NO, not again major root rot.

[morphiii]

I just purchased a new orchid pot with slits on the sides and I decided to repot my phal. I was shocked to see that two of the lower leaves are infected with fungus. Really big black spots. I decided to perform surgery and cut away the infected leaves. It only has 5 leaves now two 5 inches leaves and 3 smaller one.

There were a lot of rotted roots. Black mushy, stringy ones. After I cut it all away, the poor plant is left with 10 roots ( fairly healthy ones with a couple really long ones.)

I had to throw away all the new zealand spahgnum moss that the Phal. was wrapped in. I have nothing but some sphagnum moss, so I repotted him in it.

I don't have enough and the plant is kinda wobbly but I got him to stay upright.

I have since ordered some perlite, charcoal and coco gro.

How long can I keep him in spahgnum alone? How did I get all these fungus to begin with? I didn't water too much and I soaked the plant in physan 20 and sprayed with neem oil and safe garden 3 in 1 fungicide.

What else can I do? I even have fan creating constant air movement and a humidity tray.

I have done eveything I can and still the plant got sick and infected with fungus.

This is so frustrating.

Can I just grow Phal in a basket like Vandas?

Definitely no rot.

I am really discouraged!!

[mayres]

Nearly every phal I have seen growing in sphag had significant root rot so don't feel like you have something unique. I think the problem is in the transition between the grower and the interim stops to market. They are just kept far too wet and not enough air movement and not warm enough - a combination of factors. I repot every phal I get immediately now. If we were smart we would probably ask to depot phals BEFORE we buy them if they are acquired at shows or stores - one might have second thoughts if we saw what was underneath! I'm not an expert, but I wouldn't get carried away with the fungicides on the phal (can you post a picture of the areas that you are concerned about?) - it most likely just needs to be trimmed up (which you have done), repotted, and properly cared for and it will then slowly recover. Unfortunately it can take a long long time to revive a severely mistreated phal. It takes courage and patience. Know that many have gone where you are going before. We are here to help you. Don't get too discouraged. It is probably not your fault. Learn from the eperience and go forward.......
Yes, phals can be mounted without any media at all - but they need to be in a humid environment and will need daily spritzing.
Hang in there...mike

[PhalPal]

Hi Morphiii-
#1: don't be discouraged, this is just a learning curve for you. We have all been there.
#2: with ten healthy roots left, you don't have major root rot. One or No roots left is major.
#3: this problem probably was started with the grower and you did nothing to cause it.
#4: five leaves on a healthy phal is pretty good and about average.

A few growers on this forum grow well in moss, but most of us just hate the stuff. I have started the practice of re-potting immediately when I get a plant home, even if it is in bloom. Too many times I have had problems like yours and just learned how to gently re-pot. My plants don't skip a beat, continue to bloom, and I now have control of what it is growing in. For now, just loosen up the moss it is in and it will do just fine until your new media gets there. My guess is your 'big black spots' are bacterial. Make sure you do not have your orchid close to others plants to avoid spreading. If you are misting your orchids I would stop doing this. Make sure the crown of your plant stays dry. Other then that, it sounds like you are doing a good job with the humidity, air movement and treatments you have already done.

Just in case you have not been directed to this sticky I included it here....it is a great little gauge in knowing how wet media is at the root level, regardless of which media you choose.

Chin up, it will be okay!!

Skewer use for watering of orchids

[PhalPal]

Mike we soooooo think alike!!

[mayres]

Oooooooo - scary!

[MariahK]

hmmm after reading this thread I decided to have a look in my new phal and do a repot, I thought it was all good as the plant screams good health but you never know and I did buy it from they grocery store and the last one I got from there was so packed with moss it was unbelievable. Well I was surprised and happy to see no moss or rot in the whole plant!!! I may have to go back and get another new plant or two from this last shipment that came in. I was so thrilled to actually see a grocery store bought plant be in such great shape. Oh yeah and down at the very last leave I see new growth which looks alot like a second spike (fingers crossed)

[PhalPal]

Good for you MariahK!!! Cheers for a second spike!!!

Not so scary Mike, great minds think alike.

[morphiii]

Thanks guys for your words of encouragement. I feel so defeated, but repotting the plant sounds like a good idea. I will try to do it with any new plants that I get.

The part that I cut away was very close to the crown if not on it already. I threw it all out.

I am just wondering if I need to get some root grower to encourage new growth, or just let it be for now?

[slippery_biscuit]

I often see orchids in grocery stores and hardware stores with "pretty" foil wrapped around the pot, full to the brim with water. Its a wonder any of them make it.

[fred]

slippery biscuit

thats because most of the stores have not got a clue about orchids

I was told by one large store some time ago that alot of people that buy orchids in flower keep them untill the flower dies off then plant and all gets thrown out.

what a thing to do.

[sandra]

morphiii, don't despair. For these reasons, I also repot my orchids as soon as I get them home especially, phals. The conditions you described were probably looming before you brought yours home. I recently went on a big hunt for the perfect medium for phals. Mike (mayres) has had great success with the receipe he uses for his phals and he recently gave it all up, right here. Take a look.

Phal Repotting & Media

[brookn]

Hi, I have 3 phals potted in sphag. One is a species, and one a primary hybrid. The other however is a Wal Mart NOID, it has a huge root system, and loves the sphag. The rest of my phals are in a bark/sphag mix and doing well. I would watch the watering, my huge NOID sometimes does not need water for a week and a half or more. When I potted my phals in sphag I used Fred's technique, it worked wonders. I will see if I can find it in the threads.

I have not tried Mike's mix yet, but eventually I will, my plants were all potted before his post, and I will have to have the coir shipped so I opted to wait. Good Luck.

[brookn]

I finally found it, and I hope it is helpful.

http://www.orchidgeeks.com/forum/gen...w-orchids.html

[Cynthia, Prescott, AZ]

first, the number of good roots remaining suggests to me that there is no problem at the roots at all. Sounds like the old cast off roots were left in the pot when it was last repotted. Sometimes a plant is moved into a new mix where it needs less roots, and the plant reacts accordingly. Same thing with number of leaves.

Your leaf spot problem may be because your plant is not getting enough light and is under stress, or stress from something else. You want the brightest indirect light you can find. No direct sun tho. If the spots were dry and sunken, they were fungal, not bacterial. Bacterial problems are wet or clearish. You said you used neem oil and safe garden 3 in 1. Was that Garden Safe? If so, you sprayed your plant with neem oil twice. I have some important comments you should read about Garden Safe in this thread.
Fungal Warnings: #1-Garden Safe Fungicide and #2-fusarium in peat

[tizzycat]

Personally I don't use Sphagnum moss, as I find it holds too much moisture for too long here in the uk. Having said that, when I look a the pics of Fred's moss it seems alot different to what we buy here. The moss available in the us is very fine and always very wet.

[tizzycat]

SORRY!!! that should have read moss here in the UK is very find.

[tizzycat]

oops!! FINE!! no I haven't been on the bottle. (yet)

[PhalPal]

morphii - Ten good roots is more then enough to sustain your phal; I wouldn't waste your money on growth hormone/root stimulators. Removing the affected leaves was the best you could do quickly. I have found bacterial black spots much easier to cure then fungal. (I just had my first case this year) Removing all leaves with spots, followed by my fav PharmSolutions spray did the trick. Keep in mind roots die off naturally and just because you found some rotten roots does not mean you did anything wrong to cause it. You are doing a good job! Keep up the good work!

SURE Tizzycat...Sure!