It keeps surfacing

[OrchidTraci]

I was wondering if any paph growers have the problem of the roots surfacing over the medium. I repotted my plant because it kept doing this. I thought maybe it was a cry for help or gasping for air, but it is doing it still! Should I leave it and make sure it gets misted once a day , or should I try to re-bury it?

[Paphraguy]

Traci, if there are lots of roots above the surface of the medium, then it is a good idea to cover them with more mix. The roots can easily dry out very fast, so keep them covered and moist and not wet wet wet. What kind of a Paph is it?

[Heather]

When I was repotting the PEOY yesterday, I noticed one new root tip growing straight up. I didn't mess with it but do wonder if it will poke up through the top one day soon.

[LJA]

LOL Traci! The title of your thread made me think that maybe you had a shark in there somewhere. Yes, like Pete said, keep your paph roots covered with medium as much as possible. When you repot, if there are any roots (as in Heather's case) that look like they're going to grow up and out over time, turn them and bury them so they grow downward or to the side.

Which reminds me, Heather; you might want to wrap some sphag around the base of your Barbara LeAnn's new growth, maybe tie it around with a piece of line. That way its root area will stay moist until you can repot and sink it. Those guys are climbers which make them somewhat of a pain in the repotting department....

[Jmoney]

Occasionally a paph root or two (or three) will be confused, not knowing that it is not in situ but rather inside a plastic pot, and will grow to the surface, upon which it promptly dries out. As long as the bulk of the roots are inside the media, it's no big deal. Aside from giving them the evil eye once in a while, I ignore these roots. If most of them are doing this, then something is amiss (maybe anoxic conditions inside the pot).

Louis, gotta love those climbers, huh? Maybe someone can cross phrag schlimii or besseae to paph armeniacum--then you'd have a climber that throws stolons, that never blooms.

[Heather]

Okay L - done. Thanks!

[AlexisLake]

Are you sure the mix has not deteriorated too much? Check the medium. The mix might be too old and the roots might be looking for some good medium to go into.

[OrchidTraci]

Originally posted by Paphraguy
Traci, if there are lots of roots above the surface of the medium, then it is a good idea to cover them with more mix. The roots can easily dry out very fast, so keep them covered and moist and not wet wet wet. What kind of a Paph is it?

I can't fit any more mix in it, I have filled it to the brim trying to keep in below the mix! I mist it everyday in the AM to prevent it from drying out, I'm just baffled as to what to do. I have no idea what kind it is, it was a NOID I purchased at lowes last year. Maybe a deeper pot? It is in a 4 inch pot right now.

[OrchidTraci]

Originally posted by Jmoney
Occasionally a paph root or two (or three) will be confused, not knowing that it is not in situ but rather inside a plastic pot, and will grow to the surface, upon which it promptly dries out. As long as the bulk of the roots are inside the media, it's no big deal. Aside from giving them the evil eye once in a while, I ignore these roots. If most of them are doing this, then something is amiss (maybe anoxic conditions inside the pot).

Louis, gotta love those climbers, huh? Maybe someone can cross phrag schlimii or besseae to paph armeniacum--then you'd have a climber that throws stolons, that never blooms.

It is in a plastic pot. I am trying to repot my orchids into clay pots (I'm tired of the plastic pots falling over in a gust of wind). I heard that paphs really need to be pot bound. Can they be repotted more than once a year? I just repotted this one last year.

[OrchidTraci]

Originally posted by AlexisLake
Are you sure the mix has not deteriorated too much? Check the medium. The mix might be too old and the roots might be looking for some good medium to go into.

I just repotted it last year ( I say last year but it was more like January) It isn't old at all.