phalaenopsis orchid root rot
 

Hi,
I recently had to repot my phalaenopsis orchid that I had rescued from a dark corner in walmart, but grimaced as I found terrible medium, it was straight moss, saturated so heavily in water with just a pin-hole in the bottom for drainage, I gently pulled off all the moss from the pants roots successfully but found terrible root rot...I haven't dealt with root rot before but first instinct told me to cut off the black rotten parts of the roots until into the health green growth, afterward I repotted it in sterile medium in a clean new pot, after I had finished and brought my Orchid back inside I hopped on the web to read around, everything says I should have soaked it in an fungicide.

I did not soak my Orchids roots, will it be okay or am I fighting something I will now lose?

Any feedback or advice is welcome!

Thank you!!
(I wasn't sure if this should have been posted here or in beginners)

I think Ray Barkalow has exactly what you're looking for here, his site is a great resource for beginners.
Root Rot Recovery

And also, I think you'll be fine without the fungicide. I've heard both ways, that it's necessary and unnecessary, so take it with a grain of salt. As other people on here have said, prevention (the sterile medium and clean pot) is worth much more than the cure.

Hi,
thank you very much for the site link and advice!

It is greatly appreciated! :biggrin:

This is a great site, I've very happy I found it...I would be lost without it!

:) Good luck!

Maybe this is a weird idea. We all know that cinnamon acts as a fungicide. I reguarly use cinnamon sticks to make tea (I go through about one a week). What about saving the used sticks, cutting them into medium-sized chunks, and mixing them in with the bark used for repotting? Seems to me like it might be a good method for both recycling and fighting any fungus.

Wow, I think that may be am amazing idea. If I where you I would screen shot your screen and save it, if this would work it could be put into commercel Orchid potting bark, I wouldn't want anyone stealing your idea, honestly I do think this could work. Cinnimon doesn't break down or rot quicker then the potting mix would so it wouldn't pose any threat for molding and it is a natural fungicide and like you said would be a great way to recycle compost. I think I will try this with my next plant to repot.

Great idea, it couldn't harm either!

Be careful with the cinnamon in your potting media, it will dry plant tissue, that's why it works as a fungicide----fungus needs moisture.
Joann

Joann is right. Cinnamon is a good fungicide, but shouldn't be applied to roots liberally as it will desiccate them. That in mind, I don't think it would be a good media additive.

What about in the bottom of the pot? Or cinnimon powder? Just cerious now lol