Dendrobium spectabile roots.

[shushu45]

Originally Posted by WhiteRabbit

Green growing root tips are good. I'm not sure about the rest. The really dark ones would seem to be likely rotted, but if they are firm and the velamen doesn't EASILY pull off, the may be ok.

What is the "velamen"??

[WhiteRabbit]

Velamen is the fleshy, clingy outer layer of the root that absorbs water. Orchid Board - Most Complete Orchid Forum on the web ! - Glossary

Velamen - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[shushu45]

Thank you.

[Silje]

Green tips are of course good and how it should be, but...ehem...to be honest with you...those roots do not look very good to me. They look like my dendrobium roots looked like for a while when I was over-watering.

I'm very fond of watering and have killed a number of orchids because of it.

Eventually put all my catts and dendrobiums into straight LECA, and that has worked well for me. Now I don't have the problem with soggy fir bark anymore.

Orchids are survivors, and even if this plant might not have a lot of good roots at the moment, it has a lot of reserves still in the bulbs/canes to make new ones. I would suggest maybe trying a different growth medium or change the watering regime.

[shushu45]

Thank you the info as well.
I water all of them once a week. So I'm going to let it dry out completely. Look at the roots and if the are all dead ill have to cut off the dead ones and try to grew new ones.
Thanks again to everyone.

[WhiteRabbit]

Originally Posted by shushu45

Thank you the info as well.
I water all of them once a week. So I'm going to let it dry out completely. Look at the roots and if the are all dead ill have to cut off the dead ones and try to grew new ones.
Thanks again to everyone.

This type doesn't want media to dry out completely (getting "just dry" in winter is ok).

What potting media are you using, and how big is the pot? These do like to be fairly snug.

I use bamboo kabob skewers in my orchid pots to determine when to water. How often to water can vary greatly depending on weather.

[shushu45]

I use miracal grow orchid mix.
I think its in a 5inch pot.

[WhiteRabbit]

Originally Posted by shushu45

I use miracal grow orchid mix.
I think its in a 5inch pot.

Ah... is it the "original " miracle gro, or the newer, chunky mix? Original miracle gro is extremely heavy and dense, and most people find it to be not a good mix for most orchids. If that's what you have been using, that may be the problem.

[shushu45]

I'll have to look when I get home. I thinks its the original.

---------- Post added at 07:10 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:05 PM ----------

Right now I placed it pink course natural sand. For right now.