cinnamon is used like a styptic pen. It drys over deep cuts in the plant. This might be necessary if you must remove a pseudobulb or something radical. Too many people are using too much cinnamon. It is really not useful for anything because the plant itself has enzymes which will identify an "injury" (cut) and start the plant equivalence of scabbing over and healing to occur, just as if you cut yourself. Putting it on roots anywhere is liable to kill them. It will certainly dry them out to the point where they are in peril of destruction. This will further slow the growth of the plant (set-back is the term). Semi-Hydro is not about keeping the orchid in a situation of total sterility. Roots dead and alive are used by the orchid, if they were not all wild orchids in trees would have gotten rid of their roots. They keep their roots because their roots have a use to them. There are at least 4 reasons for an orchid to keep its roots.
To harvest nutrients from rainwater or mist, which is the only way a lot of orchids get their water, and keep it close to the base of the plant.
To create a catch area for living beneficial bacteria (which float in the air)
To act as a moisture trap for an epiphytic plant (like people use sphagnum moss when they are mounting a plant)
To create more of a base for the plant to hang on to branches. -- since wild plants are never repotted, the old roots are still twisted around the tree branch, so they act as "anchors."
---------- Post added at 08:57 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:40 AM ----------
As far as "everyone says for years to do so-and-so." They also say water your orchids with ice cubes.
The erroneous advice on the internet is passed along and magnified over and over again. I would recommend an actual botany textbook and a few good orchid books rather than taking internet advice. The internet has some good points too, but arm yourself with actual knowledge.
Last edited by Optimist; 07-08-2018 at 10:52 AM..
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