Unfortunately I think it's a goner :(

Why did you spray it w/ peroxide? I think that may have killed it. Have you grown plants before? Orchids before?

What pls was the purpose of sphag & bag? Sounds like it grew mold or fungus.

Many people use peroxide since it kills bacteria and fungus. It does not harm plants. That had nothing to do with it. I've had many professionals tell me to use that. The purpose of sphag and bag was to provide humidity. The leaves were turning limp and dehydrated due to the lack of roots. I put the plant in a clear bag and misted some sphagnum moss near the roots to hold moisture. The leaves are now perfectly plump and everything. The plant was on the road to recovery until the fungus attacked on the roots. I also broke the base of the stem a little while cleaning it.

Oh and I've been gardening for almost 20 years now I have only started orchids in the last 2 years. I've had a lot of success but I come on here for advice for my struggling ones.

I've used peroxide on my orchids. That's fine. I just think that even if you were to somehow miraculously save this orchid though, it probably would not bloom for you for a couple of years due to distress.

Do you think the damage at the bottom of it will dry out and callus over? Or do you think it will turn black and rot? I have removed this plant from the humidity bag in fear that it will sprout more fungus. I misted all with peroxide and applied rooting powder on it.

There is no way an orchid of that size can survive with only one root. I think the leaves will turn yellow one by one. I'm sorry :(

I have a larger orchid with root rot with much bigger leaves. It has a root 1/4 of the size you see in this picture. I applied rooting hormone and have 4 baby roots appearing. The leaves are plump and the plant is on the road to recovery. I am pretty sure I can save it, but I'm specifically asking on this post because I damaged the bottom of it. But I think you're right. The bottom of it is too damaged. I will to to sustain the plant and hopefully it will create a new growth from the bottom like another orchid of mine.

I have cut off the bottom of phals that were dead and had no roots. I don't think that's the problem. I think your biggest problem is the lack of roots. But if you want to try to save it with rooting hormone, I would love to see updates on the progress because I hate chucking plants, especially when their leaves are still green and the plant is clearly still alive!

can you post a picture of the plant when it was healthy in the pot? How did it get root rot?

I don't have a picture of it but it got root rot because I watered it and then a cold front came by and it was around 50-65 for a week so the plants had roots that were wet for too long. It remained wet for like 9 or 13 days. Normally it's so hot the water evaporates within 3-5 days.

Btw thanks for the help so far and I will definitely update you on the status.

The sphag and bag method is generally one of the best options. How wet was the sphag? It should be barely moist. I assume you bagged the entire plant?

Cinnamon dusted on any cuts can be used as an antibacterial.

The green portion of the plant still looks very good. The question of whether to keep or pitch depends on you. Do you feel like going to the effort? If the plant is a run of the mill white or lavender which would be easy to replace, you may wish to just pitch it. If, instead, it is a harder to find color/pattern or has sentimental value, then you may find it worthwhile to put it back in the ICU.

It's a polka dot one but the size of the polka dots are the thing that I like. Not too small or too big and the perfect amount. I am going to try to nurse it back to health. I think the problem was the sphagnum was too wet. However I'm going to try water culture. I have it sitting above a jar of water so no plant material touches the water and it's all encased in a bag. It will just be humidity. I applied rooting hormone and sprayed it with peroxide, SuperThrive, but not cinnamon yet. I don't think my cinnamon is strong enough because I had cinnamon on the infected root.

I think you are overwhelming the poor thing w/ chemicals. Pls. just pick ONE thing, do that & then give it some TIME.

Cinnamon is a natural anti-fungal. I doubt the cinnamon wasn't strong enough. Rather the wet sphag & bag created ideal conditions for fungal growth & rot.

Maybe you haven't seen it yet but there is also an Orchid Forum around here.

Yeah. I think I may have put too many chemicals. You're right. I'll definitely put less next time. And btw I am aware there is an orchid forum. I tagged this in the orchid forum as well as house plants and tropical plants forum. Anyways thanks for the responses.

Sorry, I missed that it was also tagged to the Orchid Forum. That's where I learned abt Cinnamon as an antifungal, more than 10 yrs ago.

No worries. I appreciate your input on everything so far.

Sphag and bag is a recipe for mold and rot imo. My big concern with this orchid is what looks like a big rot lesion on the side of the stem. Is that area soft and rotty? If so, I would clean it out and then pat some cinnamon on there.

The only way I have ever saved orchids in this condition is by putting it in FWC until it grows new roots. It will definitely lose several leaves before that happens, it's going to need the energy from them. And it will be a few years before it blooms again. But all of that is really secondary to whether or not that is rot on the stem.

I've used sphag and bag for recuperating orchids before on a number of occasions without any issue. Big thing is the sphag needs to be damp not wet.

Update: The 2 biggest leaves seemed to be very weak so I removed them and there's a whole bunch of little root nubs underneath. The rest of the leaves are very plump. I think all should go well unless it gets a disease.

Oh and a new leaf is rapidly growing from the center it is now an inch tall.

I have an orchid in a similar condition and I am inspired and encouraged by your questio and your plants progress. I'm going to try a root stimulator and superthrive and then put it in a cup with damp sphagnum.

Just make sure that you don't stick it completely in there or the crown might rot. I had mine hovering a little bit above the sphagnum so only the root touches it but not the crown of the plant.

Would you mind sharing a picture of your setup? This is my orchid. It had a beautiful flower but I think I let the bark dryout too much so its roots rotted away. I live in Maryland and Spring playing peakaboo with the weather isn't helping. Hoping to help it recover.

Well it's late at night so I can't show you a picture of it now, but I can tell you that I am actually now using water culture. I simply have the orchid resting in a cup so the water level is a little below the bottom of the plant and it's not touching the water. I also have it in a bag and away from direct sun. I will show a picture tomorrow.

I have one orchid being saved through a water culture method and another one with the normal sphag and bag.

I've saved orchids just that far gone by cutting back all but the two top leaves, putting them into a slatted hanging basket and misting them every day. Of course, I live in Florida, so I have an advantage. The rule I was taught was either 3 inches of root or 3 one-inch roots. Roots seems to grow fast for me when the plant is sickly, like they are trying hard to survive. Good luck!

Update: The roots are a little bigger now. Lower leaves turning flimsy but new leaves emerging from center. The new roots like dirty and gross.

Update: I ended up taking off the older leaved on my orchid and found budding root buds. The sphag and bag method kept yielding mold and stuff, so I decided to stop that method. As a last resort, I put it in a cup of water (uncovered) with a cinnamon stick. The water level was high enough to cover the root buds but below the leaf stem (hope that makes sense). Its been just under 2 months and I am pleased with the growth! I also have the icky looking roots and stem but I'm hopeful new leaves will appear soon.

Correction: It's been just over a month

Good job, Andrea!

That's awesome Hexyl! I need to post an update of my plant baby as well. Great job!

Holy crap!! That's awesome. I should do that to save mine. Why don't you cut off the rotted part now? What a come back. I am hopeful.

Where did you keep the plant? On a window sill without direct sun?

Mike

I put it in a spot with lots of bright light in the morning for like 3 hours and shade for the rest of the day. It's in semi water culture so the roots are halfway in the water. I leave half the roots in water at all times. I give it SuperThrive and mist it with fertilizer spray.