rotting roots

14 years ago

I got a Phalaenopsis from a friend about a month ago. This is the first time I'm trying to care for an orchid. It is in a glass vase about 12 inches high. The roots are submerged in water beads. It is currently in bloom and the leaves looks healthy. When I checked it closely this morning, I observed that there are white cotton like molds in roots just below the leaves. I took the plant out from the vase and washed the roots in running water. The roots especially at the bottom are rotting. Some of them have black spots and most of them really looks unhealthy, mushy, light/yellow green in color. There are some healthy roots at the bottom of the leaves. Can somebody please help me on what can I do to save it? Do I cut the dead roots? Is it a good idea to change the media and put it in a pot right now? Please advise, need help desperately. Thank you.

Regards,

climmodesto

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Comments (2)

arthurm
14 years ago
A picture is worth a thousand words. Here is an orchid growing in Vietnam. No doubt most days it gets wet then it dries out. That is a fundamental that would still apply in Canada. The roots need to be wet then dry out a bit. Perhaps not wet every day because the drying out period depend on your mix and the growing conditions in your home. You will find a set of Phalaenopsis cultivation notes for Canada, Just google Canadian Orchid Congress.
Yes, tidy up the roots and repot.
{{gwi:199410}}
orchid126
14 years ago
It sounds like the plant is growing hydroponicly if the
roots are submerged in only water beads. Are the beads the type that are dry but when wet swell up in size and turn to gelatin? You might try doing
a search for that orchid topic.
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