Okay, I have a Paph. Papa Rohl that bloomed for me last year at about
this time. It seems to have continued to grow, but no bloom yet.
Seeing that the bark was black and kind of nasty/slimy looking, I
repotted it into some fresh bark. The roots were firm and fuzzy, but
hadn't grown much.

I did the same thing with a Phal. This plant has been more or less
dormant for about a year. When I took it out of the pot, most of the
roots seemed dead. I cut them off and cut back the one "active" root
to about six inches. It was green and succulent. I put them both
back into the same pots they were in.

What should I do now with these plants?

Any help would be appreciated.

In the case of the paph, as the roots were in good shape, treat it normally.
The phals, not having a significant root system, should be kept warm, and
VERY humid to prevent desiccation while it grows enough roots to support the
moisture uptake needs. You might consider putting a clear plastic bag over
the plant and pot to act as a mini-greenhouse.

--

Ray Barkalow - First Rays Orchids - www.firstrays.com
Plants, Supplies, Books, Artwork, and Lots of Free Info!
..
"Joe" wrote in message
...
Okay, I have a Paph. Papa Rohl that bloomed for me last year at about
this time. It seems to have continued to grow, but no bloom yet.
Seeing that the bark was black and kind of nasty/slimy looking, I
repotted it into some fresh bark. The roots were firm and fuzzy, but
hadn't grown much.

I did the same thing with a Phal. This plant has been more or less
dormant for about a year. When I took it out of the pot, most of the
roots seemed dead. I cut them off and cut back the one "active" root
to about six inches. It was green and succulent. I put them both
back into the same pots they were in.

What should I do now with these plants?

Any help would be appreciated.

In the case of the paph, as the roots were in good shape, treat it normally.
The phals, not having a significant root system, should be kept warm, and
VERY humid to prevent desiccation while it grows enough roots to support the
moisture uptake needs. You might consider putting a clear plastic bag over
the plant and pot to act as a mini-greenhouse.

--

Ray Barkalow - First Rays Orchids - www.firstrays.com
Plants, Supplies, Books, Artwork, and Lots of Free Info!
..
"Joe" wrote in message
...
Okay, I have a Paph. Papa Rohl that bloomed for me last year at about
this time. It seems to have continued to grow, but no bloom yet.
Seeing that the bark was black and kind of nasty/slimy looking, I
repotted it into some fresh bark. The roots were firm and fuzzy, but
hadn't grown much.

I did the same thing with a Phal. This plant has been more or less
dormant for about a year. When I took it out of the pot, most of the
roots seemed dead. I cut them off and cut back the one "active" root
to about six inches. It was green and succulent. I put them both
back into the same pots they were in.

What should I do now with these plants?

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks Ray. Would the bark have made a difference in either case?

"Ray" wrote in message ...
In the case of the paph, as the roots were in good shape, treat it normally.
The phals, not having a significant root system, should be kept warm, and
VERY humid to prevent desiccation while it grows enough roots to support the
moisture uptake needs. You might consider putting a clear plastic bag over
the plant and pot to act as a mini-greenhouse.

--

Ray Barkalow - First Rays Orchids - www.firstrays.com
Plants, Supplies, Books, Artwork, and Lots of Free Info!
.
"Joe" wrote in message
...
Okay, I have a Paph. Papa Rohl that bloomed for me last year at about
this time. It seems to have continued to grow, but no bloom yet.
Seeing that the bark was black and kind of nasty/slimy looking, I
repotted it into some fresh bark. The roots were firm and fuzzy, but
hadn't grown much.

I did the same thing with a Phal. This plant has been more or less
dormant for about a year. When I took it out of the pot, most of the
roots seemed dead. I cut them off and cut back the one "active" root
to about six inches. It was green and succulent. I put them both
back into the same pots they were in.

What should I do now with these plants?

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks Ray. Would the bark have made a difference in either case?

