Healthy & Happy Roots! :)

[ysanabria]

[kmarch]

Wow...that's an understatement!

[LouisW]

Its a beautiful sight...

[ysanabria]

I was so impress myself
It is a Wilsonara Pacific Lust 'Pretty in Pink'

[orchidlover55]

Now how do you do it is the question. I love a beautiful root base. I think the roots is just as pretty as the green leaves. I get so excited to see those plump, green, roots running all over the place. I went in my orchid room this morning and I almost cried, well I did inside, but my orchid roots has shriveled up . I don't know why but I have read and read up on it today and still don't have an answer. Now that you show me yours maybe you can tell me . Thanks for posting this for us to see

[lmartiny]

Definately looks ready for a repot. Nice job.
Debra, it may be that your plants are inside still due to the cold? They may not be getting enough humidity. I've had a terrible time just the few times I brought some in for the cold. Especially some mounted Phals.

[katrina]

Lynne...I doubt it's the actual 'having them inside due to the cold' because you figure I grow my orchids in the house about 8 months out of the year. It could be the changes required in culture...specifically watering...from summer to winter and back.

If your roots are dying...it's a potting medium issue or a water issue. If the plants were healthy to begin with.

I've been repotting as things finish blooming and I have unpotted catts and others w/out even one bad root. Sooo...that's the long way of saying it's unlikely a result of the inside growing alone.

Sorry to hear your's aren't doing well Debra. Check your watering. Could be to much...might also be too little. They have similar appearances. Good luck!

Oh wait!! It might also be the episode with all that soap in the medium. When you were treating for mealies. Dish soap is very caustic and if you didn't rinse it well enough and high concentration was left in the medium...it very well could have damaged the roots.

[sunshine]

WOW, look at the healthy, happy roots on that little beauty Love those colors and the name fits it perfectly

[Tarad]

Wow almost speechless

[amersault]

wow! those are the kind of roots all orchid enthusiasts pray for - good growing!!!

[garyorchids]

excellent. well done

[krpot]

Originally Posted by ysanabria

i was so impress myself
It is a wilsonara pacific lust 'pretty in pink'

i love the color!

[ysanabria]

Originally Posted by orchidlover55

Now how do you do it is the question. I love a beautiful root base. I think the roots is just as pretty as the green leaves. I get so excited to see those plump, green, roots running all over the place. I went in my orchid room this morning and I almost cried, well I did inside, but my orchid roots has shriveled up . I don't know why but I have read and read up on it today and still don't have an answer. Now that you show me yours maybe you can tell me . Thanks for posting this for us to see

First at all I'm blessed to live in Southeast Florida so the conditions here are great for the orchids, plenty of sun light, wind, rain and humidity!!
I collect rain water and try to use it in my plants as much possible, I grow them outdoors and when they are in bloom I bring them in the house for everybody to enjoy them.
I have been changing the majority of my orchids to Hydroponics. I love to water my plants and I have to because it can be very hot almost all year but my collection (addiction) keeps growing and growing so is a lot of work and time consuming to water them.
I have found that they love to grow in leca a fast draining potting material, promotes good drainage and maxium air flow around the roots. Healthy Onciduims grow quickly and require frequent repotting in traditional media (unless you can water everyday!). This disturbs the plant and the flowering cycle. Frequent repotting isn't necessary with Hydroponics because the system delivers the water from a reservoir at the bottom of the pot.

[PocoGigio]

Ysanabria - what brand and size LECA do you use? I use medium grade Hydroton pretty much because I can get it easy and reasonably priced here. I just finished the s/h transition. I could only dream of having the spectacular success you have had!!!!!!!!!! WOW!!!

[ysanabria]

This one was not in leca, I just repotted in leca, the name is PrimeAgra Ceramic Growing Medium (Coarse Grade) and I buy them from Welcome to First Rays LLC
Good luck!

[shaz]

brilliant roots and picture - and lovely flowers too!

makes me think I should be trying harder - I have nothing with anything near that amount of roots...

[kryslol]

wow amazing<3

[ysanabria]

More happy roots!!

[ysanabria]

[ysanabria]

[maria1971]

Fantastic growing!

[ysanabria]

More happy roots!!!

[ysanabria]

[kid a]

I have root problems on some plants too Debra lol! I think its the definitely the ones that are under-watered. My humidity is relatively low year round thank to winter dryness and a certain mr someone who can't live without the a/c on during the spring/summer/fall seasons. My 1gal humidifier goes through water so fast!

[ysanabria]

I have learn that you can loose or damage more the plant for underwater than overwater them both extreme are bad but a great solution is to add humidity trays to all your plants, its a very easy way to see if you they nedd some more water and if in doubt I just add water to the tray!

[katsrevenge]

You're killing me with the jealousy here! Green eyes, I have them!

(actually, they are green today... but for more then one reason! )

[ysanabria]

Kats for you!!!

[ysanabria]

[Astral]

Mmm, noodles. Now I want Japanese food.

