Root rot in Phal NOIDs - Orchid Board

Candice · #1 08-26-2007, 06:18 PM

Hey everyone, I have been looking through all these posts to try and find more info on root rot after tranistioning to s/h, but had no luck.

Ok, so I had new root growth on a few phals and put them into Prima Agra with Ray's containers. After about a month I decided I had enough with one phal that was on its side. I unpotted it and found almost all its roots had rotted! Then I pulled it and put in sphrag n bag ( a few phals I did this to!) to have two out of five die. I have three phals so far with barely any roots and have no idea what to do next!

I also put a Dendro in s/h today so hopefully I don't kill that one!

How do you prevent root rot from happening in s/h???

Oh and for presoak I put KLN root growth in with H2O overnight.

caseydoll · #2 08-26-2007, 07:38 PM

Candice, were the rotten roots all the old roots or was the new root growth you had prior to repotting in s/h rotten too? It's normal for the old roots to die after switching to s/h and the new root growth usually takes to the new medium. If the new growth is rotted too I have no clue what is wrong. But I'm sure someone that has more experience with it will chime in.

What kind of water and fertilizer do you use?

Candice · #3 08-26-2007, 08:15 PM

I use tap water with KLN root hormone and also Better-Gro Fertilizer Orchid Plus that's 20-14-13 3 TBL fro 5 gallons of H2O. Its endorsed by American Orchid Society.

The new roots rotted away with the old ones....

I need to find my nitch soon otherwise I will lose a lot of 'chids

caseydoll · #4 08-26-2007, 08:27 PM

I'm sorry Candice!

I'm sure things will turn around! We all have our moments. I just had to throw away an orchid my boyfriend bought me not that long ago cuz I killed it! Still haven't told him (the replacement is on it's way!). Unless your tap water is very soft I have no clue why all your roots rotted including the new ones. Maybe someone else will chime in and help out. I'm sure Ray will have some good input to give you, maybe in a day or so.

Candice · #5 08-26-2007, 10:27 PM

Thanks Sarah!
Oh and I have to add, the water is city water, no softner, no well water.

I just got word that I am probably killin my orchids just by using city water and this may be the cause of it

I may have ordered the wrong MSU fertilizer from Ray, which I received a month ago or so.

Arrrgggghhhh.....help!

bejay · #6 08-26-2007, 11:10 PM

Just thinking of other causes....the 3 tbsps per 5 gallons seems to be "strong". Maybe it may be contributing to root burn. According to the fertilizer calculator at Ray's site and on the specific fertilizer you are using, the "correct" amount appears to be 1/2 teaspoon per gallon (for Better-Gro 20-13-14).

Fertilizer PPM Calculator

Candice · #7 08-27-2007, 09:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bejay

Just thinking of other causes....the 3 tbsps per 5 gallons seems to be "strong". Maybe it may be contributing to root burn. According to the fertilizer calculator at Ray's site and on the specific fertilizer you are using, the "correct" amount appears to be 1/2 teaspoon per gallon (for Better-Gro 20-13-14).
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UH-OH,
I thought I was doing so well with that fertilizer thing and the correct weakly weekly, but after you said this, I read the label and it states 1 tsp per gallon for every feeding!!!!!

OMG! I'm burning them alive!

If this is what I was doing, now I am forgetting what I do when I feed, because its been awhile, because I have only been using KLN.
Thanks for pointing out the obvious, which I thought I had under control!
I didn't realize Ray had that chart, but now its a favorite in my tool bar!

I am gonna have to refer back to it!
Thanks and I will see if this is one of the causes, since it could be more than just this!

Ray · #8 08-29-2007, 09:33 AM

Candice,

I recommend about 125 ppm N at every watering. With your Better-Gro formula, that would be about 1/2 teaspoon per gallon. At 3 tablespoons per 5 gallons, you've been applying almost four times that, so that's probably the primary problem.

I wouldn't worry about the tap water unless you know something is wrong with it.

Candice · #9 08-29-2007, 07:02 PM

Thanks Ray, I appreciate it! I will now keep an eye on this, and I am sure I can save at least the one. The other died due to crown rot. I will update at new growth!!!
Thanks again!

lostlingling64 · #10 10-19-2012, 03:27 AM

Hi!

I just joined today because I was looking on the web to see if I could somehow help my phal plant!

My phal is almost in the same condition as yours... =((
I got my phal from my boyfriend at the time..and being stupid, I thought to "fertilize the flowers" so that I would have seeds and grow them myself! This nearly killed my baby plant =( It was also probably because I didn't know how much to water it...

I ended up watering it too much because I treated it as a different species of orchids...and I was surprised to get root rot. Most of the stem perished. I cut off the dead roots and tried to dry it out first and occasionally watered it when i thought it needed water. The stem root is almost all gone...it has turned black. But even in my despair, I saw a new leaf growing!!! Eventually, new aerial roots grew (4 in total).

The leaves that my phal has been growing have been very small...a little less than half the size of the originals. I haven't repotted it yet though...I just water the aerial roots and let them dry out everyday. I don't know what's causing the stunted leaves though...however, I believe your plant will be fine! =)