What is that smell?

[Theodoreorchidking]

Hello everyone. My kovachii is sitting in an inch of what and I kind of got close to it and it stinks. I looked at the bottom and the roots seem rotten. However new roots are growing and other older roots are fine. This was just transplanted. I think I will stop with the inch of water and keep it moist. Tell me what you think and happy growing!!!

 

[Djthomp28]

It sounds like the water has set up some bacterium. I would dump the water and clean the tray it is in. Keeping it moist over keeping it sitting in water will stop the issue out right. I keep my Phragmipedium in less than an inch of water because I am not a dillegent waterer. If the water is not gone in 5 days I change all together.

 

[Ray]

What potting medium did you put it in and what was it in?

 

[Theodoreorchidking]

It has been in perlight oister shells and orchiata bark

 

[Silverwhisp]

If it were mine, I’d give it a good 3 months or so without any water tray whatsoever, in order to let the roots strengthen on their own. Transplanting can be a shock.

 

[Ray]

A couple things to keep in mind:

Orchiata is naturally populated with trichoderma and penicillium fungi, which is a good thing, as they kill insects and bacteria. They do, however, have a bit of an odor if kept wet and warm. It is not a uniform thing, however; some will have lots, some will not.

Secondly, when you repot a plant, it’s going to need to grow new roots that are “tailored” to the new root environment. Once roots grow, they cannot change, so changing the environment renders them “sub-optimal” and they will start to fail and ultimately decompose. If the “before” and “after” conditions are significantly different, the root loss is accelerated.

I do not recommend a “transition phase”. Right from the start, grow the plant they way it will be kept long-term. Doing something different in between encourages roots optimum for that environment, so requires the growth of a third set of roots once moved to its final conditions.

Yes, that may mean “babying” the plant while it adjusts, keeping it warmer, shadier, and in very high humidity to slow transpiration, and possibly the use of a stimulant to encourage root growth, but in my experience, especially if you time the repot to coincide with the emergence of new roots, that minimizes the setback.

 

[Kalyke]

phrags: I've been doing a monthly foliar spray of soaked garlic cloves with RO water (very weak). This provides sufur, which is used to build up cells. They do like to have fresh water because the water they are in, in nature is either constantly moving or rain water. I've had mine in water, old water, with a change every few weeks, (to rinse out anything) and have never experienced stinky water. -- So you are certain the water is the cause? I don't even think I have had root rot that actually stank. (I wonder, maybe my nose doesn't work right?)

 

[Theodoreorchidking]

So I dumped out the water and 3 days later the smell is gone!!! It may have been the algae. Thanks

 

[alanbar]

A couple things to keep in mind:

Orchiata is naturally populated with trichoderma and penicillium fungi, which is a good thing, as they kill insects and bacteria. They do, however, have a bit of an odor if kept wet and warm. It is not a uniform thing, however; some will have lots, some will not.

Secondly, when you repot a plant, it’s going to need to grow new roots that are “tailored” to the new root environment. Once roots grow, they cannot change, so changing the environment renders them “sub-optimal” and they will start to fail and ultimately decompose. If the “before” and “after” conditions are significantly different, the root loss is accelerated.

I do not recommend a “transition phase”. Right from the start, grow the plant they way it will be kept long-term. Doing something different in between encourages roots optimum for that environment, so requires the growth of a third set of roots once moved to its final conditions.

Yes, that may mean “babying” the plant while it adjusts, keeping it warmer, shadier, and in very high humidity to slow transpiration, and possibly the use of a stimulant to encourage root growth, but in my experience, especially if you time the repot to coincide with the emergence of new roots, that minimizes the setback.

Which stimulant would you suggest?

 

[Ray]

Which stimulant would you suggest?

That's going to depend upon the degree of need, but 99 times out of 100 I'll go with Kelpak, as in addition to stimulating root growth, it also reinforces the plant's natural phytochemicals, allowing it to conserve energy for regrowth. Here is the combo of events that would alter that:

► Really valuable or rare plant.
► Will need roots almost immediately or it will die.
► No mammals or birds will ever have an opportunity to come into contact with it, i.e., chew on it.

In that case, I'd consider trying a dose of Mega Thrive or some other treatment containing high concentrations of molybdenum and boron. However, using that has its own risks, including overstimulating hormone production without adding resources, which can be fatal to an already compromised plant, and the fact that the treated plant immediately and irreversibly becomes toxic to mammals and birds.