The green roots of the orchid remained how to save. How to save an orchid if its roots have rotted? Differences between living roots and dead ones

An orchid is an incredibly beautiful, but whimsical and capricious flower in care. The natural habitat of this unusual representative of the fauna is a tropical climate. It is quite difficult to reproduce such conditions of detention at home. The lack of a favorable microclimate becomes the main reason that even an adult and flowering orchid begins to wither, and then, if no measures are taken, it dies. Therefore, the state of the orchid must be constantly monitored.

Growing an exotic beauty on the windowsill requires a lot of time and effort just to part with your favorite specimen. It is much easier and easier to take a number of measures to resuscitate a diseased orchid. Even a plant that has lost its foliage can be saved. If everything is done correctly, then very soon it will again become the main decoration of the window sill, delighting with its sophisticated and delicate beauty. The main thing is to take all necessary measures to restore in a timely manner.

Natural aging of orchid foliage

Not all foliage problems are caused by improper care. We must not forget about the natural physiological and inevitable aging of foliage. It is characterized by yellowing of the plate. In order to be sure that aging was the cause of the dropping of foliage, it is necessary to take into account what species the orchid belongs to. Sheets of an exotic beauty usually die off in the third month of their existence.
Early fall is typical only for dendrobium. It occurs during dormancy. Monopodial species, among which the most common Phenopolis grown on windowsills, as a rule, do not lose all their foliage. Normal for them is the death of only two leaves that are below the others. Any other fall is not natural, but serves as a signal for concern about the health of the orchid.

Yellowness, accompanied by lethargy and flabbiness, is not physiological aging, but most likely overheating. So that the orchid does not lose its foliage, it is removed from the windowsill, and after three to four hours it is sprayed and watered with settled water. On the fourth or fifth day, the plant will come to its senses, but you need to put it in a new place.

Why do orchids lose their leaves?

The loss of foliage in orchids is most often associated with improper care. There are a huge number of points, each of which needs to be followed. Otherwise, an exotic and capricious flower may be left without leaves. The exposure of the stem in orchids is usually directly related to the state of the root system.
Often, novice flower growers flood the plant. This is due to the erroneous assumption that orchids love moisture. In its natural habitat, this exotic representative of the flora really grows along the coastline of reservoirs, in the rainforest, on sea slopes or in gorges. Its roots are never completely submerged in water.
If the orchid is watered too abundantly at home, the root system will simply begin to rot. Therefore, stagnation of moisture in the soil should not be allowed. When a plant has not been watered for any reason for a long time, the best way to prevent overwatering is to dip the roots in water for 10 minutes and then spray the foliage.

Resuscitation of an orchid without leaves

There are several ways to save an exotic tropical plant from death. Which method to resort to depends on the state of the orchid itself, the availability of free time. The last is the most important point. If you violate any point of the rehabilitation process, all efforts will be minimized.
Since the most common cause of foliage loss is flooding the root system so that rotting does not spread to the foliage, the orchid must be removed from the pot. The earth is shaken off the rhizome, dipped in a basin filled with warm water, for exactly ten minutes. Not a minute more, not a minute less.

An easy way to save an orchid

It is recommended to resort to it only under favorable conditions for a tropical beauty. This implies that it is kept at an optimal level of humidity and good sanctification. Both of these factors must be appropriate for the orchid variety. No deviations are allowed.
The stalk, left without leaves, is planted directly in the moss. Watering must be correct. For each, only one tablespoon of settled water is enough. Moisture is absorbed by moss and evenly distributed, and, therefore, the plant receives the amount of liquid it needs.
This method is quite simple, but not always effective, since it is very difficult to recreate ideal conditions. It is resorted to most often when the plant was simply flooded or already taken with a stalk without leaves.

You can plant a saved plant in a new container when the stalk gets stronger, the root system begins to grow, which indicates that the orchid feels great in the moss. The main thing is that the container is located correctly, that is, in the place where the tropical beauty will not be threatened by overheating, hypothermia or drafts.

The second way to resuscitate a plant

The orchid is pulled out of the water. Waiting for the complete drying of the plant. The root system is inspected and evaluated. Rotten shoots and leaves are removed with sharp scissors, pruners, blades. The instrument is pretreated for sterilization.
Places of cuts are sprinkled with powder. It is made from ground cinnamon or charcoal. If the inanimate elements are not removed, the flowers will continue to rot. The areas left damaged will nullify all efforts to save the orchid.

The flower, cleared of leaves and damaged roots, is placed in a greenhouse. It can be purchased at a specialized store or made from a plastic container with transparent walls. The bottom is laid out with expanded clay and moss. The orchid is “planted” from above, covered with a lid.
The main requirement for keeping an orchid in a greenhouse is the temperature regime. It should not be higher than +33 degrees. If the temperature is higher, then rotting will resume. At night, the temperature regime should be kept at a level of +20 to +25 degrees.

Preventive measures to prevent leaf fall in an orchid

Neither the leaves nor the root system will rot if the appropriate care rules are followed. The first and most important thing is that the orchid calmly tolerates the dryness of the soil, but rots when water stagnates at the bottom of the tank.

It is quite difficult for beginner gardeners to decide when the soil needs additional moisture. An excellent assistant in watering will be a plastic pot. Its transparent walls will be an excellent guideline for monitoring the condition of the rhizome so as not to overdry or flood the soil.

