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goldenrose
Guest
It added 2 growths & you want to dump it? 
Don't give up!
Don't give up!
HELP!!! Seedling root rot :-(
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goldenrose
Guest
'I have a concolor that I unpotted after blooming to find that it had absolutely no roots. It just had a stub sticking down into the medium.... I unpotted it again about 2 weeks ago and it still had no roots despite the fact that it added two new growths. Part of me says keep trying and the other part of me, which is probably winning, says give it up and get another one."
It added 2 growths & you want to dump it? Don't give up! Listen to the keep trying side! IMO 2 weeks is nothing to expect noticeable root growth when switching mediums.
It added 2 growths & you want to dump it?
Don't give up! Listen to the keep trying side! IMO 2 weeks is nothing to expect noticeable root growth when switching mediums.
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Eric Muehlbauer
Guest
My problem is that I never give up....I nurse decrepit plants for months, sometimes years,when they really have no future...but as long as I see life in them, and especially if they are something I want (I want them all............), I can't help trying to save them......usually unsuccessfully. Take care, Eric
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Corbin
Guest
'I have a concolor that I unpotted after blooming to find that it had absolutely no roots. It just had a stub sticking down into the medium.... I unpotted it again about 2 weeks ago and it still had no roots despite the fact that it added two new growths. Part of me says keep trying and the other part of me, which is probably winning, says give it up and get another one."
It added 2 growths & you want to dump it?
No, I first found it had no roots in the fall of 2007 so it has been almost a year in the spag. trying to grow new roots. I am amazed that it has not completely died. The two new growths would easily fit on a dime so they are very small and do not seem to have grown much in the last six months. I just repotted them again a couple months ago to see if fresh spag. would spur them on but it does not seem to have helped. Still since they are only in a 2 inch pot they do not take up much room.
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paphiness
Guest
wires as roots
I've dealt with many rootless plants myself, both home "grown" and ones that I've bought. I've seen and used two methods that have a fair success rate:
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1) Wiring
This is a very interesting idea that I've seen or heard several professional growers attest to. Apparently the wires keep the plant very still so that new root tips are not jostled as they emerge from the plant. Why this works, I'm not really sure...
After all, most plants are just sitting there -- how can there be enough movement to cause damage to new root tips? One answer I heard was that watering the plant can cause it to shift about. I'm still not totally satisfied with that answer, but that's what I've heard...
I've seen one venerable grower wrap the base of a big multifloral with stiff wire (a little more flexible than clothes hanger material) and make faux roots with it. The real roots seem to have no problem emerging later.
2) Sphag-and-bag
I've tried the sphag-and-bag, or in my case, sphag-and-box, and that has sometimes worked. I think it works best when you grow up the sphagnum for awhile, and new sphagnum starts to grow. Yes, I know that the sphagnum is supposed to be dead when you buy it in the rectangular cubes, but you can grow it given humid enough conditions. And no, I'm not talking about algae, either. Once the sphagnum starts growing again, it's quite apparent since you see new green vegetative matter that resembles miniature blades of newly-grown grass.
In any case, I've been able to root out many rootless seedlings in a small transparent box (6 in x 6 in x 6 in or so in size), and actually with no drainage, or air movement, either! A double slap at conventional wisdom...
===
I would estimate that my plant recovery rate using these two methods has been about 75%. It also has a lot to do with how healthy the rest of the plant is (i.e., the part without roots) is in the first place. If it's pretty healthy, it will have a better chance of recovering, whereas a plant with limp leaves and no roots has a more uphill battle.
Terry Root once told me that you can flower paphs with no roots, that foliar feeding could be sufficient for growth. But that's a whole other divisive topic...
There are a few more tricks I've heard; one day soon I'll post them on slipperorchidblog.com.
I've dealt with many rootless plants myself, both home "grown" and ones that I've bought. I've seen and used two methods that have a fair success rate:
===
1) Wiring
This is a very interesting idea that I've seen or heard several professional growers attest to. Apparently the wires keep the plant very still so that new root tips are not jostled as they emerge from the plant. Why this works, I'm not really sure...
After all, most plants are just sitting there -- how can there be enough movement to cause damage to new root tips? One answer I heard was that watering the plant can cause it to shift about. I'm still not totally satisfied with that answer, but that's what I've heard...
I've seen one venerable grower wrap the base of a big multifloral with stiff wire (a little more flexible than clothes hanger material) and make faux roots with it. The real roots seem to have no problem emerging later.
2) Sphag-and-bag
I've tried the sphag-and-bag, or in my case, sphag-and-box, and that has sometimes worked. I think it works best when you grow up the sphagnum for awhile, and new sphagnum starts to grow. Yes, I know that the sphagnum is supposed to be dead when you buy it in the rectangular cubes, but you can grow it given humid enough conditions. And no, I'm not talking about algae, either. Once the sphagnum starts growing again, it's quite apparent since you see new green vegetative matter that resembles miniature blades of newly-grown grass.
In any case, I've been able to root out many rootless seedlings in a small transparent box (6 in x 6 in x 6 in or so in size), and actually with no drainage, or air movement, either! A double slap at conventional wisdom...
===
I would estimate that my plant recovery rate using these two methods has been about 75%. It also has a lot to do with how healthy the rest of the plant is (i.e., the part without roots) is in the first place. If it's pretty healthy, it will have a better chance of recovering, whereas a plant with limp leaves and no roots has a more uphill battle.
Terry Root once told me that you can flower paphs with no roots, that foliar feeding could be sufficient for growth. But that's a whole other divisive topic...
There are a few more tricks I've heard; one day soon I'll post them on slipperorchidblog.com.
SlipperFan
Addicted
Ah, a man after me own heart....
NYEric
Well-Known Member
I do the same thing, I hate to give up on plants. I recently found that I was having a problem w/ some besseae flavum hybrids; I put them in sphag-n-bag and wouldn't you know I had a thrip/fungus gnat explosion inside some of the bags! I applied an insecticide and after I leave the bag closed to get any possible next generation I'll switch the plants and see how any growths do.