"Ray" wrote in message ...
In the case of the paph, as the roots were in good shape, treat it normally.
The phals, not having a significant root system, should be kept warm, and
VERY humid to prevent desiccation while it grows enough roots to support the
moisture uptake needs. You might consider putting a clear plastic bag over
the plant and pot to act as a mini-greenhouse.

--

Ray Barkalow - First Rays Orchids - www.firstrays.com
Plants, Supplies, Books, Artwork, and Lots of Free Info!
.
"Joe" wrote in message
...
Okay, I have a Paph. Papa Rohl that bloomed for me last year at about
this time. It seems to have continued to grow, but no bloom yet.
Seeing that the bark was black and kind of nasty/slimy looking, I
repotted it into some fresh bark. The roots were firm and fuzzy, but
hadn't grown much.

I did the same thing with a Phal. This plant has been more or less
dormant for about a year. When I took it out of the pot, most of the
roots seemed dead. I cut them off and cut back the one "active" root
to about six inches. It was green and succulent. I put them both
back into the same pots they were in.

What should I do now with these plants?

Any help would be appreciated.

I'm not sure what you're asking.

You stated the bark was black and slimy - a sure sign of decomposition, and
a desperate need for transplanting.

Fresh bark is OK for many growers, but its decomposition can be a
root-killer.

--

Ray Barkalow - First Rays Orchids - www.firstrays.com
Plants, Supplies, Books, Artwork, and Lots of Free Info!
..
"Joe" wrote in message
m...
Thanks Ray. Would the bark have made a difference in either case?

"Ray" wrote in message
...
In the case of the paph, as the roots were in good shape, treat it
normally.
The phals, not having a significant root system, should be kept warm, and
VERY humid to prevent desiccation while it grows enough roots to support
the
moisture uptake needs. You might consider putting a clear plastic bag
over
the plant and pot to act as a mini-greenhouse.

--

Ray Barkalow - First Rays Orchids - www.firstrays.com
Plants, Supplies, Books, Artwork, and Lots of Free Info!
.
"Joe" wrote in message
...
Okay, I have a Paph. Papa Rohl that bloomed for me last year at about
this time. It seems to have continued to grow, but no bloom yet.
Seeing that the bark was black and kind of nasty/slimy looking, I
repotted it into some fresh bark. The roots were firm and fuzzy, but
hadn't grown much.

I did the same thing with a Phal. This plant has been more or less
dormant for about a year. When I took it out of the pot, most of the
roots seemed dead. I cut them off and cut back the one "active" root
to about six inches. It was green and succulent. I put them both
back into the same pots they were in.

What should I do now with these plants?

Any help would be appreciated.

I'm not sure what you're asking.

You stated the bark was black and slimy - a sure sign of decomposition, and
a desperate need for transplanting.

Fresh bark is OK for many growers, but its decomposition can be a
root-killer.

--

Ray Barkalow - First Rays Orchids - www.firstrays.com
Plants, Supplies, Books, Artwork, and Lots of Free Info!
..
"Joe" wrote in message
m...
Thanks Ray. Would the bark have made a difference in either case?

"Ray" wrote in message
...
In the case of the paph, as the roots were in good shape, treat it
normally.
The phals, not having a significant root system, should be kept warm, and
VERY humid to prevent desiccation while it grows enough roots to support
the
moisture uptake needs. You might consider putting a clear plastic bag
over
the plant and pot to act as a mini-greenhouse.

--

Ray Barkalow - First Rays Orchids - www.firstrays.com
Plants, Supplies, Books, Artwork, and Lots of Free Info!
.
"Joe" wrote in message
...
Okay, I have a Paph. Papa Rohl that bloomed for me last year at about
this time. It seems to have continued to grow, but no bloom yet.
Seeing that the bark was black and kind of nasty/slimy looking, I
repotted it into some fresh bark. The roots were firm and fuzzy, but
hadn't grown much.

