Root mold! - Orchid Board

Tindomul · #1 06-30-2006, 10:10 PM

Hi folks,
Well, my 6 month love affair with my green thumb has come to an end. Let the days of the brown thumb begin!!!!:cursing:
This morning, (I had off from work) I took a look at the roots of my Lc. Purple Cascade.
This one:

Right through the glass I saw that the roots were brown and had green mold spots all over them. So I took the plant out, and discovered most of the roots were rotten. I started cutting away, and then I ended up with a division, (Crossing my fingers on that). Anyway, I ended up cutting away 99% of the roots!!! Yikes! Also, I found (took me long enough, I have an untrained eye after all) two pseudobulbs were rotted!:cursing:
So the following voodoo song and dance I did was out of desperation and the fact that I wouldn't be able to do anything more for the plant till next week.
So please don't make fun of me :blush:

After cutting everything off, I poured some hydrogen peroxide on the plants. I didnt see any fizzing, but I heard some. 2 mins later I rinsed the plants under the faucet. Then, I soaked in some rooting hormone for 20 mins. Then I let it dry for 20 mins, then I soaked (and this is where the desperation shows, please dont laugh) in chamomile tea. I heard that this tea had some antifungal properties, so I figured better than nothing. Then I let it dry for 20 mins and finally put it back in the Semi/Hydro culture. Also while I was doing all that, I boiled the semi/hydro clay pellets and the glass jar to kill anything off.
Im gonna get some physan and hopefully save this guy. I don't want to spend more money and replace the plant.
The plant has only been with me for one week, and I had the water level in the jar at under half an inch in depth.
Thanks all for reading through this, and offering any advice/support.
-Cesar

Wendy · #2 11-20-2006, 10:50 PM

I just read this post and was wondering if you had an update on the plant. It sounds like it should have been salvageable so i hope all your efforts paid off.

Oscarman · #3 11-21-2006, 02:53 PM

Tindo, how did this post get under the radar? You posted it June 30!!

How is the plant? Do you have any drainage in the container - that concerns me!

christina waines · #4 11-21-2006, 05:24 PM

Yeah me too. I'd like an update since I believe it came from me. I have concerns about drainage in that container. Catts like to have fairly dry roots most of the time

Tindomul · #5 11-21-2006, 08:41 PM

Wow, you guys never saw it? I thought you were all just too busy to care,

Just kidding, now that I know you all better.
No worries guys. Here is the story.
By the time I had noticed the rot, I had already ordered supplies from Ray's First Orchids. So I ended up cutting all the roots off both plants, soaking them in rooting hormone, and I boiled all the clay pellets, then soaked them in rooting hormone. Today, they are healthy plants both with new growths. No signs of bloom from either though. Maybe in the spring??