Hold The Laughter...please

[sandra]

I plead total ignorance so I'm beating you all to it. After you've looked at these photos and read my question, you may tell me I'm as hopeless as this plant but here goes. Do I have a snowballs chance in hell with this plant? I treated it with the Barrets(?) solution that Bill told me about and then put it in a plastic bag with the sphag. but I think I'm just taking up room. This was the first orchid I ever purchased and it was in trouble even then. I've now cut back the roots as far as I safely could and what's left is still more rotted root. Also, identification would be appreciated.....after you've stopped laughing!

[prisana]

Hi Sandra, The only photo I see in your post is your avatar..so I'm not laughing , yet.

[PhalPal]

Sandra - are you really just looking for reassurance because you really do want to toss it but won't because you will feel really guilty??
I don't grow this type of orchid but it still looks like it has a chance to me, but the other side is that you could be spending your time, space and resources on a plant with more payback.

I didn't laugh at ALL, either!

[prisana]

Hi Sandra, That was weird..there were no photos when I was looking at it earlier..unless you edited it . Maybe I need to get some sleep.
I have so many catts and I do admit that some of them did look like that at one time or another, but they all grew roots after a lot of TLC, and I mean "a lot "
I'm not familiar with Dan's orchid reviving potion, but I think some of the geeks did and had good results, then again I don't know what kind of shape they were in before being exposed to the solution. I stuck mine in a big jar with moist sphag and sealed it. Kept it out of any strong light and a few weeks later I'd see new roots. You can even mount it on a tree where it doesn't get too much light and water it with superthrive solution everytime you water . Depending on how much effort you want to put into it, these methods are easiest and most effective for me.
Your plant looks salvagable , lots of orchids do bounce back even with no roots at all..I've seen it happen. Good luck.

[fred]

well my opinion sandra as i can see with the pics there is a new root forming and I would do my best to save the plant
.

My advice would be to place the plant back into spagh because its saveable.

good luck..

I am not laughing either.

[Sharyn]

Sandra: It looks like a cattleya type to me. Also appears you still have roots - can't tell how many from the pic. Could be wrong, but looks like you can repot it and hold it in the pot with a rhyzome clip until the roots anchor. It's hard to tell from the pic how many roots you have - if not many, I'd put back in the bag and wait it out. What do you have to lose?

[Anton]

Have you tried soaking it in liquid rooting hormone stuff ?

Maybe if you give it a soak it will absorb the root growth hormone stuff PLUS absorb some moisture to help itself along. Hey, what have you got to lose ?

If it succeeds you gain a plant and the experience, if it don't, THEN we'll all laugh at you. Just jokin'

By reporting on what you are doing and the results, good or bad, it also helps us learn as well. It's like my poor Phal, I put rooting powder on it after it lost it's roots to root rot and it started growing new root buds, then the b****y thing decided to go down hill.

At present it has ONE leaf, and I am trying everything for it to succeed, but if it doesn't then it is one I put down to experience. Hopefully not.

Stick with it until it finally gives up, while there's life, there's hope.

[kmarch]

Sandra,

Your plant is a Cattleya of some kind. Cattleyas are very tough plants. They can be neglected to the brink of oblivion and still come back. I have one that had Bosduval (sp?) scale really bad and almost lost it but it is now on the rebound and growing larger growths.

Eventhough the plant is dehydrated I believe it can come back strong. I would pot it up in a fairly small pot using whatever mix you regularly use for your Cattleyas. Get a copule of plant stakes and a couple of rhizome clips. Rhizome clips are heavy wire clips that have a bent bit at one end for clipping onto the edge of a pot and a straingt end that reaches over the rhizome of the plant holding it in place.

What we're going to do here is use the stakes and clips to secure the plant in the pot so it doesn't wobble around. I find that roots grow better if the plant is somewhat anchored and doesn't move about. So, start by filling the pot nearly to the top with mix and pack it down a little. Put the 2 plant stakes in the pot, all the way to the bottom. Space the stakes so they are as far apart from one another as the 2 pseudobulbs on each end of the plant. Put the plant in the pot and and secure the bulb on each end to the stakes. Add a little more mix so that it comes up to the rhizome and pack it down a little. Clip the plant into place using the 2 rhizome clips going in opposite directions.

Put the plant in a medium light area, moderate temps with good humidity. Keep the mix lightly moist, not soggy. There are no roots in the mix of course but when the plant starts to grow its new roots you want them to go down into the pot to anchor the plant. If you had a large clear plastic baggie you could put it over the plant to help with the humidity but if you have good humidity (30-50%) don't bother.

It may take a little while (maybe even a copule of months) for the plant to start to grow roots and it may grow a small stunted new growth first. Just be patient it will eventually start to pick up speed. Leave all the slips and stakes in place until the plant is once again established (which may take 2 or 3 seasons/years). It will probably be this long before you get any blooms again too.

So, if the plant is dear enough to you to expend the time and energy and patience, then go for it. If not.....the compost bin will welcome it with open arms.

Cheers

[DDS2007]

never lose hope on a plant unless it's absolutely GONE,

nothing to laugh about sandra, we're all here to learn

good luck and keep us posted

[tom499]

Its trying to save plants in these conditions that you really learn to become a good grower

Do not give up until every patch of green is gone. kmarch has given the perfect recipe for bringing it back, i will be copying and pasting that into a word doc. for later use

I can say from experience that rootless plants will grow on, i have a phal that looks like its been dragged through the desert, then the swamp, then a fire, then stuck in a pot. But my gosh its still trying to grow with 3 stump roots

[BillC]

Sandra, after all that has gone before I can only offer sympathy. Just keep in there swinging the bat; we all hope it will get well soon. Stay cool.

[chefatplay]

Bill, nice new avatar! You've changed some since the sarong days!

[sandra]

Bill, drinking coffee is all I'm able to do so early in the a.m., let alone process information. I noticed your avatar and thought, "did I change my name to Bill? This elevator doesn't go all the way to the top this early in the a.m., what can I say? I then began reading other's posts and then.......IT HIT ME!!!!!!!! This is a big fat LOL Bill.

You must have seen my very short lived avatar that I recently had up that Anton will probably never let me live down...... If you haven't, just ask him to have a look. He carries this picture in his wallet now whereever he goes. He even keeps it under his pillow and don't believe him if he tells you otherwise.

No caffiene needed here this morning! Thank you for the flattery even if I am blushing here......

[fred]

good thing Bill took off them dog tags

sandra I still see the same Avator its hard to see you in the tree as the sun is going down.

[chefatplay]

Sandra, or is it BillC, good luck with your challenged orchid. I'm having tea now. Good morning!

[sandra]

Originally Posted by chefatplay

Sandra, or is it BillC, good luck with your challenged orchid. I'm having tea now. Good morning!

Yes Ellen, I'm confused here too. Forget the coffee! I need a drink now! Good morning to you too. Enjoy your tea.

That's right, I forgot......this thread was about my poor, sick orchid!

[chefatplay]

Poor, poor orchid. Thank heavens it has a good mom to take care of it when it's sick. And talk about orchid doctors, we have a wealth of them, don't we? Boy are we lucky. Well, on to work for me. Talk with you all later this evening. HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO ALL OF YOU OUT THERE

BillC, even though you are beautiful in your new avatar, I don't think the Mother's day thing applies to you!

[Vivienne]

BillC your avatar threw me too. I was reading and thinking, Bill? Sandra? Wait, go back to look again... I need more coffee... too early. LOL