Phalaenopsis struggling to grow roots
 

Hi everyone,

I am completely new to orchids and my first and only Phalaenopsis plant was given to me as a gift in September of last year.

The orchid has lost most of its roots (or possibly didn't have a strong root system to begin with) and I have had it growing in sphagnum moss the last 6 months or so (transitioned from bark originally). There was also a brief period early on when it was in potting soil before I read that that was the completely wrong environment for it and switched to the moss and a pot made specifically for orchids that offers more aeration and a drainage hole.

It has grown a lot of new leaves and a flower spike, however its old roots have not grown longer and no new roots have formed for at least half a year. I currently give it the prescribed amount of orchid fertilizer (Miracle Gro Orchid Food Fertilizer) every 2 weeks. I tried to give it root hormone powder a couple months ago but it did not seem to help at all.

How can I help my orchid's root growth? It has lasted a long time with such few roots but I am worried eventually it will die.

I've attached pictures to hopefully give a better idea of the state of the roots and stem. I'm afraid the stem might be in bad shape but am unsure.

I’d hold off on the fertilizer, it’s probably not doing much for the plant in that state. Using the full recommended dose of fertilizer may be over doing it too (hopefully someone can chime in with a more definitive answer). A lot of people on here have had success with kelp based products such as Kelp Max to stimulate root growth.

I grow my Phals in bark so I’m not sure how well this will translate to moss. With those that have minimal roots, I stake them so that they don’t move around. I either water by soaking or running water through the media. Getting the base of the plant wet with each watering seems to stimulate the production on new roots in short order for me.

Rooting hormone powders are intended for cuttings planted in soil, so are insoluble powders that contain a much higher concentration of rooting hormones.

What you might consider, as Alice said, is a liquid that can be immediately absorbed. I have studied and experimented with all sorts of products for decades, and KelpMax is, by far, the best product available.

Elevated humidity (50%+) and warmth (75F) are the fundamentals. Supplemental lighting might be useful. Rooting stimulants and hormones are extra tools that can be helpful, but without the fundamentals any assistance they provide will be undone.

Welcome to the Orchid Board!

Phals are warm growing plants that grow better at temperatures higher than many people keep their homes in winter. What are your temperatures?

I never thought to use kelp based products to help root growth! Thank you so much for the suggestion (and sorry for the late reply). I will definitely try that and it sounds like KelpMax would be a good place to start. :) Others were asking about the temperature in my home. I live in North Carolina so it is usually quite humid but right now in winter my house is set to be around 72 degrees normally. Is there anything I can do to make it warmer locally near the orchid without turning up the heat in the entire house? I was also wondering with an orchid with such small roots what would be a good pot size / container to be keeping it in? I'm a little worried my current one is too big.

You can set orchids on heat mats. There are a lot sold at hydroponics shops and online plant stores; in a pinch you can get a smaller one intended for reptile enclosures at a pet store.

If you do decide to go the reptile heat mat route follow the installation instructions. Most reptile heat mats are not water resistant and many run around 120 degrees Fahrenheit if not operated with something like a rheostat to regulate temperature.

I typically pot up my rootless wonders in bark in 3inch diameter clear slotted plastic pots. I can see the roots and media through the pot and use color as an indicator of when to water. Because the pots are small, the bark dries out within 5-7 days. It’s also very important that the plant doesn’t move around in the pot because any jarring could damage any new root tips trying to grow. I’ll use a bamboo skewer of someyhing similar as a stake and tie the plant to it.

I attached shots of one of my rescues. It had some rot issues in the crown hence the cinnamon to dry it out and one viable root (first picture). The photos were taken about 3 months after repotting and its first new root (second picture) was just under an inch. It’s a slow process at room temperature (low 70s for me). I’m expecting this one to take at least a year (maybe 2) to fully recover. Heat and a root growth stimulator should speed up the process for you.

Good luck!

I appreciate the additional advice. I just wanted to update with some pictures of my own as well. I got a heating mat and a smaller pot for my orchid along with a stake. I also just used KelpMax and hope all this will kick start the growing of new roots! Thanks everyone!

Something is working... there is a beautiful new aerial root with a nice green tip (where it grows) Let that one stay exactly where it is (don't try to move it into the pot, you'll break it for sure) It will benefit from some misting - that silvery outer coating of the root (velamin) is like a sponge - and when soaked, turns green (yes, it can photosynthesize, too) That plant actually looks quite healthy to me.