I too have used a smaller grade on the top of the coarser grade that the plant is potted in, just to reduce the evap at the surface and help with root formation - this has helped with my lower humidity ~30-40%.

I tried a P. longifolium in hydroton once with awful results - loss of roots, dehydration, etc - so I put it back into spagnum and perlite. I tried again with hydroton 6 months later when the new roots were actively starting out again with great results.

Either way, good luck and I hope you can save the plant.

I have to agree with Ray. I have 50+ Phrags all in Hydroton and have yet to find a Phrag that doesn't respond to SH. Phrags really hate poor water quality and if, as Ray mentioned, you are using hard water I would take a quick look at that first.