Spag & Bag...

[cb977]

I read about the spag & bag process and didn't really give it much thought...until I found a piece of a dendrobium cane laying on the ground on the sidewalk. I brought it home, it had absolutely nothing on it at all, and decided to try the spag & bag process. It's been about 6 weeks or so and this morning I took a peek and voila!!! Two tiny little roots starting and 2 stems growing towards the top! Simply amazing!!! I now feel like I've accomplished something new in this wonderful world of orchidmania

[Tindomul]

Can you go over the process, I am unfamiliar with it. ANd what kind of luck do you walk around with all the time to be finding dendrobium canes in the street!!!!! You are soo lucky!

[Tikva]

THAT would be like winning the lottery! I can't even find orchids at the local Home Depot etc

congrats anyway!!!!!!!!

[cb977]

LOL...you guys are too funny!
It was actually laying on the ground outside Walmart and it is about 3 inches long.
As far as I understand, this process can be used to make a number of new plants if you want to cut a longer den cane into smaller pieces...it just takes some time and patience.
I put a handful of dampened spagnum moss in a ziplock baggie, laid the cane right on top of it, zipped it up and put it in a low light corner of one of my plant racks.
That it!!! I originally put it in a small basket with moss and watered it along with the other plants but nothing happened...I'm assumng it needs that intense humidity caused by the damp moss and closed bag.
Good luck...

[Ray]

The concept behind sphag-n-bag is to simulate a better-than-ideal environment.

Plants that have lost their root systems really don't have a good way to take in water needed for their internal chemical reactions and to replace that lost through the leaves. The associated stress shortens the remaining life of the plant, potentially to the point where it cannot recover.

IF, on the other hand, we can put the plant in a reduced-stress environment, its chances of survival are increased significantly. To do that, we want to put it in a saturated environment with somewhat reduced light level and slightly elevated temperatures to enhance the plant's metabolic rate.

You might want to read this.

[Tikva]

Originally Posted by cb977

I put a handful of dampened spagnum moss in a ziplock baggie, laid the cane right on top of it, zipped it up and put it in a low light corner of one of my plant racks.
...

What a small world..... THAT is MY recipe to grow mold!!

[cb977]

Ray,
Thank you...I probably read about it through you to begin with. Now I know...it works!!!

Tikva:
Again...too funny!!! Try this, you may get more than the standard old mold

[Tikva]

Do we have to have the KLM / rooting hormone? Will it work without it?

I am trying to save a couple of plants right now. I put them on top of loose not terribly damp spagh, set them on the warmest shelf I have and put a plastic shopping bag over them lightly. I've grown too much mold in my life.
I like the idea of putting damp spagh in a bag but not touching the plant and sealing it in the bag... I just don't have the rooting hormone. Will it still work?

[cb977]

I didn't add anything at all. Just the damp moss in the bag, laid the cane on top (not burying it) and zipped the bag shut. It's in a low light area and being here in Florida where it feels like the middle of summer, it's warm. Other than that, all I did was wait and take a peek every once in a while. Last week, I did see little white specks and not knowing they were roots, I knocked them off when I touched them, they were very tiny. Now, there are more, along with the 2 stems sprouting near the top. Give it a shot, what do you have to lose?

[Tindomul]

Ray, did you write that article?
Very good read.

How long does it take for the plant to grow roots again? Hope its not as long as waiting for a seed pod to mature.