What does the roots of orchids (phals) tell you?

[Schila]

So I water my orchids (phals) every Saturday. I keep them indoors and they are growing in a bark medium. Today I checked the roots of two them and they look dry to me. There are some that the outer layer of some of the roots just fell and the thin "thread" inside was all that was left. Also when I took out the bark to check the roots the bark felt dry, completely dry. Could it be that I should water more often? I use the skewer method that is mentioned here and that is how I know when to water or when not. The leaves on all of them look good to me. Please see the pictures and advice on what to do.

[kmarch]

Schila, do you have a good culture sheet on phals? If not read the phal culture sheet here on the forum or the one found at American Orchid Society. Give it a read and let us know if you have any questions.

Originally Posted by Schila

...the bark felt dry, completely dry. Could it be that I should water more often?

When you read those culture sheets you'll see that phals like to be kept gently moist, never allow them to completely dry out.

Originally Posted by Schila

I use the skewer method that is mentioned here and that is how I know when to water or when not.

As phals like to be kept gently moist, you'll need to water as little or as often as necessary to maintain that condition. Use the skewer method to see how moist the mix is inside. And don't let the phals completely dry out. Instead of watering regularly, like every saturday, water as little or as often as needed to maintain that slightly moist condition. If it is a hot dry summer week you will need to water more. If it is a cool damp winter you'll need to water less.

Originally Posted by Schila

The leaves on all of them look good to me. Please see the pictures and advice on what to do.

Actually the leaves on 1, 3, and 5 are dehydrated. They should be firm, stiff and somewhat glossy.

[katrina]

Since you are growing in clear, plastic pots just watch the condensation. When you see condensation inside the pot, they are moist. When you see no condensation (which means there is possibly a little moisture in the very center but not much at all), it's time to water.

[Dendian]

Schila - the roots where the outer coating fell away leaving a thin thread all the way to the end, those are dead roots. They do nothing for the plant any more. I hope you have many more thick and firm roots - ones that turn green when you water the plant.

[Emma Grey]

Originally Posted by katrina

Since you are growing in clear, plastic pots just watch the condensation. When you see condensation inside the pot, they are moist. When you see no condensation (which means there is possibly a little moisture in the very center but not much at all), it's time to water.

This is exactly what I do and it's been working for me.

[orchids4me]

Clear plastic pots as mentioned help to monitor the condensation. If you still want to use the skewer I noticed you mentioned in another thread the other day that you'd touch it to check you can't tell by if it feels cool or anything like that you have to pull the skewer out and look at the color of the wood to see if its wet or dry by the color of the wood. But the clear pots work best for me to tell.
How hot has it been there? Heat will dry them quicker also. Read the link kmarch posted try to mimmic the culture for them in your environment.
Good luck!

[Schila]

Originally Posted by katrina

When you see condensation inside the pot, they are moist. When you see no condensation (which means there is possibly a little moisture in the very center but not much at all), it's time to water.

Thank you Katrina. I water them yesterday and this early morning I checked each one of them and all I can see is just a tiny little drop of condensation only on two of the pots. Sometimes I believe that when I water them it just passes through the bark. This is a little bit confuse because if I follow the condensation method then I will have to water them everyday and don't want to run the risk of rot on the roots.

[Schila]

Originally Posted by orchids4me

How hot has it been there? Heat will dry them quicker also.
Good luck!

Thank you orchids4me. How hot??? Extremely hot, but my orchids (phals) are inside in my bathroom. We keep the temperature in the house during the day at 77 - 79 and at night at 75. The humidity here in Houston has run around 90% - 100% outside.

[Schila]

Originally Posted by kmarch

Schila, do you have a good culture sheet on phals? If not read the phal culture sheet here on the forum or the one found at American Orchid Society. Give it a read and let us know if you have any questions.
When you read those culture sheets you'll see that phals like to be kept gently moist, never allow them to completely dry out.

Thank you, I did read it and I have try to do everything that it says there. I believe i will have to water more often during these hot days. I just realized that following the skewer method, I waited for the skewer to feel dry. Big mistake on my part. Let's see how it goes from now on.

Originally Posted by kmarch

Actually the leaves on 1, 3, and 5 are dehydrated. They should be firm, stiff and somewhat glossy.

