new orchids help needed

[OrchidJeff]

The 3 Orchids I am refering to, when I transplanted them, I didn't cut the dead roots off, because if I did, there would be nothing left except plant, these are very young plants and they don't have that extended main root, just small branching roots, I will have pics posted later....from what I have read, for these 3 I think I will place back in a smaller pot once I do what needs to be done.....

[OrchidJeff]

So how do I post my pictures on here?

[dounoharm]

i have to go to the advanced mode and 'insert'....where the paperclip is....and pic my pics and upload and voila! its done! gl

[uffe3667]

hi Jeff;
nice flowers.
Any pictures of the plants or the roots you mentioned before?
It might be a good thing to start a new thread if you think you have a problem with these new plants so you can get some specific help with your problem.
Gr. Erik

[OrchidJeff]

Originally Posted by uffe3667

hi Jeff;
nice flowers.
Any pictures of the plants or the roots you mentioned before?
It might be a good thing to start a new thread if you think you have a problem with these new plants so you can get some specific help with your problem.
Gr. Erik

Yes!! thank you, I just got home and took some pics, I will post them..

[OrchidJeff]

Will I checked the material I am using, I am using long fibered sphagnum moss and fine orchid grow mix.. here are the plants..

[OrchidJeff]

All 3 are the same thing, sorry for the poor pictures... new thread huh!!!

[OrchidJeff]

I recently notice these orchids I won on ebay that the roots are dried out and in bad shape, they are: Cattleya orchid ) T-4605 Lc. Nice Holiday 'Suntopia, cattleya orchid ) ) T-4305 C. Chocolate Drop 'Kodama', Cattleya orchid T-4539 Sc. Crystelle Smith 'Gold Thro, there very young plants, sorry for the poor pictures, this is how they look!! I was going to put them in 4 inch pots, perhaps due to there condition probably not a good idea? I do have smaller pots... I am using fine orchid grow mix and long fibered sphagnum moss...advice

[Tarad]

Hmmm I really can not tell how they look pics are pretty dark. All I can say is get rid of brown roots and old medium like sphag moss and old bark, put cinnamon on any cut roots and repot into your medium of choice I do not use moss, but I do chop some into the bark I use. Tara

[plucker]

Catts grow best when they dry between waterings. The old addage of waiting a day or 2 after you think it is dry enough works well.

They can go weeks without water which wont have any detrimental effect. Instead they will use the reserves saved in plump psudobulbs.

As far as pot size goes, the bigger the pot, the longer it takes to dry out. Longer times between waterings, and the bigger chance of root rot.

[OrchidJeff]

On 2 of them, there is no healthy root, all brown and dried up, 1 has the start of some healthy root, so how would I transplant these so they hold in the material if there is no roots?

[OrchidJeff]

I would say from the looks of them that they were rotted then dried out after I got them, so you got the orginal owner drowning them and me thirsting them... in my new pots I use a mosss base, then the fir chips, a 2nd layer of moss then more chips and moss on top.

[OrchidJeff]

And I did leave the old roots on to sort if anchor the plants, take it thats not a good idea?

[syndywindy]

If there is only the smallest of healthy root, use the absolute smallest pot. You definitely don't want to over pot at this point. do you have a pot clip that will hold the plant to the pot? Were the roots like this when you got them? If so, I'd be complaining to the vendor. But at this point I'd be watching how much water you give them until they show some signs of recovery. I've had this happen a time or two, and it's not going to happen over night. It will take time for new roots to start growing. If there are no healthy roots, you might want to cut your losses and get a new orchid. Just watch how often you are watering. And if you are using moss, remember that this will retain water for a longer period of time, so you really have to gauge your watering.

[Tarad]

Did you show your pics to the seller or talk to him about the Catts?

[OrchidJeff]

Originally Posted by Tarad

Hmmm I really can not tell how they look pics are pretty dark. All I can say is get rid of brown roots and old medium like sphag moss and old bark, put cinnamon on any cut roots and repot into your medium of choice I do not use moss, but I do chop some into the bark I use. Tara

was does the cinnamon do?

