Rotted roots were everywhere.....
(not my picture)
.....among my phalaenopsis- it was disheartening. I knew it was to be expected to a certain extent, and I even acknowledged the fact that I had really stressed my orchids even before the transition to semi-hydro. But I never would have imagined how much rot there actually was.
It wasn't all bad news though, I'm relieved to say. A couple of the phalaenopsis, when I unpotted them, weren't in terrible condition. Only one orchid, my newest addition and the control phal that I'm using to measure growth rate, made it through the transition with no root loss. In fact, she was starting to acclimate already, which was such a wonderful discovery.
Pinkle:
Lost all but two aerial roots. I pushed those into the pot in the hope that they are sufficient to keep the plant hydrated until she can grow in some new roots.
Honey:
Lost every single root. It was dreadful and heartbreaking. Her axis was a lot longer than I expected so that gives me some hope that she has enough energy stored to start a new root system. I soaked her in some root stimulant solution before repotting.
Tweetie:
Lost all but a few aerial roots. The surviving roots weren't long enough to be moved so I repotted her as she was, just slightly lower in the medium in hopes of keeping the area moist enough to promote growth.
Marshmallow:
Lost all of her roots. Her leaves are not limp yet, so there's hope. But I imagine she will get dehydrated before she grows in new roots.
Gemma:
Lost all of her roots. She is looking pretty dehydrated with limp, leathery leaves. I'm not sure she's gonna make it. I really love her flowers, what a shame.
Crown:
Lost all but one, single root. I hope that lone root can hold on until she can grow in some more.
Viola:
Lost most of her roots. Her aerial roots, for the most part, seem viable so I repotted her slightly lower in the medium.
Plum:
Didn't lose a single root! All her roots were looking healthy, and a few were already growing in some new tips. She has acclimated to semi-hydro so incredibly quickly, I'm pretty shocked. I bought and repotted this orchid less than 3 weeks ago. Amazing!