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Thread: Recovering orchid advice?

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  1. #1
    My Grow Area
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    Default Recovering orchid advice?

    I have two orchids that lost a lot of roots and a few leaves due to over-watering. One of them only has two leaves and almost no roots. I lost confidence that it would make a recovery so I made a half hearted attempt to resettle her in water culture, and the other one still has enough roots to stabilize itself in a bark medium, so I left it there with a fertilizer spike.The leaves are pretty limp and leathery on both of them. Both of them seemed pretty dormant but fast forward 2-3 months and it looks like both of them are growing a new leaf! I'm not sure if that confirms that they will recover. The one in the water culture doesnt look like its growing any new roots, and I don't think I should disturb the other one by pulling it out of the bark medium to check. Any tips or advice? Water culture always makes me kind of nervous. should I move it back into a medium?

  2. #2
    My Grow Area
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    Personally, I have no faith in water culture and would put it back in medium. What type of orchid are they?

  3. #3
    Real Name
    Ray Barkalow
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    Default

    There are two key components to getting root-rotted plants to recover: warmth at the roots and high humidity.

    Growth rate is temperature dependent, so keeping the plant warm accelerates growth. If that is applied preferentially to the roots, by setting the plant on a heat mat, for example, the plant will put its energy there.

    As the plant has no decent roots, it cannot absorb water but can still lose it through transpiration, so is at risk of desiccating to death before it can recover. By maximizing the humidity around the plant, you slow the transpiration loss, giving the plant more time to grow roots. I do so by inverting a clear plastic bag over the plant and pot, simulating a greenhouse.

    If you really want to "kick start" the process, consider thenapplication of a growth stimulant alike KelpMax.

  4. #4
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    Putting the base of the orchid on moistened moss and keeping it damp works for me.

  5. #5
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    I am a relatively new believer in full water culture as a result of saving three orchids that were ready to expire. Although, it takes an awfully long long time. You have to have a lot of patience. I have three phals in full water culture. the one that was the worst has now grown two leaves. the other two are flowering, while in a cup or vase of water. I would say I have them in this culture for about 5 months now. I live in the northeast US and foolishly bought a Vanda Vera that I saw in ---- Vendor information removed - see FAQs on Posting ----
    . Yeah, really. It was sold in a vase. I've tried spraying; letting it sit in water for about an hour each week and then dumping the water out; and lastly, I have the roots sitting in water permanently. I would say I have it in water for about 3 years. I have now spied a good and healthy (and large) root growing. that one root has now branched out. I'm hoping I will have some success with it soon. Leaves are still there.

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