Cymbidium with severe root rot

[BGGraham1]

Hi all! I would like to say that I really appreciate all of the experts on this forum. Over the past couple of years I have been given or inherited various orchids, and am trying really hard not to kill them. This forum is the best thing that ever happened to me and my newfound love for all things orchid.

That being said, here is my next challenge: My mom received a Cymbidium for Mother's Day last year and it was in the worst possible location and got WAY too much water. I took possession of it a couple of weeks ago to try and rehab it, but the roots (or whatever that was) were a MESS! I ended up cutting almost everything off, and the only viable roots I could see that were left were coming off the new growth and were very small. To top it off, the medium was so broken down it looked like coffee grounds, and there was a ball of what appeared to be foam in the middle of the root ball.

I washed what was left off, and soaked it a little bit in a Physan 20 dilution, then placed it lightly on top of some new medium since there was nothing to pack down.

I checked it today, and the little roots seem to be growing okay off of the new growth, but I didn't see anything happening with the older bulbs.

Should I be watering it on the same schedule as my other Cym, or should I leave it alone? Maybe give it a little Superthrive?

Please help! My mom is 84 and loves her orchids and I would love to bring this one back. ( you have to know that I did buy her another one to enjoy while I work with this one )

[orchids4me]

Hi. The back bulbs do that with these (lose leaves) then later they will develop a new growth that will use the energy of the older bulb and eventually the new growth from what I've seen happen with a few of mine. Some people remove them and re pot to start a new plant in a shallow pan of sphag moss to start them. Some members on here actually trade older back bulbs.
Hope that helps
Emmaye

[Dendian]

If there aren't many roots you don't want to deep water it, because the media will just stay soaking wet and the roots won't be anywhere near the water to soak it up. I would just water lightly on top, and give those little roots a chance to look for more water before you start watering normally. The older bulbs will never get new roots - they are now storage areas for the new growths. They will probably loose all their leaves, and then shrivel up as they feed the nutrients into the new. If you see the new growth start to shrivel or dry up then you might want to soak it in superthrive - but those new roots sound good.

[BGGraham1]

Thank you both very much! At least there is hope. Maybe after I get some good roots I will try to divide it. I could probably get 2 or 3 small pots out of it.

[Dendian]

All the roots will only be with the new growth, so if you divide it you will have to wait for the "backbulbs" to sprout new growths - and if you have less than three rooted psuedobulbs it will not bloom for you. Just something to consider before cutting it apart.

[-k-]

I would not divide the plant, even when you get more roots, Cymbidiums when healthy have vast root systems, the remaining pbulbs will help the plant recover through this period of recovery. By dividing the plant you may risk another deterioration of the plant, just my thoughts...

[Onleme]

Originally Posted by -K-

I would not divide the plant, even when you get more roots, Cymbidiums when healthy have vast root systems, the remaining pbulbs will help the plant recover through this period of recovery. By dividing the plant you may risk another deterioration of the plant, just my thoughts...

I agree 100%. Repot with good drainage and leave as one plant

[BGGraham1]

Wow! Thanks again for all of the suggestions. I think I have pretty good drainage in the pot I have now. It had 6 holes at the bottom, and I drilled a few on the side as well. When I water, it runs through really well.

I like the area I have it in - it gets good morning sun and great breezes for circulation, so I won't repot for now.

I will take everyone's advice and leave it alone to see what happens with the baby roots coming up. I was just a little anxious because there is virtually nothing holding it into the medium, its just sitting on top.

Maybe I will get some pictures of the current situation and try to track the progress in case there is something more I can do.

Thanks again to everyone! You all are awesome!

[-k-]

Def post some pics if you can based on your last description; staking in place maybe needed or some additional measures to ensure things go well

[BGGraham1]

Here are some pics of my sad little Cymbidium:

[Onleme]

Yeah you do have issues there, but you have good healthy roots starting so all should be good from here on in Did you trim all that rot away when you repotted. Plant looks in pretty good nick considering its near death experience

Steve

[BGGraham1]

What you see here is what was left after I removed almost all of the dead and rotted roots. The plant was nearly coming apart in my hands, so I left a little bit on - otherwise, I would have 5 or 6 separate bulb sets.

From the previous advice offered, It looks like I may have done okay, since it would not have been a good idea to divide it, but now you have me thinking - should I take it the rest of the way, or leave it for now?

