My first fatality

[chefatplay]

My beautifyl Dtps. Golden City has seen it's day unfortunately. It has been so beautiful since April when I bought it. Every single bloom flowered and there are still alot of flowers on it. Monday evening I notice the beautiful deep green leaves were droopy and leathery. The first time I noticed that. I was surprised since I look at them so often. In fact, that plant in right at the breakfast nook, so we see it all the time.

Last night when I got home, I pulled the plant out of the pot, and 99.9% of the roots have rotted all the way to the base of the leaves. I took all the sphag moss off of it, that's all it was planted in. Yes, it was a wet mess. This is the only orchid I own in sphag.

I cut all the dead roots off, sprinkled it with cinnamon and have it sitting on paper here in the house while the new bark soaks.

The only possible hope I have, I think, is the one root left and a few arial roots that have developed. In the last picture I posted, you will see the arial roots, can I plant the base that deep as to bury the arial roots? I also am soaking the bark, perlite, charcoal and coir mixture in worm tea. I'm willing to try anything to help my baby back.

Any other advice before I replant? I won't be able to do that until tonight at least because of the bark soaking. The medium was so wet, I am letting the plant just "lay in state" on paper. Is it even worth replanting? Silly me, of course it is.

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[matucana]

Hi Ellen,

no, you can definitely save the plant. The remainig three roots should be enough.

My suggestion would be to replant it in DRY bark to prevent any rot and spray the aerial roots at least twice daily. After three days, you can water the pot again.

Did you cut the flowers off? If not, I would do that for they take a lot of water and energy. What it needs now are new roots.

Finally, placing it on a tray with wet seramis or the like in a shady place would help again.

[chefatplay]

Thank you for your reply, matucana. That is an interesting thought. As you can see, there is a lot of rot. Spraying the arials is a good idea, too. What is seramis? Sorry to be dumb.

[matucana]

Hi Ellen,

seramis is a brand name for a kind of expanded clay which is readily available here in Germany. But anyway, a tray filled with expanded clay, the kind you use for hydro culture, and water does fine.

[Aniko]

Chefatplay - In my opinion, planting in dry bark is the shortest way to Orchid Heaven. Might kill the last root, too. After being over watered, a cure of starving does not sounds good.
A soak in Superthrive or worm tea, than repotted in a proper mix (even fresh sphag) might help to restore the root system.

[fred]

Quote=Aniko] A soak in Superthrive or worm tea, than repotted in a proper mix (even fresh sphag) might help to restore the root system.


good advice there Aniko


Ellen
I would repot back into fresh sphag also.

if you do repot back into sphag the best would be to keep the sphag moist ( not wet )

[matucana]

Hi Aniko

Originally Posted by Aniko

In my opinion, planting in dry bark is the shortest way to Orchid Heaven.

acquiring another rot spreading into the plant by wet substrate can be even a quicker way.

Might kill the last root, too.

Why? Still, there are four roots left.

After being over watered, a cure of starving does not sounds good.

Overwatering means in fact starvation, so it is no difference at all except that fungi have a much harder time.

A soak in Superthrive or worm tea, than repotted in a proper mix (even fresh sphag) might help to restore the root system.

that is a good idea

I am no friend of extended culture in sphag, though. It tends to become too wet and way too sticky and demands a replacement rather often.

But there are many ways leading to Rome.

[chefatplay]

After reading of your many successes in fresh sphag, I have looked around for it here and can't find any. All I find is dried sphag in a bag. From what I read, it's not the same, is it?

[kmarch]

I don't think the situation is as dire as it may appear. It looks like your plant was originally large and very healthy and to my eye, it only looks a little stressed. Certainly root loss is "bad" but you're addressing the problem now which is "GOOD". You have also learned somethign from this, namely that with your conditions and watering habits, an all-sphag mix probably isn't going to create the conditions your plant wants, that if you use all sphag again, you have to cut down n your watering or if you do not want to change your watering habits you will have to use a mix that does not hold as much water. As matucana said, there's more thaan one way to Rome.

It is important at this point, with few roots and the plant beign stressed, that you give the Phal the kind of environment it expects. This is a clean, fresh mix that stays gently and evenly moist, never wet and never dry. This is how Phals grow in the wild and this is what they have come to expect. Letting the roots dry out will damage them and as you have seen keeping them soggy is damaging as well. Go back to Phalaenopsis Culture 101 and refresh your self on what the orchid expects to receive.

On a related note: I would not fertilize a stressed plant.

I believe there is a good chance your Phal will pull through. It may not bloom for a while as it grows new roots and regains its strength but it looks like a big plant with nice blooms so it will be worth making a little effort to be patient with it.

Good Luck!! And keep us posted on its progress.

