"Rootless" Wonder Saga continues

[Traci]

Hi Everyone,
With this forum's help my Rootless Wonder orchid has come back and now has three roots. The only problem is that two of them are growing straight up out of the medium like they are reaching for the sky. The third root is coursing over the top of the medium. I covered that one with some sphagnum to try to encourage it to grow down and not up. Is there a reason that the plant is sending out aerial roots only and not sending some into the medium? It's in spaghnum moss right now, but I do have the supplies to "repot" it into hydroton, Monterrey orchid bark, lava rack, and spaghnum moss if needed. Until a few days ago I kept it in an aquarium with the lid off had pebbles and water in the bottom of the aquarium to increase humidity around it.
Thanks for any input or advice.

[FloraStar]

Are you making sure that the sphagnum moss is very dried out before watering again? I've found that, with orchids needing to regrow roots, the sphag needs to be crusty before I water again. The kind of orchid hasn't mattered. It may be, if your sphag is staying too wet, that the orchid is coping by sending roots out into the humid-but-not-wet air around it rather than the too-wet medium.

[Traci]

Hi Floristar,
Thanks for your input. I do make sure that the spaghnum is crunchy in between waterings. I am not sure what to think. I did recently take the phal out of the tank and have put it with the other orchids. I don't know if not having all of the humidity around it all the time will make the plant decide to send roots down or not. I am starting to wonder if I should repot.

[kspalding]

The moss may be dry but the soil under may not be drying out enough. Plus, air is vital at this time and moss can be constricting I would suggest removing the moss since holding moisture is not what you need right now.

---------- Post Merged at 12:03 PM ----------

Oh, also..... repotting may not be a bad idea at this point. You want to fit the pot closer to the root size otherwise too big a pot can cause a bit of chaos in the redevelopment of the plant.

[Traci]

Thanks Kspalding, I have repotted the orchid in bark, perlite, lava rock, and hydroton. I also have it in the smallest pot that I could find which I think it 2.5 inches in diameter. Hopefully it will decide it likes the new medium and send some roots down into it. I have the plant propped up in the medium with its crown hovering over the medium so it doesn't get crown rot. I have done my best to bury the one root that is coursing across the pot into the medium.

[kspalding]

It shouldn't take long (anywhere from 3-14 days) to see what will look like tiny "nubs" starting to poke out of the plant. A trick used to encourage root growth is to just keep the top of the soil misted regularly and roots will strive to reach the water.Keep us updated on your progress. Now its just time to wait and see.

---------- Post Merged at 11:08 AM ----------

If cared for properly it should soon look similar to this:

[Wade's Orchids]

I would guess that the high humidity in the aquarium had a bit to do with the arial roots. Regardless, it looks like the plant is going to make it. Congratulations!!!!