Help - orchid after root rot
 

Good day,
Well, my problem is - i replanted my orchid - phalaenopsis - and it did have severe case of root rot - only one root was saveable - i replanted it in bark medium for orchids - but some damage started to show and i dont know what is it - i tried to identify, but couldnt... can you help me please? And what i should do? The wound started as slightly mushy and discolored spot and evolved to this - from underside of leaf it is lookthrough - very thin place, at the crown there is some damage too, and at other leaf there is something too...
Please can you help me?

Looks like cold damage? I mean honestly, they look like minor blemishes and my plants (not orchids) get them all the time on their leaves when I (mess) around with their lighting or ambient temps. But someone with a background in orchids should double check my assessment

**edited for language** wr

I agree with your assessment. I don't think it's anything you should stress over.( However, while the world uses the "f" word, many of us here find it extremely offensive, please adjust your posting accordingly. And thank you in advance).

bit afraid... plus afraid of root rot coming back, i needed to cut all root ( about 10) and only one left, and when i checked yesterday it started to rot too, so i needed to cut it too to half..

The leaves look very healthy, for having such severe root rot. How about a picture of the roots, or lack of roots. Bottom part of plant.

the root is really in bad shape - it is black now ,because i used (how it is called? coal? wood coal? somewere i read it should be used on wound after cutting to prevent illneses getting through the wound) that little root at second screenshots is all that was saveable:I it was greenish in color, and i did see it through bark - spotted difference in color-softinnes over one night so went to check and needed to snip half of it - this is last piece of root

I can't believe the leaves look that good with no roots. Well here's to hoping it will start some new ones soon. Is there any way you can get some kelp to help with the root growth?

zero:( well i hope too that it will start growing again

I also can't believe how nice those leaves look in comparison to base. Good Grief. It's why I asked for a picture. Do you know how to sphag and bag? Or put in a vase with water, no part of plant actually touching?

no and no, beginner here

Get some sphagnum moss, SOAK in distilled water, wrap the uh... stub of the orchid in the wet moss, then put it in a very high humidity enclosure. This promotes root growth and can save your orchid. If you've ever grown anything via cuttings, it's basically the same process.

wouldnt extra high humidity and wet moss around stub increase chance of root rot? because i got root rot from overwatering i think

i dont have much time now (i am in deadline and need to do something out of my home) so i will need to leave my orchid for week (my friend will water it) and i will hope for best:I

how often should i check roots? checking every day isnt possible, but i am afraid that root rot will come back

You can also lay it on a damp paper towel and put it in a bag in a semi shady area. What do you have to lose at this point?

i will try it, when i come back

it looks like root rot is back too:(, checked root, and the end is softy/mushy - hoping that it will last until friday, when i can use sphagnum method - if i can ask - somewhere they are saying that sphagnum should be touching the stub, somewhere that is shouldnt touch the plant

I wonder if you are overthinking this whole process?
The point is to keep the surroundings humid/damp to start the rooting process. If it touches, it's ok, if it doesn't, it's ok. The plant will be enclosed in a sealed, vented bag.You're trying to kickstart roots. I've also read that new moss has someone antiseptic qualities. Good luck.;

You have no roots left to rot, and actually nothing to water. The point is to get it into a high humidity situation and start new root growth. I wouldn't wrap the end of it with anything. Anything damp (moss, paper towel, wash rag, layer of rocks with water not up to top of rocks) provides the humidity. The bag (left slightly open) or a large glass bowl inverted over it, or a semi or clear plastic container, keeps the humidity level up. Think of it as putting it into a tiny mini-greenhouse you've made up of household items. Good luck!

I have been growing orchids since 1982, but mostly growing them better and more deliberately / successfully in the last 10 years. I agree with Dollythehun; you are overthinking.

The reason the roots have died is that they have succumbed to rot. The rot is encouraged by trying to keep the plant watered and humid, so the rot has spread. You need to stop the cycle.

Stop cutting the roots. Get a small jar or glass, maybe 2 inches in diameter. Soak the section of the plant stem that still has a root for maybe 15 minutes. Drain and allow the plant to dry. Do this at least daily. In between, keep in a shady location, but not completely dark.

You should stop seeing root rot soon after doing this. It will take longer for new roots to form. Wait until new roots are at least 3 or more centimeters long before trying to re-pot (new pot, new bark). Water thoroughly each time, several seconds of water flow through the pot each time. Allow the bark to get nearly dry before watering the next time.

Regarding the leaves, only the leaves which have translucent and soft spots concern me. Cut those soft spots out. Don't water for a couple days after cutting, make sure there are no new translucent spots before watering again (if new spots appear, cut, wait another 2 days).

I don't know what the roots originally looked like, but it is possible they were healthy enough not to require cutting off. As others have noted, the plant is remarkably good looking for a plant with severe root rot.

Browse the Phal forums here and look at photos of roots.

My thoughts exactly. People learn to spot counterfeit money by learning what real bills look like. Educate yourself on what the plant should have looked like by reading the link we suggested.

ok, thanks for your advices - i will try sphag-bag metod

someone asked about root rot - it was severe - when i first repotted, all roots (from that one) were completely black, and mushy and the stuff extremely easily slid from that string that is inside - like zero strength required,

so what i should do?

1.) cut the weird spots, wait 2 days
2.) give it micro clima - soaked sphagnum in bag with orchid, orchid without media but hanged with some plastic strips - so it is normal position for her, keep in shady location, thats all?

Just lay it in there.

for what should i ask in shop? because i couldnt get to shop, my father went - and buyed what i said - sphagnum in my language - but he brought that sort of soil that is very nutrious, but not that moss that i saw on video

AAA New Zealand long fiber spaghnum moss. Can you order from Amazon or an orchid shop?

i am in nowhere so no... i am going to check tomorrow few shops in nearest town, after that i will check city where i study - or i need to find alternative

You could use damp paper towels...

This is my Phal that I bought at a supermarket at discounted price. When I brought it home, it had beautiful roots but I guess I didn’t water it enough and I have dry air and all it’s roots dessicated except for one crooked little root. So, I potted in medium size bark and wrapped it’s base in sphagnum moss. I kept that moss moist all the time. Took about 3 months to grow that one fat stub of a root ( marked with arrow on bottom of the pic). Then it halted its growth and the tip of the root got darker and it wasn’t growing no more. So I decided to give full water culture a try. I put it in a glass container and filled it with water about 1/2 way. Only that one old crooked root is in water. The new root isn’t in the water and look within 3 weeks, you can see 5! New roots (marked with another arrow) starting to emerge and the root that grew in sphagnum is branching out. So you can give this method a try if you like. I keep it in water all week and then over the weekend wash and clean the base and leaves. I don’t know if I am doing all correctly but it seems to be working.

You could also use dead leaf litter from the ground. Don't keep it wet, just barely moist.

well, i did what i could - only need to hope it was enough - it is now in bag with wet paper towels - in shady location - i hope it is enough

on other side - if it is lost - i now know a bit more about orchids so next one should have better life

update - orchid still alive - it created little root - about half centimeter - it is now closed in bag with sphagnum

but i need a bit help... my orchid decided that her room is perfect and instead of creating more roots it started creating new leaf....

Hi, thanks to all - it looks like my orchid is saved - hopefully i will not botch something:D - went with sphag and bag method for month, after few new roots were created repotted it

Great work! I see the plant is wet. Take care not to let water gather and stand in the crown.

Congrats - the new roots look great. It's such a relief when all your effort pays off!