My phalaenopsis (moth) orchid roots drying/dying

[frostedeyes]

gee ive killed alot of roots on my phals when im doing on repotting but somehow the stem just keeps on making roots so im not bothered if i killed some.. just try minimize the damage. Hmm... i use a medium for phal mix with shards of poly foam. it works well on me :P dont worry your phal is still healthy! its pretty dry they enjoy on moist environment especially the roots i believe their roots are pretty the same as vanda.. when roots are green it means their getting the right amount of water.

[greenbean]

Hi Johnny! I live a couple hours south of you. I have one phal that I grow in pure sphagnum moss, loosely packed. I have those clear plastic pots that others have mentioned, but only one size and the roots were to big to fit! I put mine in a fiberglass decorative pot and put a section of a wooden stick in the moss. I pull the stick out once in a while and when it comes out almost dry I water. Last time I saw my phal (I'm currently away from home at college) the new roots were slowing down (probably because it was in full bloom) and some of the old roots looked a little dry and brown. I think this is more to do with my dad underwatering (everything, you'd think I grew cacti or something! ). I had great success saving this phal from a Fred Meyers (the roots were extremely dry and shriveled) using the method I described.

However, your situation may be different. From the watering technique you described, it sounds like you may be underwatering, but from the condition of the moss, the roots may not be getting the needed air circulation. Same question as other people. When was the last time this plant was repotted?

[let_it_grow]

I use pots like this and i also use clear ones. I like these ones cause they let the medium dry out quickly and i find they prevent root rot very well. I would suggest using it with plants that are prone to root rot. I also like these ones cause i trust my fingers more than my eyes, i just poke my finger in the hole and feel how wet the medium is. If this pot is like mine it has little feet that hold it up out of the water

[johnny206]

Ray,

Come to think of it, it's been about a year so perhaps I should re-pot ASAP, since it's not flowering.

I have roots growing out of the pot, I'm not sure if I can re-pot w/o damaging the roots. Is it a big deal if I cut the outgrowing roots? Would it hurt the plant?

Thanks!

[Brooke]

You can repot without too much damage to the roots. JennS gave a great description of how to remove the roots from the holes. It works and really isn't that time consuming when the roots are really pliable. Don't worry if you crack one slightly, it will probably heal over if you water correctly.

If you cut the roots, you are cutting the growing tip off. The cut root might branch and keep on supplying nutrients but there is no guarantee. The more roots, the happier the plant.

Brooke