[kmarch]

Are the roots just dry or are they brown and soft? If the latter then they're rotten and should be removed. Put them in the smallest pot hat can comfortably accommodate the roots, note that it looks like osme of the pots might be really small. The 4th orchid in your line looks like it has a sphagnum plug in the roots. Remove this ball os moss before repotting it. If you find that some fo the plants don't have many roots, a kebab skewer or some kind of stake might be necessary to hold theplant until it grows some new roots to hold it in the pot.

[plucker]

Cinnamon has healing properties for plant cuts. Will stop infection and fungal attack on open points. However it has been debated that when sprinkled on entire root systems it can slow the intake of water. I use it for every cut above the ground level and dont use it below as the spag seems to have similar healing properties. But that is my opinion and what works for me.

There has been several aticles around this site about a few things that might be of interest to you for the plants.

One such article talks about using hydro therapy, where the plant roots are left sitting in pure water for months on end until health root systems are evident.

Other articles touch on using hormones to stimulate root growth.

[orchidaddict789]

I read somewhere that cinnamon isn't too good for the roots. Not sure if that's really true or not, but just in case, you can dab the cut ends with some cinnamon. Also, after you repot, don't water for a few days--let the roots, or any cuts, dry out and heal (to lower the risk of fungal infection).

Can't really tell from the pictures. The roots do look brown, but then again, brown roots aren't necessarily dead. Some may be stained from the bark mix. To check to see if they're healthy, give them a little squeeze and see if they're firm.

Also, if your catt(s) really don't have any live roots left, maybe you can contact the seller. People really shouldn't be selling rootless plants. Hopefully your plants will be OK...keep in mind, catts are tough!

[Julez]

Hi OrchidJeff

As a newbie myself I have found the glossary of orchid terms to be a good place to start when I dont know what the WiseGeeks are talking about.
I hope this helps.
http://www.orchidgeeks.com/forum/glo...-orchid-terms/

[OrchidJeff]

I will try to get better pics tomorrow, curious! I found this info on another post, ( Sphag-n-Bag ) would this work on my cattleyas for getting new roots?

[fred]

welcome to the forum OrchidJeff
please be careful when replying in another geeks thread as you have problems with your chids I have moved your posts into your own thread

2 threads merged into one to keep all the information together

sphag in a bag info http://www.orchidgeeks.com/forum/orc...tructions.html

[OrchidJeff]

here are some better pics of the roots on my cattleya's, guess I was wrong, there is healthy roots on all 3, so what would you do with this?

[OrchidJeff]

The plants in question....

[OrchidJeff]

Originally Posted by OrchidJeff

here are some better pics of the roots on my cattleya's, guess I was wrong, there is healthy roots on all 3, so what would you do with this?

I learned already that I need to remove the brown roots, what if there still firm?

[LouisW]

Yes there are some good roots. If they are firm I would leave them just in case. Cut the rest off and pot em back up. Doesnt look like they need a big pot.

[patticake]

I would only remove the roots that are like hollow paper, or mushy. The others I would leave alone. Pot them up, and keep them damp. A loosely fitted plastic bag, (clear, like a zip-lock) over the plant, will help keep the humidity in for a few weeks. This should help them to re-establish some roots. Make sure there's a little room for air exchange.

BTW- I think I just bought the plant in your avatar! It's Sc. Crystelle Smith 'Gold Throat', isn't it?

[kmarch]

In all honesty, I'd return them for a refund. Looking at the leaves, I see signs of dehydration rather than plump healthy leaves.

If you don't want to return them, pot them up in pots that are just big enough to comfortably accommodate the roots and give them good cattleya culture. If you dont' already have one, get a good cattleya culture sheet (a culture sheet is instructions on how to grow your orchid) either form the Orchid Care section of this forum or from AOS | Members Only Area.

Since you've started a thread on this topic before, I've combined the two threads into one.