I hope my sickly dendrobium eventually gets such good looking roots.

[orchidlover55]

They all look so healthy..
I am getting concerned about my orchids because of all the humidity here in Alabama. I have all mine in a greenhouse and I watered on Monday and they still look wet. I am going to put high powered fans in there tomorrow. I have fans but it must not be enough. I just hope I haven't lost any so far.

[zaeem]

great growth!I think DENS generally become enormous.

I suppose you move them to larger pots or divide them.But you may loose a year of flowering?
Thanks for the exibits and very good pictures.
zaeem

[ysanabria]

Originally Posted by zaeem

great growth!I think DENS generally become enormous.

I suppose you move them to larger pots or divide them.But you may loose a year of flowering?
Thanks for the exibits and very good pictures.
zaeem

I just move them to larger pots, I don't like to divide them, the bigger the plant the more they bloom

[ysanabria]

[BluPeaches]

Wow, wow, wow!

[heatherm]

Thank you for the examples and the advise. I am trying to pay more attention to my roots etc. so this is very helpful.

Heather

[amersault]

i LOVE how this thread documents fantastic roots thanks for keeping the thread going!

[swamper]

I mainly grow vandas so forgive my ignorance. If you showed this to me I would say something like root bound time to repot or something like that. I guess they are happy all squashed up like that? After you took the pictures, they went back into the same pot??

[ysanabria]

Originally Posted by swamper

I mainly grow vandas so forgive my ignorance. If you showed this to me I would say something like root bound time to repot or something like that. I guess they are happy all squashed up like that? After you took the pictures, they went back into the same pot??

No, they go to bigger pots. Most orchid plants need to be repotted either when they outgrow the existing pot or when the potting media begins to break down, I do it every couple of years, after they finished blooming and/or when new rooting activity is evident.
I remove any bad roots, the ones that have dried or are soggy brown, but these pictures in the thead are from different repoting times and very healthy and happy roots!

[swamper]

Thank you Ysa, I can sure see yours are very very healthy and very very happy. I just didn't know they were supposed to be grown that way I suppose. I sure know who to ask next time
One other question, when you are pulling them out of pots do you ever cut off roots that are coming out through the bottom holes or do you keep wetting them till they are mobile enough to pull through? I notice that they all seem perfectly shaped on the bottom with no straggling roots which leads me to think you cut, yes?

[NancyG]

Where are you finding the bigger pots? I have bought a few from repotme but was wondering if there is a local source.

[Joe Geoffroy]

Ysanabria

Are you repotting these beautiful roots into Leca?, or will you repot in bark. I have changed all my chids into Leca s/h and have lost several so far. Are you growing in s/h with Leca or mixing Leca with bark .
Would you mind also telling me your watering schedule with Leca and also the Fert. program.

Thanks a bunch, you do have a , " Green Thumb" congrats.

Joe

[ysanabria]

Originally Posted by swamper

Thank you Ysa, I can sure see yours are very very healthy and very very happy. I just didn't know they were supposed to be grown that way I suppose. I sure know who to ask next time
One other question, when you are pulling them out of pots do you ever cut off roots that are coming out through the bottom holes or do you keep wetting them till they are mobile enough to pull through? I notice that they all seem perfectly shaped on the bottom with no straggling roots which leads me to think you cut, yes?

I try not to cut the roots at all if they are healthy I usually grow them in a clay pot, I leave them on water for couple of hours and they usually come out with no problem, if they are to attach to the pot I break the clay pot.

[ysanabria]

Originally Posted by NancyG

Where are you finding the bigger pots? I have bought a few from repotme but was wondering if there is a local source.

If they become to big for the clay pots, I plant them in wood baskets or I found some nice lava rock pots that I bought in a garage sale that are really big and the orchids love it!

[swamper]

Beautiful lava rock. I have these in monster sizes that were here since we bought the house 11 years ago. I have laid some vandas on some of the and they seem quite happy. I have heard somewhere though that there is something in the chemical makeup of the lava rock that damages the orchids long term. I will find out I guess

[ysanabria]

Originally Posted by Joe Geoffroy

Ysanabria

Are you repotting these beautiful roots into Leca?, or will you repot in bark. I have changed all my chids into Leca s/h and have lost several so far. Are you growing in s/h with Leca or mixing Leca with bark .
Would you mind also telling me your watering schedule with Leca and also the Fert. program.

Thanks a bunch, you do have a , " Green Thumb" congrats.

Joe

I have my own mix, I add a mostly leca, mix with coconut husk chips, perlite, charcoal, aliflor, and I also add some Osmocote or similar time-release fertilizers to the mix.
I don't treat them as religiously as some S/H growers do. I just water and fertilize as I would any other plant.
I like leca for it's moisture holding capacity and I think it provides excellent aeration to the root system with just the right amount of moisture retention that orchids require.
It's a good mix for plants that like their roots to dry out fast. I fertilize my orchids with water-soluble fertilizers, and add Superthrive and a little epsom salts to the sprayer when mixing the fertilizer.
I have found that for Phals it might be a little too fast-drying, so I add moss as well to the mix.

