Cycnoches root problem

[Kita]

Hi guys,

I have received Cycnoches plant today that I purchased online. The plant has lost all its roots except one that is not great. I think that seller watered it too much before posting. The plant has one bulb and one new growth. What to do??

[78Terp]

I think you do nothing. No water until the new growth is inches tall and it begins to grow new roots.

As I understand this type, few are lost due to too little water but most are lost due to too much water.

[ksriramkumar]

cycnoches go through a period of dormancy and water should be withheld completely. start watering only if there is waking up from dormancy and the growth is atleast a few inches tall.

[catasetum-ian]

perhaps a photo to depict the maturity stage of the new growth.
but for the start, remove all infected roots, i would treat with antifungal and then let dry in a shady area.
if the new growth is relatively immature, it should sprout new roots within a week or two.
if the new growth has at least some bulb that is already formed, leaving it dry will force it early dormancy. soemtimes a new growth will appear elsewhere.
resume watering once new roots appear.(second to what Harvey mentioned, few are lost due to little water but most are lost due to too much water)

[Kita]

Thanks guys for your replies. This is my very first Cycnodes type orchid and I don't have any experience yet.

Hers is the picture after repotting. (sorry, I didn't take any picture of the roots):

[78Terp]

Most important is to let it dry out completely before watering again in winter time. No fertilizer now. It should lose all its leaves and go dormant. Mine, very new to me, are in sphag and I let them get crispy dry right now before watering them. I have one (happens to be the first one of this type purchased) in complete dormancy and it gets no water at all. I have had it for 2 months and haven't watered it yet. If yours/mine doesn't yellow off its leaves and drop them by January, then I understand you/I should stop watering completely and force dormancy.

In the spring when the new growth is inches tall, then it wants lots of water and fertilizer.

[Kita]

Cool, Thanks Harvey. I took it out of the pot when it arrived and I kept it dry, out of any media. The old media was wet so it means that the seller didn't keep it dry. I potted it today but no water added to the media.

[katrina]

Your newest growth is not yet mature enough to begin forcing any sort of dormancy. If this were my plant...I would be watering and ferting heavy and giving it very bright light...it has quite a bit more growing to do before it's ready to go dormant.

---------- Post Merged at 03:42 PM ----------

Almost forgot...don't worry about the one root...w/proper culture and good growth it will make lots more before it's ready to go into dormancy.

[78Terp]

Thanks Katrina!

Heavy watering means not dry out?

I am new to these and just going with what I have learned but not yet experienced.

[catasetum-ian]

just my 2 cents,
i would not pot the plant since you mentioned that all the roots has rotted except one, potting it now would encourage any residue from the rotted root to go up further.
this is what i usually do, i will let the entire plant sit in an empty pot, place a ball of sphag moss touching that single viable root. this would allow the affected dry roots end to totally dry out and in the same time keep the root hydrated.
if you see more new roots forming near the base of the bulb, them repot it like what you show in the pic. if no new roots is going, let the plant go into dormancy (what it will do is formed a PB that is much smaller).
you can call this method the 'chicken' method, but so far i had lost very very very few plants with this method. good luck