On orchid #5, those leaves have been the same way since I got it full of blooms. The leaves have never been stiff nor firm. I have attached a picture of #5 when bought

[Mira-Claude]

Some places traumatize their orchids into flowering.
Some stores, drown their orchids up to twice a day, others don't water them at all and when the flowers are gone they just throw them out.
She could just have been one of those...

[katrina]

Originally Posted by Schila

Thank you Katrina. I water them yesterday and this early morning I checked each one of them and all I can see is just a tiny little drop of condensation only on two of the pots. Sometimes I believe that when I water them it just passes through the bark. This is a little bit confuse because if I follow the condensation method then I will have to water them everyday and don't want to run the risk of rot on the roots.

It is possible that you might have to water every day. If you're not seeing much in the way of that condensation on the sides then yes...they are about dry. I mix sphag in w/some of my phals because if I don't...they need watered a LOT. Even w/sphag in the pots, this time of the year it's not unusual for me to have to water some of the smaller ones every day. The heat dries them a lot faster.

Your bark looks large...it's probably fresh...and this means it won't hold as much water. So, if you aren't seeing that moisture on the insides of the pot...you can be sure your plant is dry or nearly dry.

[Brooke]

You can also see some of your roots. When you water the pot, give it enough water to turn them green. When the velamin loses the green color it is time to water again.

I think in another thread you were advised to soak the container in water. Have you tried this? It will help condition the bark to hold more water. With the slits in the pot it will dry out much faster than in a pot with no slits.

Brooke

[Schila]

Originally Posted by Brooke

I think in another thread you were advised to soak the container in water. Have you tried this? It will help condition the bark to hold more water. With the slits in the pot it will dry out much faster than in a pot with no slits.
Brooke

Yesterday when watering I did let some of them in water for a while. For some reason the bark seems to dry pretty quickly. I got this one from Repotme.

[Schila]

Originally Posted by katrina

I mix sphag in w/some of my phals because if I don't...they need watered a LOT. Even w/sphag in the pots, this time of the year it's not unusual for me to have to water some of the smaller ones every day. The heat dries them a lot faster.

Your bark looks large...it's probably fresh...and this means it won't hold as much water. So, if you aren't seeing that moisture on the insides of the pot...you can be sure your plant is dry or nearly dry.

I thought about the sphag. Before I used the bark, I let it soak for 3 days but I have the feeling that I didn't work that well. I've read of people boiling the bark so that it absorbs more water.

[Dendian]

I have heard of boiling the bark too - it does make it absorb water for longer - but it also makes it break down faster - and that means you would have to repot sooner.

I think if you try soaking the plants for a few hours when watering them, and do it until the roots turn green before you remove them from the soaking bowl, in a while they will be much happier. I would use a deep bowl or something that will allow you to put the whole root system in the water to soak. They are so dry rooted right now that they are probably not absorbing any of the water you are pouring through - even if the bark was absorbing it (which it doesn't seem to be doing). It will also help the bark absorb the water.

You might want to re-pot them in medium or fine bark - or with coco chips as suggested. Something to hold a bit more moisture for a bit longer time. Otherwise you may still be watering them every day.

[Schila]

Originally Posted by Dendian

I think if you try soaking the plants for a few hours when watering them, and do it until the roots turn green before you remove them from the soaking bowl, in a while they will be much happier. I would use a deep bowl or something that will allow you to put the whole root system in the water to soak. You might want to re-pot them in medium or fine bark - or with coco chips as suggested. Something to hold a bit more moisture for a bit longer time. Otherwise you may still be watering them every day.

Dendian, Saturday when I was watering I put some of them in a bowl of water and let them sit there for a few minutes. The only problem is that I have stay there and hold the plant against the bottom of the container, because when then water gets to the rim level, the bark starts to float and get out of the pot. I have a very small one that I just clipped the rim to the outer container and fill it with water so that i didn't have to stay there holding it.

[Dendian]

I think the bark is too dry if it all is trying to float out of the pot. Try using deli containers or something that fits the pot size, and filling it with water just until the bark starts to raise up - then leave it there for a few hours. Continue to do this when watering until the bark does not raise up when watering - then it has absorbed enough water (like when you first repotted) and the plants will be much happier.

Have the roots on the plants been turning green? That's really what we are aiming for, the roots turning green. Leave the pots with the ones that don't turn green soaking until they do turn green.

[cory]

This is a great thread