Inherited many orchids, need advice and identification help! - Page 6 - Orchid Board

Cheddarbob14 · #51 02-11-2018, 05:50 PM

I have all of my plants in plastic pots (those that aren't in full water culture), I bought the cheap, clear plastic saucers to keep them in full time, they catch the remaining runoff after each watering. Doesn't do anything for the plant above the surface of the medium, but provides a pretty humid environment for the root zone, until it is completely evaporated.

malteseproverb · #52 02-11-2018, 06:04 PM

Only 5 left to repot! I'm done with everything but the bulbos and phrags. The majority of the plants have good root systems, only a few a lot of bugs in their media. I mounted the dibyana and the rest were repotted in pots, mostly using medium orchiata. I put the cochleata in a very wide and shallow unglazed terra cotta pot. I'm trying out the bil method(TM) of repotting with this one and another one that I put in a glazed pot covered in holes. I'd been looking for something to repot in these shallow pots I'd found and these both filled their pots with roots already so I think it should work out. The coelogyne is up next. It had been potted mostly with river stones so I think I'll replicate that.

The only plant I found with a poor root system was my phrag. Mayling Nielsen (wallisii x conchiferum). See attached photos. Its pot was entirely mush, seemingly no living roots aside from 3-4 very shallow into the pot. I have never grown a phrag before. I haven't watered this one but it was already a sopping mess. I thought these were never to dry out but it looks like all of its roots have rotted away. What kind of repotting should I give this one? I'm pretty confused. I attached photos of what remained after I pulled it out of the pot, and also of the few roots that are seemingly alive. I'm soaking it in spring water right now.

Dollythehun · #53 02-11-2018, 08:00 PM

If you want that planter, check Menards, Lowe's and Walmart. That's a lot of $ for that box. Bought the same thing last year for my patio tomatoes.

WaterWitchin · #54 02-12-2018, 12:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dollythehun

If you want that planter, check Menards, Lowe's and Walmart. That's a lot of $ for that box. Bought the same thing last year for my patio tomatoes.

DollyTH... are you talking about the planter I posted? If so, I can't find it any cheaper in that size at any of those places. For my purpose, it does need to be at least 36" long, 7-8" wide. Help me out if that's what you're talking about. Maybe I'm using wrong search term.

---------- Post added at 10:09 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:03 AM ----------

Quote:

Originally Posted by malteseproverb

Only 5 left to repot!
The only plant I found with a poor root system was my phrag. Mayling Nielsen (wallisii x conchiferum). See attached photos. Its pot was entirely mush, seemingly no living roots aside from 3-4 very shallow into the pot. I have never grown a phrag before. I haven't watered this one but it was already a sopping mess. I thought these were never to dry out but it looks like all of its roots have rotted away. What kind of repotting should I give this one? I'm pretty confused. I attached photos of what remained after I pulled it out of the pot, and also of the few roots that are seemingly alive. I'm soaking it in spring water right now.

Yes, that pfrag's roots look terrible, but very salvageable. Phrags like to stay moist. BUT phrags don't like rotting media. Looks to me like just too long since it was last repotted and media was also getting rotty.

I like to throw in a small/med Orchiata bark mix, add some LECA to it, and a base of about 1" of LECA at bottom of pot. I normally repot my phrags minimum of once a year after they rebloom and start putting up new shoots/roots. I have an old pair of cowboy boots of my husband's, fill lower half with LECA, top half with above mix. They make a great pot, and a fun conversation piece.

Dollythehun · #55 02-12-2018, 12:22 PM

I'll try to remember where I got my planters.

WaterWitchin · #56 02-12-2018, 12:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dollythehun

I'll try to remember where I got my planters.

I'm actually wanting them for a reservoir for a bunch of violets I have to single-water now, so I can just dump water in and move on. Size matters because of shelf size and pot size. Depthwise I can fake it.

But also has to be fairly rigid plastic. I looked at water trays for wallpaper rolls, which would have been perfect and really cheap, if not so flimsy.

Dollythehun · #57 02-12-2018, 12:54 PM

Pm me with the exact size?

malteseproverb · #58 02-12-2018, 01:21 PM

I did repot the other phrag I got in the way you described. Thank you for that advice! It looks great. That one, which had no tag, had plenty of roots. I can't find a pot shallow enough for this suffering phrag. Right now I have it just sitting in a 8oz take out container, which is too wide. I pulled off most of the media but kept the moss that was already on top of the plant. I'll have to keep rummaging in my basement for something else I guess.

Dollythehun · #59 02-12-2018, 02:53 PM

Greek yogurt cup?

Roberta · #60 02-12-2018, 03:03 PM

I'm not so sure that Phrag really needs or wants a shallow pot. When it DOES develop roots, they tend to be long. I would be more inclined to use a regular orchid pot, put at least 1 inch (maybe 2) of inorganic material (rocks or LECA), then pot in small bark. Place it in a dish/pan of water at a height no more than those stones. You'll get steady moisture in the pot through capillary action, but the roots will still get air. If they are happy, eventually they will grow down through those stones, possibly out the holes - so they do love water, but on their terms.