Cracked and shriveled aerial roots

[lindasbabies]

Thank you all for the great advice and articles to read! I have started watering every day as the media I have them potted in doesn’t hold water, it runs right through the pot. Today I actually submerged their slotted pots in pots of water for an hour then drained them well. Two of my phals don’t have roots long enough to go down into the media to get water because they lost their roots to root rot so how to water them is a mystery to me. I tried putting moist sphagnum moss on top of the media to give their little budding roots some moisture but then noticed black spots on the stem of the orchid so that didn’t work. I’m just doing the best I can.

[SouthPark]

Originally Posted by lindasbabies

Two of my phals don’t have roots long enough to go down into the media to get water because they lost their roots to root rot so how to water them is a mystery to me.

Some photos could help with the assessment of that situation.

Normally, in places where orchids grow out in the wild, the plants just get adequate water through adequate humidity or adequate moisture getting into their roots.

For your case, where the plant developed a problem - with root rot - then sometimes it might be necessary to use some ICU methods, like soaking the orchid's roots for a while in water - each day. Or putting the orchid in a humid area - a tank or something - with a little air-movement inside via say a mini electric fan.

There is also the 'spag N bag' method - which if applied appropriately (avoiding fungal activity effects) can help the orchid grow more roots and recover.

Another option could probably be to sink your orchid down into some airy media (eg. lava rock, or largish bark pieces) ---- using a large pot with wide diameter. Then apply water toward the sides of the pot, so that the water can still keep a large amount of the media wet for a while, and at the same time maybe keeps the humidity within the pot high enough.

The attached image doesn't necessarily mean that it is essential to keep the media towards the centre dry. Some water can still be sprayed/applied toward the centre regions ------- but much less.

Try to avoid having water stagnating (not moving much) in regions right at the roots (eg. touching the roots).

If the media is airy enough, and gentle air-movement is maintained in the growing area, and if the pot has good size and number of drainage holes ----- then this should benefit 'transpiration' - allowing adequate oxygenated water movement into the roots ----- or at least maintaining adequately-oxygenated water around the roots from the water moving activity.

Also - very importantly - one assumption is that the orchids get adequate lighting levels and lighting duration, and suitable growing temperatures (and temperature ranges). If the orchid doesn't get enough light or if the temperature is too low (or even too high etc) ------ then the orchid won't grow well or at all.