S/h newbie question.

[AngelinaMaria]

If this is the wrong place for this question let me know. When transferring orchids to s/h you are supposed to do it when you have new growth, right? Ok so does that mean a brand new root just coming from the plant? Or does this count as new growth?

This root is currently growing. Sorry if it's a dumb question. I'm new to the s/h thing and really want to learn about it. Thanks in advance!


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[OfLeafandLimb]

It looks like there's new growth there. The root tip has that fresh, youthful green of new tissue, and spring is certainly a good season to expect new growth, so if you just repotted, I think you should be fine. Is that a phal? Those look like some nice, fat roots!

[AngelinaMaria]

It is a phal. The root on the right is the main root and the one on the left branches off of the one on right. That's the only growing root on the plant. :-/ When I took the plant out of the bark it was in, I noticed that main root had come unattached from the plant. The hard center piece of the root is still attached but the fleshy part of it was not attached. :-/ It may have been my fault, maybe I wasn't careful enough. :-( I should have taken a picture. There are two other roots but they are not in growth mode.


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[OfLeafandLimb]

Awww. Well, I hope the other roots are still alive. If those young, growing roots are unattached, they're almost certainly going to die. If you get REALLY lucky, maybe you'll get a keiki on those roots, but I highly doubt it. It's incredibly unlikely.

Repotting is best done when new growth is already started, in part because once your plant has gone into growth mode, it will be better able to cope with the loss of some of the existing roots. All the jostling usually detaches some working roots here and there, so if they're about to sprout new ones anyway, it is less damaging- not that it isn't still stressful. Here's to hoping it sprouts some new roots soon!

[AngelinaMaria]

Thanks, I hope so too, I really hope it pulls through. This is one of my first two orchids ever. Fingers crossed!


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[Ray]

I have to disagree.

The ideal time to move a plant into semi-hydroponics is just when new roots are emerging from the base of the plant, NOT when existing roots begin a growth spurt.

The reason is that the tissue of the existing root is optimized for the old environment. Yes, the new growth will tailor itself to that new environment, but the older portions will eventually fail, separating the new root growth from the plant. Brand new roots will be optimized from base to tip...

[AngelinaMaria]

Originally Posted by Ray

I have to disagree.



The ideal time to move a plant into semi-hydroponics is just when new roots are emerging from the base of the plant, NOT when existing roots begin a growth spurt.



The reason is that the tissue of the existing root is optimized for the old environment. Yes, the new growth will tailor itself to that new environment, but the older portions will eventually fail, separating the new root growth from the plant. Brand new roots will be optimized from base to tip...

That's kinda what I thought but wasn't sure. Well I repotted in s/h anyway because the bark it was in was so broken down and the only medium I had onhand was LECA. I'll keep a close eye on it.


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[OfLeafandLimb]

Originally Posted by Ray

I have to disagree.

The ideal time to move a plant into semi-hydroponics is just when new roots are emerging from the base of the plant, NOT when existing roots begin a growth spurt.

This plant had put out new roots from the base plant, from the looks of the roots in the picture, which became detached. Now that those have broken off, the existing roots will help the plant survive, though they won't adapt very well to s/h culture.

The plant is probably about to put out replacement roots, since it is spring. You're correct that it is possibly a little early to move it at the moment, but it probably won't be long before it has new roots growing from the base.

[DelawareJim]

Originally Posted by OfLeafandLimb

This plant had put out new roots from the base plant, from the looks of the roots in the picture, which became detached. Now that those have broken off, the existing roots will help the plant survive, though they won't adapt very well to s/h culture.

The plant is probably about to put out replacement roots, since it is spring. You're correct that it is possibly a little early to move it at the moment, but it probably won't be long before it has new roots growing from the base.

I think you're misunderstanding what Ray is saying. The new roots he refers to are the root nubbins just emerging from the rhizome of a sympodial plant like a Cattleya or around the base of a monopodial plant like a Phal. The roots in the picture are clearly not like that.

You want roots like this:



Cheers.
Jim

[OfLeafandLimb]

No, you are both misunderstanding me, now.

I did know what he meant, but there is a difference between a root that is young and still growing, like in the initial post, and a root that has stopped growing, and started again with the new growing season.

The root that is starting from the base, like you showed above, is ideal, yes. A young root that is still in its first active growth phase, like what is shown in the initial post is also adaptable. A root that grew to maturity, and stopped growing for that season, and then started anew from the root tip, is not adaptable to s/h culture.

What I am saying is that since the plant has begun new growth for the current growing season already, it won't be long before new root growth from the rhizome emerges. The fact that the newest root growth got broken off will probably spur the plant to work harder to replace those roots.

Is that making more sense, now?