I did the same thing with a Phal. This plant has been more or less
dormant for about a year. When I took it out of the pot, most of the
roots seemed dead. I cut them off and cut back the one "active" root
to about six inches. It was green and succulent. I put them both
back into the same pots they were in.

What should I do now with these plants?

Any help would be appreciated.

"Ray" wrote in message ...
I'm not sure what you're asking.

You stated the bark was black and slimy - a sure sign of decomposition, and
a desperate need for transplanting.

Fresh bark is OK for many growers, but its decomposition can be a
root-killer.

Would the nasty bark be the cause of the lack of blooming and seeming
inadequate root development of the paph and of the dormancy of the
phal?

Also, what do healthy phal roots look like?

Incidentally, this paph is one hell of a tough plant. When I first
got it, I was - unwittingly, of course - feeding it fertilizer at
three times the recommended strength. All of my other plants croaked
immediately, but this one stuck around.

"Ray" wrote in message ...
I'm not sure what you're asking.

You stated the bark was black and slimy - a sure sign of decomposition, and
a desperate need for transplanting.

Fresh bark is OK for many growers, but its decomposition can be a
root-killer.

Would the nasty bark be the cause of the lack of blooming and seeming
inadequate root development of the paph and of the dormancy of the
phal?

Also, what do healthy phal roots look like?

Incidentally, this paph is one hell of a tough plant. When I first
got it, I was - unwittingly, of course - feeding it fertilizer at
three times the recommended strength. All of my other plants croaked
immediately, but this one stuck around.

Poor root growth or functioning equals poor nutrient uptake, and that can
prevent blooming, but that's not the only potential reason. Others to
consider are insufficient light, insufficient fertilizer, and fertilizer
with too much nitrogen.

--

Ray Barkalow - First Rays Orchids - www.firstrays.com
Plants, Supplies, Books, Artwork, and Lots of Free Info!
..
"Joe" wrote in message
m...
"Ray" wrote in message
...
I'm not sure what you're asking.

You stated the bark was black and slimy - a sure sign of decomposition,
and
a desperate need for transplanting.

Fresh bark is OK for many growers, but its decomposition can be a
root-killer.

Would the nasty bark be the cause of the lack of blooming and seeming
inadequate root development of the paph and of the dormancy of the
phal?

Also, what do healthy phal roots look like?

Incidentally, this paph is one hell of a tough plant. When I first
got it, I was - unwittingly, of course - feeding it fertilizer at
three times the recommended strength. All of my other plants croaked
immediately, but this one stuck around.

Poor root growth or functioning equals poor nutrient uptake, and that can
prevent blooming, but that's not the only potential reason. Others to
consider are insufficient light, insufficient fertilizer, and fertilizer
with too much nitrogen.

--

Ray Barkalow - First Rays Orchids - www.firstrays.com
Plants, Supplies, Books, Artwork, and Lots of Free Info!
..
"Joe" wrote in message
m...
"Ray" wrote in message
...
I'm not sure what you're asking.

You stated the bark was black and slimy - a sure sign of decomposition,
and
a desperate need for transplanting.

Fresh bark is OK for many growers, but its decomposition can be a
root-killer.

Would the nasty bark be the cause of the lack of blooming and seeming
inadequate root development of the paph and of the dormancy of the
phal?

Also, what do healthy phal roots look like?

Incidentally, this paph is one hell of a tough plant. When I first
got it, I was - unwittingly, of course - feeding it fertilizer at
three times the recommended strength. All of my other plants croaked
immediately, but this one stuck around.

Joe wrote:


Would the nasty bark be the cause of the lack of blooming and seeming
inadequate root development of the paph and of the dormancy of the
phal?



Bad bark (or old medium of any sort) is very bad for most paphs.
Some tolerate it better than others, and it depends a lot on your water
quality. I'm pretty sure it is more a function of salt (or 'crud')
accumulation than actual density of the mix, unless the mix is really
really soft. You can grow paphs in old socks if you want, just change
the socks once a year.

