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nommarune1121

Yellow leaf dried and soft roots....

nommarune
9 years ago

Ok so first challenge of the new orchids I got. The one I got off the clearance rack (which I knew I would have to work with) had a yellow leaf at the base of the plant. I cut the leaf off right at the stem. Made sure I cleaned my razor with alcohol right before I cut it. Pulled all the potting media out... It has like a 1/4 bag of spag. Moss in a quart sized terra cotta pot. The bottom roots were like paper and falling apart. The upper roots were like wet paper (not mushy r gooey tho) just no firmness to them an looked just like the dried ones just wet. Under the dead center of the plant the spag. Miss was green and really wet. I took all that out cut the dried roots off and I specter the rest. There are about 4 viable roots all about two inch nubs that were at the base of the plant and right above the spag.

I did not repot it. Instead I put it in a coconut husk hanging basket and have it hanging outside In the shade. I cut the spike right behind were the first flower bloomed on the spikes.

Is this too much? Should I do more? Should I fertilize? I cut the spikes to promote root growth... My humidity outside has been around 70% 90% all day even at night the past few weeks. This should be okay for a bare root system right?!?

Comments (9)

  • captainjohn
    9 years ago

    Do you happen to know what kind of orchid it is? A picture will help. Sounds like you were right to remove it from its pot and sphagnum moss. I would not fertilize until it recovers. Would need more information on kind of orchid to speculate further.

  • nommarune
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    It's a phal. That's all I know. Can't identify further till it blooms. Here's a pic about 4 days later.

  • arthurm
    9 years ago

    It is best if you try and find some complete culture notes written for where you are in the USA. At least then you would have some idea of Optimum growing conditions.
    As far as humidity goes....too much stress is put on that and it is the cause of much overwatering.
    From what i can see of the plant it is in fairly good condition and it should survive. Maybe you are in a part of USA where summer culture is outside and winter culture is inside?

  • nommarune
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    I haven't really been able to find local area culture notes. However, I do know that spring and fall in my area are okay in shade and summer with a shade house with fans. Our winters only see maybe a week or two a year under 50. In the winter I will probably just move them inside. The little stringy roots that have lost all the cover on them I figured were dead... but they are the ones reaching up towards the leaves now. The fatter green roots are going down. and the tips of them are white with new growth. I am pretty confident the plant will survive as long as the humidity stays good. Humidity here rarely drops below 60% outside and goes higher at night. I am still pouring some water over the roots about once a week but it falls straight out the bottom of the hanging basket. ( put a hole in the coconut husk basket to avoid massive water retention.

  • cooperdr_gw
    9 years ago

    I'm not an expert on orchids but those baskets can have moss on the outside of them. That's why the sell those metal cages. Not sphagnum moss either- green moss. That keeps the liner wet.

  • nommarune
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    It is a brand new basket haven't seen any moss on it yet. I have been checking for that though.

  • cooperdr_gw
    9 years ago

    No that's not what I meant. You take the fiber pot out of the metal holder and turn it upside down; then you put WET green moss on it; then you but it back in the metal holder. So the moss is keeping the fiber wet but not actually touching the roots.

  • cooperdr_gw
    9 years ago

    You just buy the moss and soak it.

  • jane__ny
    9 years ago

    Looks fine to me. Keep doing whatever you are doing.

    Jane

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