aerial root question

[pugmom]

My phals seem to be doing really well aside from the aerial roots or any portion of the roots that are above the medium (bark mix).

They always end up withering and drying up/dying.

I have a humidity monitor and the humidity seems to stay between 30 and 45 (mostly in the high 30's), I am wondering if maybe this is just too low?

Is it ok for me to mist around the top of the medium/aerial roots and how often would be too often, could i Mist everyday? 3 times a week? once a week?

I soak the plants probably every 3 or 4 days, sometimes I will let them sit in warm water for five minutes and then let them dry, but usually I just run warm water through them and let them drain.

But like I said they are healthy plants, and if so should I not worry about the aerial roots and just let them be? misting would do more harm then good?

[cabbo]

30-40% humidity is low, you can mist if you want as long as you keep the crown dry. Phal crowns rot easy. Misting aerial roots might help if you do it alot but if the plant is healthy I wouldn't worry about it. It gets old fast IMO. I got a humidifier and it definitely helped.

[Brooke]

If you are losing the roots exposed to air, you are losing your newest and most vital roots for long term health of the phal.

You can encourage the new roots to grow into the media as soon as they are long enough. In the interim, cover them with sphag to help hold moisture. You can saturate the exposed roots with daily misting as long as you dry the crown.

Your humidity levels are sufficient for a potted phal to flourish. This time of the year in the g/h, with my exhaust fan running on sunny but cool days, my humidity level is under 20% during the day and over night the humidity will be 60%.

Brooke

[LouisW]

That is strange. I dont have much more than 10% humidity in the summer and the roots seem to be ok above media. I try my best to keep them in the pots but some just go where they want.

I might recommend misting once a day or whatever you can afford to do. before noon is best because it gives time for water sitting on the plant to evaporate. If water sits on the tissue of the plant to long you will start to get rot.

[pugmom]

Thanks I am going to try and figure out how to keep them moist,

It must just be the Canadian winter and the heat on ect, also I think I may be under watering them a little bit, or the top of the bark is getting a lot drier then the bottom.

Would your typical garden center sell sphag or should order it online?

[dounoharm]

if you are going with sphag, buy the best long fiber sphag....like new zealand sphag....the cheaper stuff isnt worth a darn....