[OrchidJeff]

Will I paid a mere $2 a piece for them, I will give it a shot and try to save them, I have 3 more on the way in the mail, I will post what they look like once they arrive, but this is how my roots look now, I think I cleaned them up pretty good...i hope!!

[OrchidJeff]

Ready to give them a new chance at life, good luck to me and the catts huh....

[OrchidJeff]

Originally Posted by patticake

I would only remove the roots that are like hollow paper, or mushy. The others I would leave alone. Pot them up, and keep them damp. A loosely fitted plastic bag, (clear, like a zip-lock) over the plant, will help keep the humidity in for a few weeks. This should help them to re-establish some roots. Make sure there's a little room for air exchange.

BTW- I think I just bought the plant in your avatar! It's Sc. Crystelle Smith 'Gold Throat', isn't it?

You know what.... I don't know..., my wife actually had just got that one for me a few days ago, no tags on it....it was an early b-day gift...

[dinosaurr]

Originally Posted by OrchidJeff

Ready to give them a new chance at life, good luck to me and the catts huh....

Good luck OrchidJeff! I'm a newbie to this forum, but have grown orchids thru trial and error for about 1 1/2 yrs. I think your catts will survive because they are not as deyhydrated as mine were, and there are new roots popping up.

[OrchidJeff]

Originally Posted by dinosaurr

Good luck OrchidJeff! I'm a newbie to this forum, but have grown orchids thru trial and error for about 1 1/2 yrs. I think your catts will survive because they are not as deyhydrated as mine were, and there are new roots popping up.

Thanks dinosaurr, I been here 2 days myself, I am happy I stumbled on this site, I been in to Orchids for about 6 weeks now, but I have grown African Violets most my life, I loved my Violets, but man!! the Orchids are really something, I feel confident should I run in to issues or need sound advice its all right here, welcome to the site...

[OrchidJeff]

So this is my final stage with my catts I guess, I read in here for better root growth to put the plants in a warm not so bright area? its appears the bubble will stay very humid...how long should I leave those guys in there?

[Brooke]

Jeff I don't want this to sound harsh but you need to slow down and stop trying to do everything to your orchids at one time.

First remove the plastic bubble. You have created an atmosphere for major fungus problems because you have no air exchange for the plants.

Catts are one of the easiest orchids to regrow roots on and yours already have a few roots so no need for the extra humidity. You can actually take rootless pbubls, put them in a pot and when a new pbulb starts roots appear.

If you want to supply extra humidity, sitting the pots in a plastic bag with the top open will work or you can slip a bag over the pot with the bottom open.

The need for extra warmth means if you are comfortable, the catts are fine.

I love your enthusiasm but you can't read the forum and try everything in two days. Pick a method, stick with it to give the plant a chance to succeed. Try searching the internet for additional articles on growing catts and then try to adapt their recommendations to your grow area. Good luck - SoCal is a great place to grow catts.

Brooke

[OrchidJeff]

Originally Posted by Brooke

Jeff I don't want this to sound harsh but you need to slow down and stop trying to do everything to your orchids at one time.

First remove the plastic bubble. You have created an atmosphere for major fungus problems because you have no air exchange for the plants.

Catts are one of the easiest orchids to regrow roots on and yours already have a few roots so no need for the extra humidity. You can actually take rootless pbubls, put them in a pot and when a new pbulb starts roots appear.

If you want to supply extra humidity, sitting the pots in a plastic bag with the top open will work or you can slip a bag over the pot with the bottom open.

The need for extra warmth means if you are comfortable, the catts are fine.

I love your enthusiasm but you can't read the forum and try everything in two days. Pick a method, stick with it to give the plant a chance to succeed. Try searching the internet for additional articles on growing catts and then try to adapt their recommendations to your grow area. Good luck - SoCal is a great place to grow catts.

Brooke

That ok!! not harsh, its why I am here, to learn about these beautiful plants..the phals and the catts, I have always be accustomed to being complimented on my green thumb when it comes to orchids, the thumbs are not so green.

