How to deal with the empty roots of orchids
You may not be familiar with the experience of growing orchids, a member of the Orchidaceae family. How to deal with the empty roots of orchids? Let's take a look together! Empty roots in orchids can be quite common. This article starts with how to deal with empty roots, then introduces the reasons for the occurrence of empty roots in orchids, as well as preventive methods, aiming to help orchid enthusiasts avoid detours in their cultivation process. I've noticed that many online articles only mention the reasons for empty roots in orchids, not how to deal with them. Therefore, this article will first discuss the treatment methods before delving into the reasons.
When dealing with empty roots in orchids, we must first identify the cause, such as inadequate watering or the growing medium not being close enough to the roots. Once the cause is identified and corrected, the empty roots can be cut off and the plant repotted.
Ps: There is another method that has not been verified, for reference by orchid enthusiasts. Some suggest that when there are few roots, you can remove the outer skin of the empty roots without cutting them off, leaving the inner fibers intact, which can still absorb water. Whether this is effective can be tested by orchid enthusiasts!
Analysis of the reasons for empty roots in orchids:
1. Long-term water deficiency causes empty roots in orchids.
Watering should be thorough to avoid "half-watering." Watering orchids is a fundamental skill in orchid cultivation and a challenging one. The difficulty lies in the "half-watering" phenomenon that occurs when the watering is not thorough. "Half-watering" refers to the condition where the upper part of the potting mix is moderately moist, while the lower part is dry. This is the crux of the problem that causes empty roots in orchids. There are two methods to prevent this: First, water the orchids multiple times, not stopping as soon as water flows out of the bottom of the pot. Sometimes, even a small amount of water can cause water to flow out of the bottom, while the inner growing medium remains dry. Therefore, it's important to water multiple times to ensure the growing medium is fully moist. Second, use the "basin sitting" (immersion) method to water the orchids. This involves placing the pot in a container of water, allowing the surface of the potting mix to be roughly level with the water surface in the container, so that the water slowly wets the growing medium from the bottom up. This method ensures the most even and thorough watering.
2. Poor contact between the growing medium and the roots, lacking nutrients, leads to empty roots in orchids.
The growing medium should be well-mixed to ensure full contact with the orchid roots. An ancient saying goes, "If a root does not touch the soil, it will become empty." This is indeed a valuable piece of advice. Practice has proven that if the potting mix does not make adequate contact with the orchid roots, over time, the roots will become suspended and lose water, resulting in empty roots. Based on this, it is necessary for orchid growers to mix the growing medium thoroughly when planting orchids, adding large, medium, and small particles in sequence, tapping the pot wall after each layer to ensure the potting mix makes full contact with the roots. After potting, water thoroughly using the "basin sitting" method; this further increases the contact area between the roots and the growing medium. With proper subsequent management, this can effectively prevent the occurrence of empty roots in orchids.
3. Poor breathability of the growing medium causes root rot and then empty roots.
This should be easy for orchid enthusiasts to understand, so we won't elaborate further!
The above discussion on how to deal with empty roots in orchids is hoped to bring a little help to your life!