If you have a plant that has been happily growing in one kind of media and you switch, it can set the orchid back for sometime that is why I mix it with whatever the plant was growing in before and make the repotting process less traumatic for the plant.

[lmartiny]

Do you loosen up the root ball? Or just put it into a new pot?

[ysanabria]

Originally Posted by lmartiny

Do you loosen up the root ball? Or just put it into a new pot?

It depend on the plant if is easy to loosen up the roots I do it, but if they are to tight even after couple hours in water and they are big, robust, healthy plants and the majority of the roots looks ok I just repot them in a new pot

[ysanabria]

[swamper]

Beautiful.

[maria1971]

that's just gorgeous!

[ysanabria]

Repotting my Zygopetalum happy roots in Sphagnum moss!

[trinigirl]

Those are beautiful roots! Makes me want to try growing some in spag also. How often do you water these, and are they outside in your orchid house?

[edgy]

I've been tryin my hand at Spagnum moss lately....I'd been scared off by a lot that I'd read early on in my growing but it's worked out really well for a number of my plants.....Those are very nice roots!!!!! Congrats!

[philthy]

Wow! Thank you for the lesson in roots. I have a Zygopetalum that doesn't seem too happy. I have it in a medium bark mix and it's very challenging to keep hydrated due to our dry conditions. Do you think the Sphagnum moss would be good to use in Southern California? I want roots like yours. Very impressive. How often do you have to water and fertilize yours?

[ysanabria]

Originally Posted by trinigirl

Those are beautiful roots! Makes me want to try growing some in spag also. How often do you water these, and are they outside in your orchid house?

I like sphagnum, but it does best in a relatively humid environment like we have in Miami with very good air movement where it can be kept constantly moist. I live by the ocean and get a lot of nice breeze. It does not work very well when the grower has to let it dry out for the plant's sake - it's then a real pain to water and the plants do not seem to do well in it then. I grow all my orchids outdoors, I don't have a greenhouse, just a shade house.
I use net pots for the most part and water once every other day and it really works well for me.

[reese]

Those are some beautiful roots!!! I hope to have happy roots like you

[katrina]

Originally Posted by philthy

Wow! Thank you for the lesson in roots. I have a Zygopetalum that doesn't seem too happy. I have it in a medium bark mix and it's very challenging to keep hydrated due to our dry conditions. Do you think the Sphagnum moss would be good to use in Southern California? I want roots like yours. Very impressive. How often do you have to water and fertilize yours?

philthy -- I use a lot of sphagnum in various ways for many different orchids...I even have a couple of small catts in sphag and they are lovin' it.

In Miami or OH...sphag works great w/a wide variety of orchids. Provided you adjust your watering schedule because it does hold moisture much longer than a bark mix.

As to letting it dry out...I've done it and it's not necessarily harmful for the plant (if the plant wants to dry between waterings) but it does take more time to re-wet crunchy, dried sphag.

[Daethen]

I am starting to like sphag alot as well. I water a bit more often with it, but I don't mind that.

[ysanabria]

[koshki]

I love this thread! I love seeing how the whole plant grows, roots and all!

Ysa, I have one teeny request...could you post the names of those gorgeous plants as well? I mean going forward...

[ysanabria]

Originally Posted by koshki

I love this thread! I love seeing how the whole plant grows, roots and all!

Ysa, I have one teeny request...could you post the names of those gorgeous plants as well? I mean going forward...

The latest one are

1.- Encyclia Summer Perfume 'Mark of Carthage'
2.- Bulb. Doris Dukes
3.- Den nobile Sweet Pinky 'Love'
4.- Isochilus species OZ

[ysanabria]

Repotting time it's in full speed! Taking advantage of the great weather, here are some happy roots
Lc. Butterfly Wings 'Orchid Library'

Here when it was in bloom

[Ladyofthelakes]

Ysa, thank you for your post and all the work you put into the pictures and labeling. It is a learning experience I enjoyed

[ysanabria]

Encyclia Exotic's Leprechaun 'Pauwela'

[ysanabria]

[ysanabria]

[mothorchid]

Originally Posted by katrina

philthy -- I use a lot of sphagnum in various ways for many different orchids...I even have a couple of small catts in sphag and they are lovin' it.

In Miami or OH...sphag works great w/a wide variety of orchids. Provided you adjust your watering schedule because it does hold moisture much longer than a bark mix.

As to letting it dry out...I've done it and it's not necessarily harmful for the plant (if the plant wants to dry between waterings) but it does take more time to re-wet crunchy, dried sphag.

I also live in OH. I am afraid to use sphag. Could you share with me how you water your orchids? Do you use sphag only? How often do you water? Do you use fan? What is your humidity and light? Thanks a lot!