Timing of phal transition to S/H?

[Kim in CT]

Newbie, here. I love the idea of semi-hydroponics and have poured over the resources at FirstRays.com. My husband gave me two phals for Valentine's day and I'd like to transition them, but I'm scared. I re-potted one of my very first phals into S/H ~3 months ago and all of its very healthy green roots rotted, all of the buds blasted, and no new roots have appeared yet. I followed Ray's advice with KelpMax and an inverted plastic bag. I'm trying to be patient.

My question is, what exactly is meant by "The plant is actively growing brand new roots?" Does this mean green tips on existing roots? or new root nubs emerging from the stalk? I've attached pictures. Is she at a good time to go S/H? She's blooming and has a new spike emerging but new roots are also evident. Should I just keep her in the original container until the blooms are done? What if she's not growing new roots at that time? I don't want to kill her!

[early]

I live in a very different climate than you Kim in CT. I am in arid New Mexico. Whenever I get a new Phal, even when blooming, I transfer to LECA, with clear pot. two holes up from bottom one inch. I have never lost blooms even if done the same day or a week later.

The only Phal I have lost was I realized later, was a bad choice made without looking at the leaves carefully. I still have it six months later and after removing it from LECA, kept for a while in full water culture, and just today replanted it back in S/H. When I first took out of LECA, found bad roots, removed and was only left with one. It now has one growing from that one and three other nubs.

I am sure there are many here that can advise you better, many different voices, some say wait until blooms drop, some say leave, others cut it back close to crown, and here on OB, I read all and decide what fits for me.

I personally cut back to close to leaves. or two or three inches up.

I have three forth of my Phals blooming from winter 19/20. I have about 15 phals, some onc's, a zylopedalum a yr or two old. 3 seedling vandas that are finally growing roots after a yr, and 4 new mature vandas.

All except Vandas that I bareroot and dunk daily, are in S/H and healthy.

I think healthy roots refer both to the nubs and the green tips of older roots.

And I did not see clearly what you say is a new stem growing, and wondering if it might be an air root on your Phal.

[Ray]

Kim - "new roots" means just that. Roots that are just emerging from the base of the plant and beginning to grow.

As roots grow, they "tailor" themselves to the environment in which they are growing, then once grown, they cannot change. A brand new root, therefore, will tailor itself to function optimally in the conditions within the pot.

If, on the other hand, you move an existing root into a different environment, the newly-growing tissues will certainly grow in a manner that is optimal, but the parts of the root that already grew are not, so they will start to fail, ultimately dying and separating the "optimal" parts from the plant.

I've attached a photo sent to me by someone demonstrating how that can even happen in traditional culture when you don't repot in time.

At one time, the roots grew beautifully, but as the medium started to "go south", they started to fail. You can see new (white) growth at the bottom that is just fine - but only temporarily.