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Orchid root rot

snavezil76snavezil76 Posts: 20
in Problem solving
I bought a beautiful orchid last week and thought it was healthy, but I’ve just discovered it has root rot (pics in comments).

I think I can deal with this by taking it out of the pot, removing all the soil, cutting off the rotten roots, then repotting. I’ve also heard that briefly soaking the roots in dilute hydrogen peroxide can help.

My question is whether this is urgent or can wait until it’s finished flowering. I’m guessing it will lose its flowers if I treat and repot it, and they are so pretty.

Finally, do I need to buy orchid bark or can I use a mixture of coconut coir, perlite and coarse sand?

Thank you.

Posts

  • snavezil76snavezil76 Posts: 20

  • bertrand-mabelbertrand-mabel Posts: 2,697
    @snavezil76 never heard about using bleach on roots. We grow many different orchids and yes they do have problems. Why do you think the roots are rotting? Many orchid roots grow out of the pots, that is what they do.
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    I can’t see anything I’d be concerned about there. 

    @Nanny Beach grows a lot of orchids … let’s see what she thinks ..,

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • snavezil76snavezil76 Posts: 20
    bertrand-mabel said:
    @snavezil76 never heard about using bleach on roots. We grow many different orchids and yes they do have problems. Why do you think the roots are rotting? Many orchid roots grow out of the pots, that is what they do.
    It’s the roots coming out of the bottom of the pot. They are brown and squishy, and I can see a few more squishy ones inside the pot. I have another orchid and those roots all look plump and green (ones coming out if the top are silver).
  • snavezil76snavezil76 Posts: 20
    Dovefromabove said:
    I can’t see anything I’d be concerned about there. 

    @Nanny Beach grows a lot of orchids … let’s see what she thinks ..,
    Thank you :)
  • Nanny BeachNanny Beach Posts: 8,719
    edited August 2022
    Morning, here I am! Have had the grandkids a couple of days. OK.I have over 30 orchids, have never heard of bleaching them.  They are in "proper" orchid compost, which I renew every year. I don't repot into larger pots...partly because I have so many, and because they are in different coloured pots depending on which room they live in.Yours looks fine, if the bottom roots arent plump looking and green, you can snip them off. The don't like direct sunlight or dry air. I know they all come in these transparent pots.  We live quite near McBeans, specialist orchid breeder, they say put this into an opaque pot. I have stones in the bottom of the pots to help with keeping some moisture, weekly water, on roots,leaves, (not flowers)and spray the leaves and roots every few days, rain water prefered, but none available at the moment! Weekly feed while flowering, I use the consentrate you mix with water, would cost a fortune otherwise, but wit just one, you could buy a small bottle ready mixed.
  • snavezil76snavezil76 Posts: 20
    edited August 2022
    Nanny Beach said:
    Morning, here I am! Have had the grandkids a couple of days. OK.I have over 30 orchids, have never heard of bleaching them.  They are in "proper" orchid compost, which I renew every year. I don't repot into larger pots...partly because I have so many, and because they are in different coloured pots depending on which room they live in.Yours looks fine, if the bottom roots arent plump looking and green, you can snip them off. The don't like direct sunlight or dry air. I know they all come in these transparent pots.  We live quite near McBeans, specialist orchid breeder, they say put this into an opaque pot. I have stones in the bottom of the pots to help with keeping some moisture, weekly water, on roots,leaves, (not flowers)and spray the leaves and roots every few days, rain water prefered, but none available at the moment! Weekly feed while flowering, I use the consentrate you mix with water, would cost a fortune otherwise, but wit just one, you could buy a small bottle ready mixed.
    Thank you! That’s all really helpful. It’s good to hear my orchid is okay. I’ll let it finish flowering, then I’ll take off any roots that need to be removed. I’ll also get a small bag of orchid bark and some feed - I expect I’ll get some more orchids in future as they are such beautiful, interesting plants.
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