[katrina]

Jeff, don't be so hard on yourself. It's too soon to say you don't have a green thumb w/orchids. You said you've only been growing them for about 6 weeks AND you have purchased plants whose health is not the best. Therefore, you really can't blame yourself for the fact that the plants are struggling a bit.

Brooke is just trying to point out that you're probably making yourself crazy trying every "fix it" you find on this forum. They all have their place but pick one...and then give it a chance to work. This is where the patience part comes in.

If you've been successful growing terrestrials...you'll do just fine w/orchids once you get the cultural differences down.

[OrchidJeff]

Originally Posted by katrina

Jeff, don't be so hard on yourself. It's too soon to say you don't have a green thumb w/orchids. You said you've only been growing them for about 6 weeks AND you have purchased plants whose health is not the best. Therefore, you really can't blame yourself for the fact that the plants are struggling a bit.

Brooke is just trying to point out that you're probably making yourself crazy trying every "fix it" you find on this forum. They all have their place but pick one...and then give it a chance to work. This is where the patience part comes in.

If you've been successful growing terrestrials...you'll do just fine w/orchids once you get the cultural differences down.

YES!! I have lots of patience when it comes to things so beautiful as these plants, I was they same way when I first started with Violets.. I do need to make up my mind how I will handle these catts, I have 3 more on the way in the mail.... oopppss!! anyways!! I will post a pic of the plants and the roots once they arrive and see if I can get some opinions...

[plucker]

I think the important thing here is that orchids are tough but take a long time to grow and flower. Sometimes this could be up to 7 years from flask.

Watering will be your biggest change. In the peak of summer, you could water at the most twice per week. Whereas in winter once a fortnight is probably OK for catts.

Most orchids die from too much TLC and water, so a little neglect doesn't hurt them too much as they are generally tough. - Catts in particular.

[OrchidJeff]

Originally Posted by OrchidJeff

So this is my final stage with my catts I guess, I read in here for better root growth to put the plants in a warm not so bright area? its appears the bubble will stay very humid...how long should I leave those guys in there?

So much for the I pulled the plug on the orchid in a bubble thing... so now I opened the top so it can breathe

[Tarad]

Jeff I love your enthusiam and your ability and willingness to learn from postive feedback
I am giggling a little about the bubble deflation thing

[OrchidJeff]

Originally Posted by Tarad

Jeff I love your enthusiam and your ability and willingness to learn from postive feedback
I am giggling a little about the bubble deflation thing

Thats why I am here Tarad, I don't like to fail, more so when it comes to such beautiful plants, THEY MUST LIVE!! AND BARE FLOWERS!!

[Tarad]

LOL that is what I keep telling my orchids..You Must bare flowers, you WIll bare flowers,
would you PLEASE bare flowers, will you EVER bare flowers? ok nice green leaves there chid. Then i ignore them and they bare flowers cuz I stopped pleading. YA IM NUTS OK THERE I SAID IT.

[OrchidJeff]

then I am nuts also, before the orchids, me and my African Violets always held a pep rally for motivation to get flowers, it always worked except for one, it was a beautiful plant, but never gave in for flowers, I eventually shot him and put it out of its misery, hahaha!! just kidding....here is 2 of my healthy beauties with twin spikes, the pink and white is full of flowers and just gorgeous, I could not evem imagine what it would look like to have 3 spikes full of flowers like that..

[OrchidJeff]

I think I will be in trouble, on the way to work I stopped at home depot to get some skewers for the orchids, will of course I could not resist walking through the garden section and there all by itsself was an Phal orchid, dicounted for sale!! will I told me wife no more for awhile, but it looked so lonely and I swear I heard it call my name, so I got it....sshhhh!! don't tell, I will try to sneek it in un-noticed...I wonder how that got there...

[nenella]

hi OrhcidJeff,
I'm sure you'll 'succeed' in growing orchids as you have the 'green thumb' - I do too & started growing orchids about 10 yrs ago. All I can say is....
- Watch them (as you probably know ..., plants tell you everything if you look close enough)-roots : they're the most important & if they are healthy the plant will be & will eventually reward you & flower (if enough light ) best is to have transparent pots..
-have the patience of 'a saint' .... - I have bought plants example : paphs in flower which then took upto 3/4 years before having mature growths that flowered...... & that's not 'that' long when you read other threads on different species etc....
Good Luck & good growing!

