S/H inquiry

[bdelfiero]

I am trying to grow in s/h and see good results.

I have some questions because I recently tried this s/h culture. Though I want to transfer most of my plants but have something on my mind.

What if the roots goes down to the reservoir? Doest it mean I have to repot it? Because my phals in s/h is growing nice roots going down to the bottom of the pot and I'm worried it will rot when touching the reservoir.

What should I do? Thank you.

[trdyl]

As long as the roots grow into the reservoir they will not rot.

[bdelfiero]

Thank you Ted..

[nutgirl]

I have a cattleya that has filled the reservoir area with roots. It's thriving.

Maureen

[Ray]

It's all a factor of root morphology.

On a cellular level, roots "tailor" themselves to the environment into which they grow. Once they do, they do not change.

The net result of that is multifold:

1. Changing the environment may render existing roots ineffective at absorbing water and nutrients, and expelling wastes. The degree of difference between the old- and new conditions will affect that.
2. That has an impact on repotting of course, so that's why it's important to time your repotting to coincide with the emergence of new roots.
3. If the difference is not too great, existing roots will grow new tissue that is tailored to the environment, and the old parts will enter a more-or-less "static" state, acting as conduits for the new parts. In those cases, trimming the end of the root at repotting causes branching, and the plant gets reestablished quickly.
4. If the difference is too great, those older parts of the roots will not tolerate the conditions, and will die.
5. That also is pertinent to this original query - submerge existing roots in the reservoir, and they will suffocate and die. If the grow into the reservoir, they weill be tailored to it, so will do fine.

[bdelfiero]

Many thanks Ray..Now, I have no worries to transfer all my orchids to s/h. You really are a GURU

[Call_Me_Bob]

Originally Posted by Ray

It's all a factor of root morphology.

On a cellular level, roots "tailor" themselves to the environment into which they grow. Once they do, they do not change.

The net result of that is multifold:

1. Changing the environment may render existing roots ineffective at absorbing water and nutrients, and expelling wastes. The degree of difference between the old- and new conditions will affect that.
2. That has an impact on repotting of course, so that's why it's important to time your repotting to coincide with the emergence of new roots.
3. If the difference is not too great, existing roots will grow new tissue that is tailored to the environment, and the old parts will enter a more-or-less "static" state, acting as conduits for the new parts. In those cases, trimming the end of the root at repotting causes branching, and the plant gets reestablished quickly.
4. If the difference is too great, those older parts of the roots will not tolerate the conditions, and will die.
5. That also is pertinent to this original query - submerge existing roots in the reservoir, and they will suffocate and die. If the grow into the reservoir, they weill be tailored to it, so will do fine.

in that you mentioned cutting the ends of roots?

[Pilot]

Originally Posted by help

in that you mentioned cutting the ends of roots?

I could be mistaken but I believe Ray was referring to cutting the roots back that would go into the water as non-water roots, thus preventing a root that is not adapted for water culture from actually going into the reservoir. Ray please correct me if this is wrong.

[Call_Me_Bob]

Oh, so you don't have to trimthe roots on a Catt every time you pot

[Ray]

I try my best to avoid trimming roots.

If the roots are massive, I use a larger pot, if that's practical. At other times I wrap the roots around so they are not reaching to the reservoir when moving them over.

But sometimes you just gotta trim (and other times, you break them by accident anyway!)