What to do if the orchid roots rot
Orchid Management Tips, topics about orchids in the Orchidaceae family, how to deal with orchid root rot, next, the editor will provide you with detailed answers
Orchid root rot indicates a problem in orchid management. If any of the environment, planting method, watering, fertilizing, or spraying cannot meet the needs of orchids, the tip of the new bud leaves will start to wither or black spots will appear on the leaves, indicating that the orchid has started to get sick and rot. If the cause is not found and improved, the orchid will rot and die.
I. Poor environment:
1. Insufficient sunlight: Different orchids require different amounts of sunlight, but at least 4 hours a day is necessary. If sunlight is insufficient and the light is dim, photosynthesis is poor, the potting material inside is not easy to dry, and if watered too frequently, it is prone to root rot. (Change the orchid growing environment or use a plant light tube for supplementation)
2. stuffy heat: If the environment is not ventilated, it will become stuffy and hot, especially in summer when the temperature keeps rising. It is like slowly boiling the orchid in a pot, causing the orchid to rot due to steaming. (The black net around the orchid house should not be fully enclosed, leaving some gaps for the hot air to evaporate upwards, or install an exhaust fan to expel the hot air.)
3. Poor ventilation or too much ventilation: (1) Poor ventilation not only causes stuffiness and heat but also makes it difficult for the orchid to dry at night. If the material is too fine, it is prone to waterlogging and root rot, and the roots will appear black, indicating excessive moisture. (Use a pot with holes and the material should not be too fine.) (2) If the wind is too strong, combined with a pot with holes, the wind quickly dries the moisture in the pot. If water is not supplemented frequently, the orchid roots will dry out, become white and hollow, and the orchid will die. (Use a pot without holes and use a material with strong water absorption.)
4. Insufficient humidity: The most difficult problem to overcome when growing orchids on a balcony is insufficient humidity. Orchid roots need stable temperature and humidity. If it is too hot, too cold, too dry, or too wet, it is easy to cause orchid root rot. Therefore, improving the environment and maintaining suitable temperature and humidity for orchids, if the orchid grows normally with white roots and normal root tips, the environment is suitable for orchid growth. If the orchid keeps rotting and the growth condition is poor, it is mostly caused by too dry environment, especially insufficient humidity in summer. Therefore, increasing the humidity required by the roots can restore the normal growth of orchids.
II. Unsuitable planting method for the environment
Different environments require different materials for planting, considering various environmental factors such as temperature, humidity, sunlight, ventilation, whether it rains, and whether there is a humidifier. If one link is not considered, the orchid will not adapt to the environment and will die. For example: I grow orchids on the rooftop of the second floor, where the orchids get rained on. Using a pot with holes and planting with traditional large, medium, and small (from bottom to top) stone chips, the orchids either rot or die. Later, I found that the problem was during the plum rain season when it rained for a month. The small stone chips on the top of the pot caused waterlogging, rotting the pseudobulbs and roots, while the pot with holes quickly dried out the moisture inside due to high temperature and wind in summer, so the orchids either rotted from excessive moisture or died from excessive dryness. Only after changing the planting method and using a pot without holes did the orchids recover normal growth.
III. Incorrect watering time and method
The watering time and method vary with the humidity and dryness of the environment, the pot and material, and the change of seasonal temperature. The purpose is to prevent the material in the pot from being too dry or too wet, leading to root rot. For example: I plant orchids with large stone chips and water them at night in summer, but the orchids stop growing, the new buds cannot grow like bamboo shoots, which is a sign of water deficiency. Large stone chips have good drainage and are less likely to rot inside the pot, but they have poor water retention. Later, I changed to watering in the morning, and the orchids recovered normal growth; when using finer material inside the pot, if watered in the morning, due to strong water retention, poor ventilation, high temperature, and high humidity, it can also lead to root rot and affect orchid growth. Therefore, it is best to water in the evening in summer, and the excess water will drip by the next day, keeping the pot from being too wet. Thus, watering requires constant observation of the orchid's growth condition. If the growth condition is poor, the watering time and method need to be changed. If the problem still cannot be solved, find out where the problem is to apply the right treatment; also, do not water when the temperature is too low (below 10 degrees) or too high (above 30 degrees), otherwise the orchid will rot due to frostbite or heat stroke.
IV. Improper fertilization
Orchids have aerial roots and cannot absorb high concentrations of fertilizer. Once the roots are injured, they will naturally rot. Therefore, apply thin fertilizer frequently; also, using fermented organic fertilizer and solid long-acting chemical fertilizer (best placed at the edge of the pot) too close to the roots can also cause root rot.
V. Orchid plant disease
Orchids infected with pests, bacteria, or viruses can also get sick, rot, and die. If symptoms are found, spray the medicine for prevention and control.
The above experience and tips on what to do if orchid roots rot, hope this article can provide you with some help!