[OrchidJeff]

Originally Posted by nenella

hi OrhcidJeff,
I'm sure you'll 'succeed' in growing orchids as you have the 'green thumb' - I do too & started growing orchids about 10 yrs ago. All I can say is....
- Watch them (as you probably know ..., plants tell you everything if you look close enough)-roots : they're the most important & if they are healthy the plant will be & will eventually reward you & flower (if enough light ) best is to have transparent pots..
-have the patience of 'a saint' .... - I have bought plants example : paphs in flower which then took upto 3/4 years before having mature growths that flowered...... & that's not 'that' long when you read other threads on different species etc....
Good Luck & good growing!

Thanks nenella, I hope so! the life of those plants depend on it.. even though I am very new to orchids<<<>>>OrhcidJeff.....oohh my God!! talk about a newbie I just noticed my screen name, what in the world does Orhcid say? I have to carry that now for the rest of my life...bbwwaa hahaha!!

[OrchidJeff]

Originally Posted by OrchidJeff

YES!! I have lots of patience when it comes to things so beautiful as these plants, I was they same way when I first started with Violets.. I do need to make up my mind how I will handle these catts, I have 3 more on the way in the mail.... oopppss!! anyways!! I will post a pic of the plants and the roots once they arrive and see if I can get some opinions...

Will here they are. they look great...

[OrchidJeff]

Originally Posted by OrchidJeff

Thanks nenella, I hope so! the life of those plants depend on it.. even though I am very new to orchids<<<>>>OrhcidJeff.....oohh my God!! talk about a newbie I just noticed my screen name, what in the world does Orhcid say? I have to carry that now for the rest of my life...bbwwaa hahaha!!

ohhh!! never mind..I didn't spell it wrong nenella did

[11Orchid126]

One thing about orchids vs violets, the phals don't want to be as moist as violets. Also, they like a tad more light. Other orchids like to dry out before wanting water again and like lots more light.

[OrchidJeff]

Yes I am learning that difference between the Phals and the Catts, I think I wrongfully potted the Catts in an enviorment that would stay moist to long between dry outs, so I am debating should I leave them since the 1st 3 needs root help, the latest 3 has a lot more better roots, I am thinking less sphag and more bark..

[11Orchid126]

If you are saying that the catts need less sphag and more medium bark, yes, yes, yes. If you don't repot, the roots can die with too much moisture. Catts like to dry out before being watered again. If the plants have any roots at all, bark is the way to go. If the plants have no roots, then it's a different story.

[OrchidJeff]

Originally Posted by 11Orchid126

If you are saying that the catts need less sphag and more medium bark, yes, yes, yes. If you don't repot, the roots can die with too much moisture. Catts like to dry out before being watered again. If the plants have any roots at all, bark is the way to go. If the plants have no roots, then it's a different story.

Yes!! thats exactly what I am saying, I do have 3 that had some root work not to long ago and I am wondering should they be treated the same way or will they need extra moisture for awhile?

[kmarch]

Jeff the answer to your question about your cattleyas is in the post from 11Orchid126 which you quoted. Read it again.

[OrchidJeff]

I had a nice suprise today for a late B-day gift...YES!! you guessed it, an Orchid, or at least I think its an Orchid, I was be posting pics once I get home from work, it has adorable little flowers on it, anyways!! I will post later

[OrchidJeff]

Will here it is, the flowers, the plants and the bottom of the pot that it came in, I am 99% certain this is not a Phal, so can someone help me with what it is?

[Ochin@]

definitely not a Phal. That looks like a Reed Stem Epidendrum. I'm not sure of the culture requirements, but i'm sure others will chime in soon. I love the color though.

[OrchidJeff]

Yes! it does have nice color, I didn't think it was a Phal maybe this might help also, its not potted the same I seen before, this is it!