First Orchid I’ve actually gotten to send out stalk. So excited. However, I am concerned about black rot? at base. Roots mostly bright green (cut of rotted before transplanting). I left dirt around roots as I was “afraid” to remove. Can you help?
It looks like the “dirt” you refer to are starter plugs or as the internet dramatically calls them death plugs. They can be anything from rock wool to peat to sphagnum. They are great for holding moisture for seedlings but can be problematic for older plants. A couple of things to evaluate as you decide what to do: -How long have you had these orchids? -Is the base of the plant firm or soft? -When you repotted, did you notice a foul smell? -The dead roots you removed, were they completely dead or living at the end of the root but dead closer towards the plant? -Have you lost any leaves? If so how many and in what span of time? If the plant is healthy, you can try letting it bloom. I would be frugal with the water, top water only (don’t soaking the pot). You want the plug to dry out as much as possible. Keep in mind any problems present will only get worse during this time. You could be looking at 4 months before it’s done blooming. If you are really concerned about its health and okay with the possibility of loosing the blooms, I would repot. Remove all media, especially the plug. It will be tedious work so take your time and be gentle. You might consider soaking it before getting started. Hydrated roots are more flexible. Discard the plug. Check for signs of rot. I would probably reuse the sphagnum and pearlite mixture you have it in if it’s still in good shape and the roots are healthy. The photo in the other post has me a little concerned. Bases can get a little dark and crunchy but it looks like the dark color is moving down the roots? If that’s the case, I would repot and remove any rot asap. You might consider treating the area with hydrogen peroxide.
0 LikesMy apologies for very late reply. I have a new baby - first grandchild - flight from MA to CA. So far away….. I recd plant for Mother’s Day in bloom. Repotted after flowers dropped, then 3 new leaves and 2 yellow ones removed. I Did cut off rotted roots and yes - rotted at top at plug and further down (cut rotted part off only). Base of plant firm, not crunchy. I do see more rot in roots especially at plug. Tried to loosen plug dirt from under roots but may be too late?
Roots at top. Don’t smell any thing.
Updated photo of orchid. Thx so much for the advise!
