Complete root loss on Phals - please, help!

[SiberianGirl]

Good morning, Orchid lovers! I'm a beginner and a new member - and need you advise real bad. My story is in 'Introduction" but I've been advised to post it here too. So, I have 3 Phals, 2 Doritaenipsis', Vanda, Cattlea and couple of new cuts of Dendrobium what I'm trying to rescue. All my free time I'm reading Giude to Orchids to learn about my orchids and how to take care.
My two Phals are in trouble now I bought them before Easter, they sit on east fasinf window, have 2 spikes of blooms - beautuful. I didn't water them - sprinkled only- both leaves and medium everyday (may be too much). Lately their lives started to wrinkle and feel soft (no turgor). It was getting worse and worse, yeasterday I took one out of pot - poor thing was sitting in sphagnum moss only, when I washed it off - all roots were white-gray and empty, didn't seem alive. Here are the pictures from "before" to "efter". didn't touch second Phal yet - afraid, but pretty sure it's condition is the same.

[SiberianGirl]

I cut it off and now my poor orchid is in a bowl - I don't know what to do next to encourage root grouth (if it is going to happen at all). Is there any hope or plant is basically dead? Stamp doesn't feel empty or mushy. Please, heed help!
I wander : if you buying an orchid with blooms but it is in sphagnum - what to do? To repot it right away with blooms on it; wait 2 months till blooming ends (and get what I got), or cut blooms off and repot?...

[rich63]

You might want to take a look at these Threads,water culture Threads - Orchid Forum Tags It would help a plant with no roots,Good Luck,Rich

[Cjcorner]

I would agree with the above. While savable, the water culture will rescue this one much faster. The plant looks nice, but while you are helping it grow new roots it'll look rough for abit. Hang in there....
Good Luck

[ischel1]

When I first get an orchid I get it out of the sphag immediately, regardless of whether or not it's in bloom. Better to lose the bloom, than the whole plant. I wash all the sphag off the roots and replant in a clay pot with orchid bark. Make sure you water the orchid on a regular basis, not just a "sprinkle". JMHO. Good luck!

[SiberianGirl]

Thank you Rich for water culture thread - IT REALLY SOUNDS LIKE THING TO TRY NOW.

[SiberianGirl]

Ischel, how do you repot if plan is bloomimg? - Blooms would just brake right away, wouldn,t they? But if you buying them for blooms - it's hard to kill it... I guess, I'll have to learn and get stronger...

About water culture - when new roots will develop in water - what to do next? - Can I repot plant in bark or it will have to live in water since now on?

Thaks to everybody for your help! Support and feeling that I'm not alone in this - is a big thing for me. Thak you, people!

[rich63]

Oksana,Its better to make the plant stronger from the beginning when you first purchase a new orchid.If you loose a few blooms,the plant will not put all that energy into make the flowers.Some growers will cut off the first spike or spikes to make the next generation of blooms stronger,thus a better bloom and a healthier plant.When in Water Culture the roots grown are adapted to this type of culture.I won't be placing my plants into a different type of medium.The plants would have to develop all new roots.If you wanted to place the plants into bark.The plant will grow a different type of roots based on the type of culture the plants is in.If you read Becky's thread there is a lot of good information in her posting,from her and a few other wise growers. I hope this helps you out,Rich