[chefatplay]

Thank you all for your support. I will keep you informed.

[NancyG]

What a shame to have that happen to such a beautiful plant.

As always I learn by the shared info on this forum.

Thanks,
NancyG

[Aniko]

Matucana - Hi, and welcome to the Forum
"there are many ways leading to Rome" - At this point I agree with you and in some others .So, I also would not keep the roots too wet, just a little moist.

Chefatplay - By "fresh sphag" I mean new one, which of course is dry and packed in plastic bag. Before use has to be soaked in warm water.
P.s. Superthrive is not a fertilizer, just root promoter

[chefatplay]

Thanks Aniko, I appreciate your input. You have had valuable info in many threads. Now I understand the sphag thing. I guess the situation will be, do I want to water a lot or a little? It seems the sphag holds onto the water so much more than the bark, duh!!! I've only read that over and over in these threads. For some reason, it just didn't sink in with me.

With the new bark, perlite, charcoal and coir mixture I have soaking as we speak, I will have to be careful with the watering again since the coir holds more moisture, right? I so want to keep these beautiful orchids going.

I have been using the skewer method which I thought was working great, hmmm. The bark moisture was right, the sphag was wrong. (Pacing back and forth as I talk this problem out...) I think I should, at this point, keep up the bark since I have been more successful with this.

My "mother" orchid has almost finished it's season. I will check these roots as well, although I feel much more confident about this one since it already has a new leaf growing from the one plant. The other plant is still holding onto it's flowers.

Matucana, I did cut the flowers off. They are now in vase filling the void of my sick plant.

[Hummer344]

I am going to weigh in on the repotting. For me, spag has never worked out. I have killed more plants then I care to count using it. The pros use it but they can carefully monitor all aspects of watering. The advanced orchid grower has a passion, maybe an obsession, with all aspects of growing. For me, and many others like me, I have a tendency to water everything at the same time at the same rate. Done, finished, go on to the next gardening chore. this method does not lend itself to using spag. Either its to dry or to wet. Usually to wet and the roots rot. I mix my own potting mix that suits my style of growing. Bark, rock, coconut chip, and a little charcole. IT works for me.
David

[Aniko]

chefatplay - go on with your mix if you feel more comfortable with it - the coir is the best part of it since keeps moisture what a Phal needs. So just take a big breath, relax, and go on.Your beauty will recover in few weeks and bring new spike to you.
It's a good idea to check the roots from time to time ( we are talking about Phals!) just to be sure that things are OK.

Hummer - sphag makes wonders for me Of course I take every plant as individual

[chefatplay]

Hummer, you are right about my watering habits. My time is not all mine yet. Wednesdays and Sundays are my days to get everything done. Wednesdays are chores and my grandson, Sundays are my orchids and playing.

Aniko, thank you for your support. I have taken the breath.....now to move on. When my grandson is picked up today I will check on the bark. It is hard to do with him right now. He is 7 months old and wants to crawl so bad it's not funny, especially to him. So everywhere, he wants down on his belly. That doesn't work well outside where I have set up my work bench. As much as I love all the time I get to spend with him, I also look forward to that quiet time when I can spend time with my other children.

[boxerfan]

Chef: I just went through the same thing with my popcorn ball phal. I repotted this morning and was saddened to see the poor plant only had one viable root. I also potted in bark mixture, sprayed the roots with worm tea and treated the open cuts with cinnamon. To be on the safe side, I also repotted my Harlequin Phal who was in sphag so tight there was enough to fill two pots when it was all pulled out. This one's roots were in better shape, but had some early root rot. I'll keep my fingers crossed for good root growth for you and me. Lisa

[chefatplay]

I'm sorry to hear that, Lisa. My poor little phal is resting on paper in the dining room right now. We'll see. Best of luck to you while your plants recooperate. Now there are two of us with "girls" in the hospital.

[brookn]

Hi chef. I have been using bark mix with charcoal and perlite, soaked for a day or two, to this I add a handful of sphag and mix it up well. I am using this for all of my phals, except my bellina which I am probably going to put in sphag. I bought compressed sphag, and when I soak it looks absolutely wonderful compared to the other sphag that I had. Doing it this way is my compromise with the plants. I put some of the phals in the bark mix without the sphag, and they just are not taking to it like the ones with the little bit of sphag, so when they finish blooming I will repot once again adding some sphag to to their bark. Humidity here has been very high, and this seems to be working well, have new growth etc. Hope it all goes well. Your plant should be fine. When I first heard the description I thought "oh boy" and when I saw the plant I knew it would be okay.

Remember deep breath and dive in. If it doesn't work the first time around reevaluate and dive in again lol. They are much hardier than we give them credit, all will be well. Oh and make sure the air circulation is good, mine fairly sway with the fan on and they love it.