how to perk up dry phals

[cnycharles]

I just got my package of plants (mostly phal species) from the redland orchid festival, and things look pretty good. one thing though that has me concerned are the two phal mariaes that came from the philippines. I bought one last year and it was a beautiful plant, but the leaves were pretty limp. This year the plants again are nice but with again limp leaves and I'd like to know what I can do to get them to perk up? I know higher humidity would be helpful but since I don't have a greenhouse that I can use for my plants, and soak the floor down and have a big fan going, I am stuck a little. I've heard about doing sugar water soaks sometimes for seedlings, and I also have some anti-transpirant spray which I could put on the leaves. most likely these plants have been in a high humidity environment so that the stomates are probably locked open... the plant I had last year dried out too many times, the leaves fell off and it croaked. there aren't many roots, so am stuck there as well

probably post pictures tomorrow

 

[NYEric]

In sphag?

 

[Ernie]

Try s/h?

 

[cnycharles]

I was thinking about making a bed of damp sphagnum and laying the plant and roots across it all. I think Dwayne Lowder of Dowery Orchids would do something like that with the plants he imported until the did better, but whenever I try something with open sphagnum it gets crispy

about s/h, they have almost no roots so I'm thinking some sort of pre-treatment to get the leaves turgid before I do any potting. I'm afraid that with so few roots that the s/h really won't do anything except rot off the few roots that there are... am I wrong in that thinking?

 

[NYEric]

Try one in each! :evil:

 

[SlipperFan]

I agree about s/h. If the roots are weak, they won't do well at this point in s/h. I have saved a couple Paphs by soaking them in a sugar/alcohol (booze type) mixture. But others croaked anyway. Good luck, Charles.

 

[cnycharles]

I agree about s/h. If the roots are weak, they won't do well at this point in s/h. I have saved a couple Paphs by soaking them in a sugar/alcohol (booze type) mixture. But others croaked anyway. Good luck, Charles.

.. as in ripple/thunderbird, or beer? thanks

 

[SlipperFan]

Either one...

 

[Hien]

in distilled water, the pure water will be absorbed much faster

 

[cnycharles]

okay, our water is almost like distilled though i'll have to let the chlorine seep out first

 

[Hera]

I've had good luck with a humidity tent that I made with clear shower curtain. The fan on the humidifier creates air movement within. It is just a wire shelf with the humidifier on the bottom shelf and the curtain all the way around. The phals that I have in there are thriving and the restrepia are blooming well. The rest of the room dosen't need such high humidity and this concentrates it. I would try about 2-3 inches of sphag, loosely packed, and a generous layer of packing peanuts on the bottom. When the roots take off then you can transfer it to a different medium.

 

[biothanasis]

Charles, you could put them in some sponge. I have cut sponge we use to bathe in pieces and potted like semi hyrdo a couple of phals that have similar problems. I did this 2 months ago or so and now they are showing new roots and leaves. I guess it has to do with the rise in temp too...! Another thing to do is use a tank an put them in so that they get a lot of humidity.

Good luck!

 

[Ernie]

Gotchya. I soak sad plants in water with SuperThrive or rooting hormone soln + vitamin B1 with a little sugar. If the roots are in bad shape, they might rot no matter what you put them in. Use what you're comfortable with.

 

[Leo Schordje]

sphag & bag
Time honored technique; use a large zip lock or other similar clear plastic bag that you can seal. Put in a handful of damp sphagnum, squeeze out the water so it doesn't drip, but it should be soft & pliable damp. Then set the Phal in on top of the moss. Inflate the bag some with your breathe. Then seal. Hang the bag in bright shade. Absolutely no direct sun. Under fluorescent lights is good. Usually two or three months in the bag should do it. Once new root buds start emerging, then you can take the plant out of the bag and pot it up.

Variation on the theme. Pot the plant up as you would for the 'permanent' collection. Wet the potting mix, let drain enough to be damp, but not saturated. When at this point, place plant & pot ina large plastic bag and seal. In a couple months when new roots show, you can remove the bag.

I have treated with superthrive or other B1 solution before putting in bag, and that is okay.

For what it is worth.

 

[cnycharles]

thanks for the tips and info. I also received an email from the vendor who said that they recommend a superthrive dip and placing flat with some moss, low light and good air. I've heard very good things about the sphag and bag, but the few times I tried it, it didn't work for me. lots of people have told me that they do it and it works, I guess it just doesn't like me for some reason
I do have some rooting hormone from my beginnings with s/h so should use that (though think superthrive has it in it)
thanks again