Concerned about condition of roots - Orchid Board

Miyuki · #1 10-20-2008, 01:47 PM

I have a Vanda that I bought 2 years ago. It's label indicates Manuvadee x Adisale. I have had tremendous success with it, blooming twice per year with usually 2 spikes. It is in a wooden basket with no medium. I shower it every morning and give it a short soak with fertilizer once per week. This summer it produced 2 new main roots, but there was very little other root growth or leaf growth. The lower leaves near the new roots turned yellow and dropped, so now I have a bit of a longer stem. My concern is with the other roots. At first I thought it was just some algae growth - a darker green colour covering the roots. However, the dark green has now turned quite black and a little slimy. Should I be trying to clean them? How? or is it time for some root pruning? How? This summer has been unusually wet, cloudy and miserable, so not the best conditions for her. I'm not sure if this is the cause or something else happening. I really appreciate the help.

Swamper · #2 10-20-2008, 02:58 PM

I've seen some of that black stuff grow on mine and I clean it off. I don't recall if it was slimy though. It probably is no reason for concern but Im not sure what you have. You have a pic?

wonderlen3000 · #3 10-20-2008, 03:13 PM

You got to be careful about watering the vandas in the summer. Either water it early morning or later evening (common to what others say, vanda can tolerate wet/moist roots overnight as long as there is air circulation). Sometime what happen is if the water collect between the leaf and warm up during sunny hot day and literally cook the plant up. It goes downhill from there, as you will see all the roots started to turn brown, get mushy and die. It usually happen between leaf and where new roots come up.

I lost my Sansai Blue and coerulescen in similar way and i found it coerulea hybrids are more prone to this habit as they are from higher elevation and detest rotting from water and heat in warm day. How tall is your vanda currently?? If your vanda is over 2 feet and start loosing lower leaves, it's normal and it's time to do top cutting when the new roots emerge. Vanda normally only produced 2-5 new aerials roots per year, but they branch out very easily and quickly and that's why vanda have masses of roots. Also try feeding bloom booster and root stimulator more frequently than normal fertilizer with high nitrogen content. Other wise you are going to get taller plant, with fewer spike. My Ascd. Princess Mikasa and Su Fan Beauty flower/spike on every leaf axis and other vanda hybrids flower on every 3-4 leaf axis ratio. Where i live in Alberta, most of my vandas send out new roots most during the fall season as spring and summer are usually more cloudy with rain. Manudevee has high percentage of coerulea in the background so it sound respend well during this time of the year.

Miyuki · #4 10-20-2008, 05:28 PM

I don't think the problem is with water between the leaves, as all is well from the new roots up. I'm not at home to measure or take pics, but my best guess is that the plant is 24" from the older roots and about 20" from the new roots it produced this summer. I think there is about 4" from the new roots to the lowest leaves. Only the older roots seem to be a problem, and they only feel slimy right after watering. Otherwise they are firm, so I don't think there is rot, but I'm not sure. If it is time to cut off roots, how? and when? is best to go about this. If it is best to try cleaning them off, how should this be done? Swamper, how did you do it?

JennS · #5 10-22-2008, 01:56 PM

My Ascda. Princess Mikasa came to me with some black stuff on the roots. It was slightly slimy when I wet it. I tried to scrape it off a little, but it didn't want to cooperate. I then tried spraying it down with Physan 20 and after letting the Physan soak for maybe 10 minutes or so, the stuff loosened up and came right off. I barely even had to touch it then. I think i just watered it and it fell off. I woudl recommened trying Physan or something similar. If you don't have it already, it is definitely something worth buying to have on hand for things like this that pop up. Good luck!

Miyuki · #6 10-22-2008, 04:11 PM

Thanks Jenn. I have a little bit left that I will try. It is really hard to get around here. Does any one know of a distributor in Ontario?
After doing a lot of reading over the past few days, I think the situation is not as bad as I thought it might be. Before watering, the roots are definitely firm, just a little unsightly. I'm going to try using some KLN to get some new root growth going and maybe a soak in Physan will take care of some of the yuk. Thanks for the help!

Miyuki · #7 10-22-2008, 04:23 PM

I did an intenet search to find a place to purchase some Physan 20, and found a thread from someone else with "green stuff on Vanda Roots". Physan seems to be solution of choice so now I really have to find some!
Thanks again

Swamper · #8 10-22-2008, 04:42 PM

Sorry I have been very busy at work...I used soap and water and a sponge.