My water culture

[nybz]

So I had a several week long battle with a fungus that I was almost ready to admit defeat when I discovered Water culture.
Attached are my pictures on the Phal with roots and after a cleaning off the fungus with h2o2, then the roots after the fungus came back, then I stripped all the roots and started a water culture. It looks to me that there is new root growth!! and if I am not mistaken just today when peeking into the crown I think I saw the beginnings of a new leaf!!
Can't speak to how awesome I think water culture is!!

[mayres]

This method "looks" like it has possibilities - I think I might try this myself when next I need to attempt a save. Thanks for sharing this!

[Amblnc38]

Hrm, maybe I'll try this on the phal I have that I've tried bagging and all it's turned into is a fungi farm...

[Josh]

I'm confused but fascinated. How does something like this work? Overwatering Phals can easily get them to rot and die... how can keeping the full roots inside water not rot the plant? Do Phals really survive in water? I'm really curious about this method...

[nybz]

There is this thread that inspired me to try it
Water Culture
my understanding is that phals throw out roots designed for the environment they are in. So putting it in water will create roots specialized at growing in water, kind of like if you pot in LECA and the roots reach the water reservoir on their own, they will not rot in the water. I thought this plant was done for sure, the high humidity of sphag and bag only caused the fungus to grow, but the being submerged in water seems to keep it at bay, and all the while seems like this phal is sucking up the water and is putting out new roots and possibly even a new leaf already. If I am right it looks like this phal may even put out a spike in just a few months the rate it is loving the water culture!!!

[Josh]

That's really impressive!

[Brooke]

How long has your Phal been in water culture?

Your last two pictures are out of focus but those white dots are not roots.

Brooke

[nybz]

Originally Posted by Brooke

How long has your Phal been in water culture?

Your last two pictures are out of focus but those white dots are not roots.

Brooke

A week give or take a few days. There is new root growth but in Picture five the dot in the foreground is a piece of metal I've been using to keep it upright, and the white piece on the right side is an old spike. The part sticking out on the left side though is a new root. It was not there when I first put it into water! It is still early in the water, but I will keep it up to date so we can see if it is growing, and I can't get a picture of it, but I am almost certain there is a tiny leaf deep in the crown!

[Brooke]

I know what the big white dot is in picture #5. If you go to #6, I see lots of small white dots on old root numbs, possible old spike plus white dots running down the stem from the old nubs on the stem of the Phal.

A new leaf would not be surprising, these fight like he!! to survive.

Brooke

[Amblnc38]

I think the white dots in #6 is the lens-flare from the camera flash or back-light.

[nybz]

Well either way, given time we will see, however it looks like some of the root nubs are actually growing too. I'm hoping they are roots and a leaf though!

[E-Jag]

I tried this once with a phal which had no roots and someone gave me. Didn't work. Irene's success rate, however, is phenomenal. I'll probably try it again if/when the opportunity presents itself.

[nybz]

Here are some new pictures, definitely a new tiny leaf and it looks like more than one root have started! This is really exciting as I thought just a short while ago I would have to toss this plant!!!

[Amblnc38]

Well, I did this with the phal I was about to toss...I can tell you in the four days, the leaves are definitely thicker than they were. She's still all wrinkly, but the fungus hasn't come back and I'm going to assume plumper leaves is a good thing!

[nybz]

Originally Posted by Amblnc38

Well, I did this with the phal I was about to toss...I can tell you in the four days, the leaves are definitely thicker than they were. She's still all wrinkly, but the fungus hasn't come back and I'm going to assume plumper leaves is a good thing!

I'm loving this method, put up some picture of yours I'd love to see and follow others doing this....
I'm very tempted to but another healthy phal, chop it's roots and then start another in water

[Amblnc38]

I don't have any close up pictures of the roots of this sucker prior to amputation....but trust me...they were gone.

