Indoor orchids can be attributed to rather capricious plants. This is due to the fact that at home it is problematic to recreate the conditions of the tropical jungle in which these flowers grow in nature. Improper care will lead to problems immediately. Of these, the most common among beginner gardeners is rotten roots at an orchid. But do not despair and throw away a poor plant! Even a nearly dead flower can be reanimated.
Symptoms of problems
If something is wrong with the orchid, it will necessarily signal this with its appearance. It is worth the alarm and take action if you notice the following symptoms:
- Slow and poor growth.
- The leaves on the entire stem fade and dry. After that, usually they quickly turn yellow, and the flower itself dies. But do not worry if only the bottom leaves fade. For an orchid, this is a normal process.
If the listed symptoms are not observed, then the plant is better not to disturb once again. Otherwise, the natural development is disrupted, and then the resuscitation of the orchid will definitely be required.
Reasons for wilting
Often the problem of root rotting lies in improper care:
1. Poor or too intense lighting. Orchid as a gentle creature loves only diffused light, does not tolerate direct sunlight and high temperatures. From this, the plant loses water, and therefore dries. When overheated, the orchid is cleaned in a dark place for a couple of hours. With the shadow placement of the flower, additional phytolamps are hung.
2. Insufficient or excessive watering. Although this plant is tropical, it should not be flooded. Before each watering, the soil in the pot should completely dry. Otherwise, you will soon see rotten roots at the orchid. The lack of moisture leads to drying of the flower. On average, you need to water once a week.
3. Oversaturation with fertilizers. It is always important to follow the instructions and add the product in the specified proportions. From an excess of trace elements in the substrate, poisoning of the root system occurs. As a result, it rots, leaves turn yellow, and the plant dies. If you timely cancel fertilizers and change the substrate, then there will still be a chance to save the orchid.
4. Poor quality substrate. All kinds of worms and bugs very often start in uncultivated land. In the case of tropical plants, pests are nutcrackers. It is they that can cause the roots of the orchid to rot. If these parasites are seen in a flower pot, then it is urgent to replace the old substrate with a better one.
Extraction and inspection of a flower
To choose the right path of resuscitation of a plant, you need to check the condition of the root system. For this, the orchid is very carefully removed from the pot and hands remove the excess substrate. If a piece of bark has grown to a plant, then in no case should you try to tear it off. As soon as the flower is freed from the ground, the roots are gently washed with warm running water. This can be done in the shower or in the basin.
After washing, the orchid is left to dry on a newspaper. In the summer it will be enough to wait a few hours. But in the winter, you have to wait longer. Continuous drying will not do any harm. The main thing is not to try to speed up the process by putting a delicate flower closer to the battery or fireplace. Otherwise, the entire resuscitation of orchids will go down the drain. As soon as the roots are completely dry, proceed to the inspection. Their appearance is the main indicator of flower health.
Differences of rotten roots from healthy
Young processes are always light white. They get a herbal shade when they get enough water. Already sufficiently grown “adult” roots will be resilient and have a juicy green color. Older ones will be light almond in color. Patient branches have a dark brown or even black tint. However, color is not always an indicator of disease. Lack of greenery may result from insufficient lighting. And for some species, it is generally normal to have brownish or yellowish processes. Therefore, visual inspection alone should not be relied upon.
In order not to make mistakes and reliably determine the decayed roots of an orchid, they must be thoroughly felt from the tip to the very base. Unhealthy specimens will have a flabby and loose structure. How to check this for sure? Swipe your fingers on the root surface without squeezing it. If it is soft, slippery or completely disintegrates into parts, then it is definitely rotten.
What to do with rotten roots?
Resuscitation of a flower primarily begins with the removal of dead parts. You need to act immediately. Especially if during the inspection it was discovered that the plant has rotted more than half of the root system. All damaged processes must be removed with sharp scissors, a knife or a scalpel, slightly capturing the healthy part. If this is not done, then after the restoration procedure, the rotten roots of the orchid will again appear.
After trimming, the sections must be sanitized. You can use special preparations for plants or alternative methods. Damaged places sprinkled with crushed activated carbon or cinnamon powder. Then you do not need to shake it off, the product is left at the tips.
After this, the remaining roots are recommended to be soaked in a firming solution (for example, in Kornevin). An orchid is kept in it for a day, and then planted in a fresh substrate. Cover the soil and protruding parts with moss. In this case, the plant should be located in a well-lit place.
Resuscitation of a flower without roots
On examination, it is sometimes found that all the roots have decayed in the orchid. In such a seemingly hopeless case, you can also save the flower. The sequence of actions is exactly the same as described above. Only the plant is not immediately planted in the substrate. First, it is placed in a container of water, which in no case should the leaves touch. Water must be changed to fresh daily. It is desirable that it be filtered, boiled or bottled. And so, until the roots grow at least four centimeters. After that, the flower can be transplanted into the ground.
For rapid growth, orchids use the "greenhouse" method. The plant is planted in a pot with drainage and moist sphagnum, and then placed in a transparent greenhouse. It can be a pot, a glass jar or a box of cake. The temperature should be around 30 degrees. Periodically, the greenhouse should be aired. Such resuscitation can last from a month to a year, depending on the degree of damage.
How to restore dry roots in an orchid?
Improper care as often leads to drying, as well as to rotting of the roots. At the same time, not only the root system, but also the peduncle loses moisture. What to do in this case? In principle, the same thing. Withered processes must be removed because they are dead. It’s easy to determine them by sight - just look at the photo of such a dying orchid, and everything will become clear. The slice is further processed and the plant is placed in a moist substrate.
Sometimes baths are made for dried tropical flowers after pruning. To do this, every day, the roots are dipped in warm water for a couple of hours. And so on until new sprouts appear. After orchids provide the usual proper care.
Resuscitation with "escaping" processes
Beginning gardeners often ask themselves: is there something you need to do if the roots of an orchid come out of a pot? Lack of knowledge leads to incorrect conclusions and actions. Such roots are called airborne and are not a disease. That is, this is the norm for tropical plants. Many make a mistake when they cut off or try to push the accessory processes back into the substrate. Should not be doing that. You just just damage the plant, and the orchid will definitely need resuscitation.
If you constantly observe the picture, as the newly appeared orchid roots emerged from the pot, then you need to reconsider the watering. The frequent appearance of air processes signals an excess of moisture, which subsequently leads to decay of the plant.
Preventative measures
So that the orchid never gets sick and delights with its beautiful flowers, it is enough to follow the rules of care:
- Place the pot under diffused bright light, and not under direct rays.
- Protect the flower from frost, drafts and heating appliances.
- Water according to the size of the root system and the period of activity of the orchid.
- Cancel feeding during periods of calm.
- Do not water newly transplanted plants.
Of course, this is only the basic knowledge in caring for an exotic flower. But even they can save a green pet and save from trouble. In any case, it is always important to know how to revive the roots of the orchid, whether they are drained or waterlogged.