Alison,

You're not alone! Don't fret, even if we can't help you save it, it IS just
a plant...

I'd suggest the "sphag 'n bag" method, or at least a variant. The thing is
obviously desiccated, so you're going to need to give it very high humidity
to give it a chance to survive. In that same situation, I'd do this:

1) Soak fresh bark in HOT water for about 30 minutes to get it really
saturated. If you have a liquid rooting hormone add it to the soak water.
Drain and let cool to room temp.
2) Soak the entire plant for an hour in tepid water containing 1 tablespoon
sugar/gallon and more rooting hormone. If you have a powdered hormone, dip
the rhizome after the soak in sugar water.
3) Place the plant on top of the saturated medium in an appropriately-sized
pot, and hold it in place with a stake of some sort.
4) Place the entire thing in a large plastic bag to simulate a greenhouse,
and seal it up.
5) Put it in a warm location with indirect light, and hope.

Hopefully, if a few weeks on of the dormant "eyes" will start forming a new
growth, which will be accompanied by new roots that will grow down into the
medium and get the plant established. Once that has happened, you can open
the bag and gradually move the plant into normal conditions and treatment.
--

Ray Barkalow First Rays Orchids
http://www.firstrays.com
Secure Online Ordering & Lots of Free Info!


"Alison" wrote in message
om...
Hello; I am new to this & relatively new to orchid growing. I have
been reading the posts for a while & hope I am entering the discussion
properly..... I have a question I wonder if some of the members could
help with.
I bought a Blc. in the fall & when I got it home & out of its pot I
found it had over 75% rotten roots. They were embedded in a soggy,
mossy, chunk of fibrous stuff wedged in a pot full of bark. I cut off
all the roots I dared, dusted it with charcoal, dried it out for a
couple of days & repotted it in clean bark chips. It started
declining; I finally depotted it again & found most of the rest of the
roots had rotted too. I may have watered & misted it overzealously.
Now it is sitting bare-root in a pot; most of the roots are stiff &
black; the 4 pseudobulbs are shrivelled to the texture of raisins &
the leaves are starting to be a bit soft, & a little pitted on the
tops. It has 2 good roots, both with brown spots. I am having
trouble deciding how much water to give it; the humidity is around
50-60% in the house. It's taking a long time to die & I wondered if
there was anything else I could do to resurrect it? (If you are
stupid enough to buy a scruffy overpriced orchid from a vendor that
can recognize a sucker, I guess you deserve what you get...serves me
right.)
I also wondered if anyone has ever used those "miracle plant growth
hormone" potions one sees advertised... the kind that will turn your
nearly-dead plant into a vibrant bloomer. I don't believe it, but
wondered if anyone has an opinion on them.
Thanks for any suggestions.
Alison