In a classic case of not practicing what I preach, I've gone a bit
longer than I care to admit between repottings of my paph collection.
Some of them were repotted in the spring, some haven't been repotted for
2 years. All the ones repotted in the spring are doing substantially
better than the ones in older mix. I know that when I finally do get
around to repotting those older ones, I'll have substantial root loss
and I'll probably have to move them down a pot size.

I don't grow as many phals, but usually failure to thrive for phals
(in my hands) is temperature related. I've heard some vendors say that
they will just plain stop growing below 60F, and take months to start up
again. If so, I have a few hundred phals that got down into the very
low 40s that aren't going to be doing much for me... Most of them are
in spike though.

Also, what do healthy phal roots look like?



Firm and white (or green), usually with green or red tips. Firm is
the important part. They should be turgid and round in cross-section.
Hard and flat is not good... Soft and mushy you already know isn't
good... Sometimes you will see a constriction (usually at a bend, which
is ok). Sometimes a short expanse of 'thread-like' connection between
the firm white parts. That is a section of root that only has the
central core remaining. Not usually the best sign, I tend to clip those
roots back and hope that they will branch.

Incidentally, this paph is one hell of a tough plant. When I first
got it, I was - unwittingly, of course - feeding it fertilizer at
three times the recommended strength. All of my other plants croaked
immediately, but this one stuck around.


They are tougher than most people give them credit for. They
tolerate me pretty well, and that says something.

Rob

--
Rob's Rules: http://www.msu.edu/~halgren
1) There is always room for one more orchid
2) There is always room for two more orchids
2a. See rule 1
3) When one has insufficient credit to purchase
more orchids, obtain more credit
LittlefrogFarm is open - e-mail me for a list )

Joe wrote:


Would the nasty bark be the cause of the lack of blooming and seeming
inadequate root development of the paph and of the dormancy of the
phal?



Bad bark (or old medium of any sort) is very bad for most paphs.
Some tolerate it better than others, and it depends a lot on your water
quality. I'm pretty sure it is more a function of salt (or 'crud')
accumulation than actual density of the mix, unless the mix is really
really soft. You can grow paphs in old socks if you want, just change
the socks once a year.

In a classic case of not practicing what I preach, I've gone a bit
longer than I care to admit between repottings of my paph collection.
Some of them were repotted in the spring, some haven't been repotted for
2 years. All the ones repotted in the spring are doing substantially
better than the ones in older mix. I know that when I finally do get
around to repotting those older ones, I'll have substantial root loss
and I'll probably have to move them down a pot size.

I don't grow as many phals, but usually failure to thrive for phals
(in my hands) is temperature related. I've heard some vendors say that
they will just plain stop growing below 60F, and take months to start up
again. If so, I have a few hundred phals that got down into the very
low 40s that aren't going to be doing much for me... Most of them are
in spike though.

Also, what do healthy phal roots look like?



Firm and white (or green), usually with green or red tips. Firm is
the important part. They should be turgid and round in cross-section.
Hard and flat is not good... Soft and mushy you already know isn't
good... Sometimes you will see a constriction (usually at a bend, which
is ok). Sometimes a short expanse of 'thread-like' connection between
the firm white parts. That is a section of root that only has the
central core remaining. Not usually the best sign, I tend to clip those
roots back and hope that they will branch.

Incidentally, this paph is one hell of a tough plant. When I first
got it, I was - unwittingly, of course - feeding it fertilizer at
three times the recommended strength. All of my other plants croaked
immediately, but this one stuck around.


They are tougher than most people give them credit for. They
tolerate me pretty well, and that says something.

Rob

--
Rob's Rules: http://www.msu.edu/~halgren
1) There is always room for one more orchid
2) There is always room for two more orchids
2a. See rule 1
3) When one has insufficient credit to purchase
more orchids, obtain more credit
LittlefrogFarm is open - e-mail me for a list )

Joe wrote:


Would the nasty bark be the cause of the lack of blooming and seeming
inadequate root development of the paph and of the dormancy of the
phal?



