Need some help !

[Marty]

I got these about a year ago. They were beautiful full of leaves. My terrarium conditions must have been to wet and they lost a bunch of leaves and roots. I have been doing some cleaning in my tanks and I finally removed them. I pinned them onto tree fern.

How should I go about rescuing these ?


This is a small Cattleya bowringiana



This is a masdevallia that lost probably about 60% of its leaves but its still hanging on to life

Any tips would be greatly appreciated

[lohlman3]

you need to contact andysorchids.com - he is the best guy around for mounted orchids and he can help yo uwith any questions

[Marty]

Thanks for the tip. I will email Andy.

Originally Posted by lohlman3

you need to contact andysorchids.com - he is the best guy around for mounted orchids and he can help yo uwith any questions

[Ray]

As they have no roots, the biggest threat to their survival is desiccation. My suggestion would be to soak them - as is - for several (4-6) hours in the following solution, then put them in sealed plastic bags to trap the moisture, making it a saturated, mini-greenhouse environment. Keep them warm and shady, and they ought to respond.

In one gallon of 80°F water, dissolve:
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon of rooting hormone (K-L-N, SuperThrive, etc.)
1 tablespoon soluble trace element mixture (STEM)

[Marty]

Thanks for the info Ray. Where do I get the STEM and SuperThrive?

Originally Posted by Ray

As they have no roots, the biggest threat to their survival is desiccation. My suggestion would be to soak them - as is - for several (4-6) hours in the following solution, then put them in sealed plastic bags to trap the moisture, making it a saturated, mini-greenhouse environment. Keep them warm and shady, and they ought to respond.

In one gallon of 80°F water, dissolve:
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon of rooting hormone (K-L-N, SuperThrive, etc.)
1 tablespoon soluble trace element mixture (STEM)

[Ray]

Sorry for the delay responding - just went through two graduations and preparations for a week of vacation at the Outer banks of NC (where I am now).

Superthrive, K-L-N or any rooting hormone solution will work. I use and sell K-L-N as it's the most cost effective brand out there (I have the STEM in small quantities, too), but if you check your local garden center or even Home Depot-type store, you can probably find something with the rooting hormones (indole butyric acid [IBA] and/or naphthalene acetic acid [NAA]).

[FSchimpf]

Hi:
You could also try Chula Orchids (online) or OFE International in Miami for the rooting hormone.

Frank

[Marty]

Actually, due to lack of time and a bit of laziness I haven't done anything and somehow they're actually recovering. I have my mister set to just graze the orchids a tiny bit 3x per day and it seems to be working. I can see little roots growing.

beginners luck perhaps

Originally Posted by FSchimpf

Hi:
You could also try Chula Orchids (online) or OFE International in Miami for the rooting hormone.

Frank

[orchidexpress]

I have read that someone has already suggested using K-L-N .
I am a firm beleiver of all Dyna-Gro Products.
I can't keep K-L-N on my shelves at my shop.
When I tell them that K-L-N, 'puts roots on a shovel', they are sold.
Go out and get some K-L-N.
Lee R.

[Randy]

Have your plants recovered? I'm pretty good at taking plants w/o roots and making them nice plants with roots. How did they do last summer?

Namaste,
Randy