Hello - Phalaenopsis Propagation and Transpanting Questions

[silken]

I've just been reading this and you've had some good tips. I will say that air roots that haven't been potted, will not usually happily head for water. They will struggle to adjust to now being potted. So be very careful to let them dry out before watering again. In nature, these plants cling to trees in tropical rain forests so their roots are never potted in medium. They get rained on and then rapidly dry off. So we usually put them in pots with lots of holes and an airy chunky medium to try and get air and quick drying to the roots with the convenience of pots since we can't all grow them on our trees. Knowing how they grow in nature helps me understand a bit how to care for them in my environment.

The moss that is often used is sterile New Zealand or Chilean long fiber sphagnum moss., I like it mixed with medium bark chunks to hold some water, but also provide good air pockets as the roots need air too. If you are talking about the thick cushions of green moss I see in some parts of Canada (haven't been to Alaska) I wouldn't really recommend it. It should be sterile to avoid introducing problem organisms and insects and it will likely be a pretty wet environment. The keiki would be one way you could experiment with two different growing methods as mentioned.

Good luck with your plant and if it is in local moss, knowing what these plants need in nature, maybe you can adjust your watering to account for the different moss.

[Orchid Whisperer]

Hi Paul

This is the first time I've read this thread, so I'm doing a little catch-up.

I will give my 2 cents on keeping most epiphytic orchids alive, including your Phalaenopsis. Most are killed by assuming the roots need to be constantly moist. To a certain extent, plants that stay too dry may not thrive, but usually stay alive. Phalaenopsis usually do best by balancing between the extremes, but going closer to the dry side. You want the medium to be nearly dry before you water again. With Phalaenopsis and similar orchids, it is all about keeping the roots alive; constantly moist roots die, roots that dry out sometimes will live and grow.

You can grow orchids in many materials if you can manage the water properly. I have grown orchids successfully in bark, lump charcoal, river pebbles, "lava rock", crushed stone, styrofoam packing peanuts, wine corks, and a few other materials. I don't know if you have sweet gum in Alaska (Liquidambar styraciflua species), but I am currently experimenting with growing Phalaenopsis potted in the seed capsules from that tree (going well I might add). I have never been able to successfully grow Phalaenopsis in Sphagnum (though some people have used it successfully). I have successfully grown other types of orchids in North American sphagnum, as long as it dries out between waterings.

I am guessing that in Alaska, you can easily get river pebbles that are about an inch in diameter. Those pebbles will make an excellent orchid medium and will never rot. Pot the roots of your Phalaenopsis in a pot with drainage holes using those pebbles, water twice a week, and your plant should thrive. When you water, do it at the sink, flood water over the roots only. Let the plant dry between waterings, it will be fine.

If you continue using sphagnum, I would suggest either growing in a terracotta (red clay) pot that wicks water away, or grow in a clear plastic pot where moisture can be observed through the pot. The sphagnum should be close to bone dry before you water again (no condensation visible through the clear pot).

Whatever you use, good luck!

[wintergirl]

I bought some live spagh moss on Ebay. It wasn't sterile and it is a bigger type than expected. I was going to use it for my butterworts but changed my mind. I tried it on my masdies, but they didn't like it. I also tried it on one of my very fine leafed epidendrum plants, and it loves it. I don't think it would be useful for a phal, but on something that needs to stay moist it can work.

[gitano]

Thank you all for your information and encouragement. My concern - before reading the above posts - was the plant drying out. After reading the above posts, I actually feel better about the sphagnum. Winter here is a VERY dry season. Houses are 'sealed' and the air gets heated and dried more than most other places. The humidity in my house in winter never gets above 20% and is often around 10. Plants that need higher humidity don't do well in my house over winter.

I water my house plants once a week. If I find this Phal needs twice a week I can remember that. Probably. But if drying out between waterings is "good", then I should be in "good" shape. Remember, this plant lived and actually produced a keiki under my abuse.

After having disassembled the original potting, I think I have a better understanding of "how things worked" in that glass jar. As was suggested, as I watered the jar only when I saw that it was not wet all the way to the bottom, the roots in the plastic cup were able to wick the water they needed from the surrounding bark. I'm hoping I have recreated that basic environment in the new pot - just larger.

There are many roots still "airborne" both for the keiki and the mother plant. If it doesn't 'like' the pot or sphagnum-covered bark, I am hoping it lets me know.

I was planning on soaking - floating it in the sink - the keiki once a week. Honestly, I don't think that will keep it moist enough in the winter, but we'll see.

I'll take some pictures and post them to show what the two plants now look like.

Thanks again,
Paul

[estación seca]

Originally Posted by gitano

I was planning on soaking - floating it in the sink - the keiki once a week. Honestly, I don't think that will keep it moist enough in the winter, but we'll see.

Hi Paul,

I have a miniature monopodial orchid Pelatantheria insectifera on a cork mount that I got from Guillermo Salazar of Miami when he spoke to our club. I keep a spray bottle next to it and soak it twice a day or more with dilute orchid fertilizer in rain water. About once every two weeks I soak it face-down in a container of rain water. If I don't spray it almost daily it shrivels. It is making new leaves and maybe it will bloom in season this coming winter.

Phalaenopsis need more water than my Pelatantheria. You might consider putting the keiki someplace you can see it regularly, with a spray bottle right next to it. I think 10% relative humidity and weekly watering will be very hard on it.

[gitano]

Here are pictures the new 'digs'.

The keiki:


There is a bark slab beneath all of the sphagnum.

And the 'mother' plant:


This pot has approximately twice the volume of the original glass cube.

Paul

---------- Post added at 11:12 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:04 AM ----------

I didn't see your post before I posted the pictures, estacion seca. Currently, it sits right in front of my 'computer station', so I will be viewing it regularly. I was thinking of something like the water spray bottle. I'll have to move it to spray it though. My wife won't 'appreciate' the overspray on the coffee table I'm sure.

I haven't seen this plant 'wilt'. I don't think it actually can. Its leaves are too 'leathery'. I have on occasion noted surface 'wrinkles' when it was in need of water though.

I don't have a place that gets good light to hang the bark plaque. That being the case, I'm considering creating some sort of dish or tray into which I can keep its 'toes' dipped. The 'toes' of the bark with maybe a little sphagnum in the water. What do you think of that as a method for maintaining an appropriate/necessary amount of humidity?

Paul

[gitano]

I thought some of you might like to hear some good news about my endeavors after receiving your good advice. Here is a picture of the keiko mentioned in the above posts, WITH ITS FLOWER STALK!

After a mere 40+ years of trying I have - with your assistance - been able to 1) Transplant/transfer an orchid from its original "grocery store" pot and not kill it, and 2) actually get it to produce a flower stalk. Here are two pictures.




The plant remains tied to the cottonwood tree bark panel that was covered with sphagnum moss from my yard, and the whole resting in a plastic container that I keep filled with water.

Thanks to all of you that helped! This is no small matter in my lifetime of growing things.

Paul

[judith_arquette]

Yay! Great job!

[estación seca]

Phal flowers for Christmas in Alaska! Good save, good growing!

[gitano]

Thanks!

And may you have a healthy and prosperous new year!

Paul