Is this root rot in my Phal?

[Tukatuka]

Hi,

I am posting for my Phal that I bought a month ago. It is planted in moss in a plastic container with drainage holes that I cut around and under it. I think it suffered from bud blast and now all the blooms are gone and I have cut the spike at the node under the first bloom and sprinkled cinnamon.

But I have noticed that the moss is always wet even after 7 days of not watering it. We are in Indonesia, it's always hot and humid here (around 90% humidity).

So I pulled the phal out of the plastic pot and saw that a lot of the exposed roots are black empty and brittle. I cut all of the exposed rotting ones. But unsure of some of the green ones. Also the exposed roots are all grey and dry, unlike Phals I see in shops which have green healthy looking roots.

Do I need to repot this Phal? The leaves are nice and succulent, not at all floppy. But there has been no new leaves, instead the old bottom ones are slowly shedding.

If I need to report this Phal I was told by the local grower to repot all Phals in clay pot with moss. Is this true? Can I repot in a claypot wider but shallower than the plastic pot it currently sits in?

Thank you very much for your help.

[james mickelso]

Repot this now. Carefully pull out all the old sphagnum moss starting at the middle of the bottom and work upwards. S-L-O-W is the word. Be careful with it. Don't damage any more roots. Once you have most of the moss off, repot it into either moss or bark. Phals don't like charcoal. If repotting back into moss, put the plant into the pot and take small balls or wads of moss and tuck them in around the roots. Don't jamb it in just place it. Phals grow on trees and tree limbs with no soil or media around them. They are epiphytes and live without any media at all. So just place the moss around and into the root mass. Loosely. They don't need much water especially with 90% humidity.

[Tukatuka]

Hi James,

Thank you for your response. Can I repot this Phal in clay pot to discourage excessive moisture retention and future root rot?

Does it look like i need to trim more roots? Do i need to apply cinnamon to these roots?

The moss mix's instruction says to soak in fertiliser water, but this advise is not shared in forums and books. What do you think?

Thanks

[james mickelso]

You can just use the moss this came in. I wouldn't soak it in anything. Once you pull it out just make small wads of it ans stuff it into the roots. Not tightly but enough to keep the plant upright. Cut off any mushy roots or hollow roots. Once the moss is dry in the pot, water it. I dunk the pot in a pan of water to thoroughly soak it. Then it isn't watered again until almost dry. As long as you don't pack the moss into the pot but leave it loose, it will dry evenly and when it is just slightly damp, water it. Dab cinnamon on the ends of the cut roots only. Never put cinnamon on anything but the cut ends of roots or leaves.

[Tukatuka]

Ok, thanks again. And clay pots are ok? Thank you

[Tukatuka]

Hi,

I repotted the phal as advised. I used fresh moss that i soaked in water but squeezed all the water out of the moss before placing the moss in the clay pot around the phal.

I cut some soft empty black roots, but honestly I am not sure if what I left are healthy roots. The 2 photos attached are after removal of what I thought are sick roots.

Now Phal is sitting is loose barely moist moss in clay pot. A little wobbly, how do I anchor it better?

Please comment on the potting, it's my first time, so I need plenty of advice and hand guiding.

Thank you very much....i hope the phal will live....






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[james mickelso]

It is hard to tell what is viable and what is dead from the your area use it to stimulate new roots in the pics. Just leave it dry out before watering and once nearly dry water it well. Then let dry again. If you can find some seaweed suppliment that will help a lot. Good luck.

[Tukatuka]

What is the seaweed supplement for?


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[james mickelso]

It stimulates root growth. Talk with Ray at firstrays.com here on the board.

[Tukatuka]

Hi again everyone,

I have bad news. I have since repot this guy twice. Both times because I could feel more rot in the roots. Initially i potted with moss again but terribly loosely, second time with moss, styrofoam and charcoal chunks just 4 days ago. And I have been watering it very sparingly, just using a spray bottle to make the moss wet, not even dripping. But today i felt even more rot!

So i clipped off the rotting roots and now it looks worse than ever. It is currently taking a root bath in what the local orchid seller recommends, Dithane M-45 (mankozeb 80%). I will rinse it after about 30 mins and let the plant dry out before repotting it tomorrow.

Ok....at this stage it is clear that I am doing something wrong. Please advise me on what to do, step by step cos clearly I am killing it rather fast. I have a clay pot with good drainage, sphagnum moss (scared to use them now), charcoal, styrofoam, and can get bark if needed. Cannot find seaweed, but have Atonik.

Please help, getting desperate....thank you



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