Bad bark (or old medium of any sort) is very bad for most paphs.
Some tolerate it better than others, and it depends a lot on your water
quality. I'm pretty sure it is more a function of salt (or 'crud')
accumulation than actual density of the mix, unless the mix is really
really soft. You can grow paphs in old socks if you want, just change
the socks once a year.

In a classic case of not practicing what I preach, I've gone a bit
longer than I care to admit between repottings of my paph collection.
Some of them were repotted in the spring, some haven't been repotted for
2 years. All the ones repotted in the spring are doing substantially
better than the ones in older mix. I know that when I finally do get
around to repotting those older ones, I'll have substantial root loss
and I'll probably have to move them down a pot size.

I don't grow as many phals, but usually failure to thrive for phals
(in my hands) is temperature related. I've heard some vendors say that
they will just plain stop growing below 60F, and take months to start up
again. If so, I have a few hundred phals that got down into the very
low 40s that aren't going to be doing much for me... Most of them are
in spike though.

Also, what do healthy phal roots look like?



Firm and white (or green), usually with green or red tips. Firm is
the important part. They should be turgid and round in cross-section.
Hard and flat is not good... Soft and mushy you already know isn't
good... Sometimes you will see a constriction (usually at a bend, which
is ok). Sometimes a short expanse of 'thread-like' connection between
the firm white parts. That is a section of root that only has the
central core remaining. Not usually the best sign, I tend to clip those
roots back and hope that they will branch.

Incidentally, this paph is one hell of a tough plant. When I first
got it, I was - unwittingly, of course - feeding it fertilizer at
three times the recommended strength. All of my other plants croaked
immediately, but this one stuck around.


They are tougher than most people give them credit for. They
tolerate me pretty well, and that says something.

Rob

--
Rob's Rules: http://www.msu.edu/~halgren
1) There is always room for one more orchid
2) There is always room for two more orchids
2a. See rule 1
3) When one has insufficient credit to purchase
more orchids, obtain more credit
LittlefrogFarm is open - e-mail me for a list )

Joe: You didn't say where you were, or whether you were growing indoors or
out. Up north where Ray is, it's probably already cool by now, or at least
cooler than down here in South Florida, and I'm sure his humidity is
substantially lower than ours

But in my neck of the woods, that plastic bag trick does little good and can
do a lot of harm. If the humidity is already 80% or more [which ours
generally is], it doesn't need to be raised; and if the temp is already 85F
or more [which ours generally is], it really shouldn't be raised [which the
plastic bag will do] -- orchids really don't like to be steamed.

With the exception of cutting the one active root on the Phal, you did
exactly what I would've done in the same situation. Good growing,
--
Kenni Judd
Juno Beach Orchids
http://www.jborchids.com


"Ray" wrote in message
...
In the case of the paph, as the roots were in good shape, treat it
normally.
The phals, not having a significant root system, should be kept warm, and
VERY humid to prevent desiccation while it grows enough roots to support
the
moisture uptake needs. You might consider putting a clear plastic bag
over
the plant and pot to act as a mini-greenhouse.

--

Ray Barkalow - First Rays Orchids - www.firstrays.com
Plants, Supplies, Books, Artwork, and Lots of Free Info!
.
"Joe" wrote in message
...
Okay, I have a Paph. Papa Rohl that bloomed for me last year at about
this time. It seems to have continued to grow, but no bloom yet.
Seeing that the bark was black and kind of nasty/slimy looking, I
repotted it into some fresh bark. The roots were firm and fuzzy, but
hadn't grown much.

I did the same thing with a Phal. This plant has been more or less
dormant for about a year. When I took it out of the pot, most of the
roots seemed dead. I cut them off and cut back the one "active" root
to about six inches. It was green and succulent. I put them both
back into the same pots they were in.

What should I do now with these plants?

Any help would be appreciated.