Picture One: day of purchase, the one on the right is the phal in question.
Picture Two: Immediately following potting
Pictures 3 & 4: Today

I literally stripped off the bottom leaf and all the old roots. I removed everything dead because of the fungus.

[Amblnc38]

Do you all know if I can put some rooting hormone in the water? Will it help/hurt/not do anything?

[nybz]

I've read several people do that, and some just use plain tap water. I don't see it being a problem, but maybe use a really dilute solution?
Would love for someone who has more success and experience with this method chime in on that too.

[Phalcycle]

I would put a little super thrive in it.
When I tried this method on a rootless phal, it worked great for me.

[nybz]

Originally Posted by Phalcycle

I would put a little super thrive in it.
When I tried this method on a rootless phal, it worked great for me.

Did you keep it in water after or you re potted once the roots were better established? I have yet to decide what I want to do. I kind of like the idea of keeping it purely in water.

[Phalcycle]

It currently is planted in my sphganum moss/perlite mix (my favorite medium currently).
After the phal got established with a good root system, I switched mediums

[nybz]

Here are some updated pics, I will probably keep posting every few days heh. It's so cool to watch a plant I thought I'd have to toss growing new roots and now for sure a new leaf!!! The roots seem to not be growing as quickly since it put out the new leaf.

[NewGrower]

How long will you leave it in water?
Looking good!

[BGGraham1]

You have inspired me to try this method also. This is a NOID Phal that I receive as a housewarming gift almost 3 years ago. It has resisted all of my attempts to kill it (before I found this forum), and I have tried everything else that I have learned here. This is the last try...wish me luck!

Oh, and the water looks funky because I put a tiny bit of seaweed extract in there...

[Phalcycle]

Make sure when there is excess water at the new devoloping leaf, you wipe it off.
This will lead to crown rot which would be fatal for an orchid in water with out roots. I keep the top dry at all times.

I also did water changes every 3-5 days because algal blooms- just a preference and new water

[nybz]

Originally Posted by BGGraham1

You have inspired me to try this method also. This is a NOID Phal that I receive as a housewarming gift almost 3 years ago. It has resisted all of my attempts to kill it (before I found this forum), and I have tried everything else that I have learned here. This is the last try...wish me luck!

Oh, and the water looks funky because I put a tiny bit of seaweed extract in there...

Awesome, good luck of course, and welcome I can't wait to see how it does!

[nybz]

I'm thinking I will leave it in water indefinitely, I remember reading about how different types of roots develop in different environments, so I figure if it's growing now I'll leave it be.

[Amblnc38]

The leaves on mine are steadily becoming less creased, which I take as a good sign. Though the little roots have blacked up and new ones have started forming. So I think I shocked the "old" new roots. I put some rooting hormone in mine.

[gabi_borza]

Hello everyone! This water culture really works! I have a couple of Catts in water, and they seem to enjoy it. I got them with no roots at all. The closest one is a new p-bulb, grown since I put the plant in water.

[NewGrower]

I was thinking about trying this with my Phal because it has a few small roots but I had to cut many off after some serious root rot. It seems to be doing much better from my modified "sphag and bag" trick and doesnt really need to stay in the baggie much longer!
Good stuff... keep up the pictures

[Amblnc38]

Finally looked today! New roots!

I'm about to do this with another of my Sad Phals.

[NewGrower]

Congrats on your save! I have almost killed 4 (yes four) and I am in the process of saving them all (although I was advised to just throw away and try again) so when I saw some new growth I was so excited! I know it will take long until they bloom again but it will be TOTALLY worth the wait if I can save them!

Congrats again

[nybz]

How awesome!
Funny how different mind and yours are. Mine is still alive and well, but the roots haven't changed much since my previous pictures... though now I've got a second really tiny leaf and the first new leaf is about an inch tall!
Yours seems to want to grow the roots and mine the leaves! :-D

[Amblnc38]

I mix a little dab of rooting hormone into the water. I think that's helping a lot.