BY the way, I didn't shoot a pic of exactly how little there is holding the plant in the pot. As I mentioned before, it is basically just sitting on top of the bark. there was nothing to plant. I lightly watered the top of the medium after taking the plant off, then set it back down.

Thanks,

Brigitte

[BGGraham1]

So, I checked on my invalid this morning, and the new roots seem to be coming in okay, but now I have another question. Some of the roots that appeared to be dead now have fresher looking nubs coming out of the ends. Is it possible that they have rejuvenated? I mean, I cut off nearly everything except for what is shown in the above pics. I will get some pics tomorrow morning to show you what I mean.

[BGGraham1]

HI all! If you look closely, you can see what appears to be a rotted root with what appears to be a new fresh root tip coming out of it. I had cut all of these down / off.
Am I hallucinating, or can a root regenerate?

[-k-]

Yes it would appear your cym is on it's way to recovery with those new roots coming through!!

[orchidlover55]

I bought some cymbidium's last year and now they look like they are dying and since I have never had cymbidium's I am panicking I was trying to see if anyone else had the same problem I do and your pictures look exactly like my orchids . Please tell me they will be ok I think I have lost one already I am so sad . Help me and my little orchid . Is yours doing better ?

[Dendian]

Hi Debra - long time no see.

If your Cym bulbs look exactly like Brigitte's -do they have any good roots? That is the most important key of their recovery. Post a picture of what you have and we will see if we can help.

[orchidlover55]

Hi Dian it's nice to be back I purchased 7 cymbidiums in LA last year when I was there and I am just now repotting them in Red Bark. I have different kinds of orchids but the roots on cymbidiums look completely different to me. Looks like to me these little orchids will be a challedge to me . I went out early this morning to just work on my cymbidium's and I repotted all of them. Two of them has no good roots I think they are dead . Two more has a few good roots but the other three has new tips I was so happy to see that . I can't post pictures from my iPhone to orchidgeeks and right now that's all I have for Internet. Thank you for the reply is there any advice you can give me on watering or light ? I think what I have done wrong is let them get too dry in between waterings could that be it? The leaves just yellow and fall off and the roots are becoming real soft and dead. I treated them for mold this morning too

[Dendian]

Yes, I know Cym Roots look different from the other Orchids - they are usually in the leaf litter and do not grow on the top of the bark like the Phals, Catts, Etc... I don't think they photosynthesize at all.

You are also right - the Cyms do not like to be all the way dry. Water them when they are almost dry - and do not let them dry all the way out.

On the ones that have no good roots are the pbulbs are still firm? If they are then there is a chance. Put them on top of some damp bark and put it in a bag with the top open to keep the humidity up. Put those someplace shady - not in the sun at all - and watch for new root growth.

If the pbulbs are soft and mushy - throw them away. If they are completely dried up.. well - its up to you - I have one like that and I keep hoping...

The ones with roots - pot up as normal - and let them dry out enough to get the root growth going. These you can put in regular light for Cyms, which I think is filtered high light (not full sun, but bright).

Cyms leaves will be light green when they are getting enough sun. Yellow is too much - dark green is too little.

Good Luck

[orchidlover55]

Thank you Dian , you helped me a lot . I think cymbidium's are so beautiful . I am going to water them more and the Pbulb you ask about it's firm not soft , I will put it in a bag on mix and hopefully it will come back . I don't really believe theyve been getting enough light either but I am going to try real hard to make them stay alive . Thank you again Dian and I've always said nobody can beat the orchidgeeks :-)

[BGGraham1]

Hey, orchidlover! I just popped in and saw your posts. You can post pics from the iPhone. Get the Photobucket app and register for an account. When you take your pics with the phone, go to Photobucket and upload them. Once that's done, click on the pic you want to post, then the little "i" in the corner, it will bring up the url / img info. Click on the img code, and you should get a msg that says "img copied". Come back to the forum and click on the spot where you want to paste the pic, then click "paste.". Its pretty easy once yoi do it a couple of times.

[orchidlover55]

Hi Brigitte thank you for helping me I downloaded the app, then clicked on download my pictures then brought up the "I" in the corner clicked on the URL copied it and it did exactly as you said but then when I come over to put it on orchidcheeks it won't work :-( I know I am doing something wrong , and I am so excited to know I maybe able to post pics again I have so much I want to show . I will work on it some more and hopefully I can make it work . Thank you very much

[orchidlover55]

I did it thank you Brigitte here is a picture of my cymbidium