Orchids get sick not only due to overheating, but also due to lack of lighting. In both cases, the plant needs a change of residence. Otherwise, the resuscitation of the flower will not be successful. You can not place an orchid on a window without curtains or blinds, as well as next to heating appliances that are not covered by a shield. This will lead to overheating.

The best choice would be to place the orchid on a special stand. It should be located near a window oriented to the southeast or southwest. The main thing is that direct rays do not fall on the foliage of the flower. Otherwise, the plates will get burned, which will cause them to fall off.

Orchid is a beautiful tropical plant. Few can safely walk past a shop window, seeing an exotic flower in it. A tropical handful is bought into the house and presented as a gift, not knowing what conditions she needs. Failure to follow the basic rules of care will harm the plant, causing it to get sick. Therefore, it is very important to know how to reanimate an orchid.

The main signs of ill health

Orchid is a very delicate plant that needs constant attention and care. If for some reason the flower is sick, then signs of this can be seen on its leaves and roots. The main symptoms of phalaenopsis ill health:

Even the presence of one of these signs should make the grower think and change the care of the plant. This will help save the orchid.

Causes of root rot

To bring an orchid back to life, it is necessary to understand the reasons for the decay of the root system, otherwise further measures are simply meaningless. There are several main causes and solutions to this problem:

The use of the drug Kornevin to stimulate root growth

By determining the cause that provoked root rot, you can easily solve the problem and cure the plant. An exception can only be fungal diseases, to eliminate them it is necessary to act quickly. Otherwise, the root system may completely rot. And resuscitation of an orchid without roots and sluggish leaves can take a lot of effort and quite a long time.

Orchid preparation

Quite often, from an inexperienced grower, you can hear that an orchid is dying, the roots have rotted, the leaves are sluggish. The owner begins to panic and, often not knowing what to do with it, simply throws the flower away. But no need to rush, because you can revive the plant.

To begin with, take sharp scissors or a knife and treat with alcohol. Then all rotten roots are cut off to healthy tissue. All suspicious areas are also removed, otherwise they may become a site for the development of the fungus, and the plant will no longer survive. Places of cuts are sprinkled with charcoal or activated charcoal powder, cinnamon also has a good disinfecting effect. After that, phalaenopsis is left to lie in a drying room for a day.

When the roots are dry, they must be dipped in a fungicide solution for 10-15 minutes, and then the place where the roots will grow from can be treated with a growth stimulator. It is bought in a specialized store.

You can make such a preparation at home by dissolving 2 tablets of succinic acid in 500 ml of boiled water. Moisten a cotton swab with this solution and gently wipe the growth point and orchid leaves. The main thing is that water does not remain in the axils of the leaf plates.

Flower resuscitation at home

After these events, you need to decide how to reanimate the orchid at home. There are several ways to save the plant:

If you decide to start such a home plant as Phalaenopsis, then you should be prepared for some problems with it, which not every grower can prevent.

Home orchids are tropical flowers, so they prefer a humid and warm climate, it is rather difficult to reproduce such conditions at home without special greenhouses for plants. Therefore, many lovers of indoor plants often have to deal with such a problem as root rot.

How to prevent rotting of the root system?

Experts recommend growing orchids in transparent containers, this is due to the peculiarities of its vital activity in nature. Besides its roots are clearly visible in glass pots, which turn light green when hydrated. When their color turns pale green or white, and the leaves wither, then the plant needs watering.

In most cases, diseases of the root system occur due to improperly selected soil or a too loose flowerpot when transplanting an orchid. There should not be any small particles of earth in the soil, since they can cause water stagnation, leading to root rot, and also prevent access to oxygen. It is best to use a substrate consisting of half dry pine bark and sphagnum moss. And it is easy to cook it with your own hands.

How to understand that the roots of the plant rot?

The orchid will be able to be reanimated only if it is determined in time that its roots are not in order. This will be done according to the following signs:

Aerial roots noticeably darkened, softened or dried up;
The leaves have lost elasticity, which does not return even after watering;
Traces of green algae or sporulation appeared on the walls of the pot;
If the root system is rotten, then the aerial part of the plant is loosened.

If at least one of these signs appears, you need to check the condition of the roots by pulling the plant out of the ground. So it will be possible to determine how many healthy roots are left, and which ones need to be removed immediately. Only then can you start saving the plant.

How to save an orchid without root extension?

In the event that the root system of the Folenopsis is completely damaged, you can try to grow new roots, and cut off all damaged ones. Such resuscitation involves the use of high-quality planting land with sufficient density and good structure. Water the flower during the growth of the roots should be as rare as possible. This should be done only when the soil is completely dry, otherwise the young roots may rot again. In addition, it is advisable to water with filtered water in the morning.

Orchid resuscitation options without roots

First of all, the damaged flower is removed from the container, if living roots remain, then they are thoroughly washed. Moreover, when the orchid has a part of the healthy root system left, she has a better chance of survival.

When resuscitation is completed, it is necessary to dry the Pholenopsis in the air, the time will depend on the temperature, as a rule, it takes at least three hours for such a procedure. Then it becomes clear what other roots will have to be removed.

By the way, healthy roots are distinguished by an elastic and dense structure, but rotten ones become lethargic and soft. If you press on the damaged root, then liquid will stand out from it.. All dead parts are removed to a living place, while it is recommended to sprinkle the sections with Kornevin and treat with alcohol. Now you can move on to saving the orchid without roots.

The easiest way to reanimate a tropical plant that has a lot of non-rotten roots. First of all, it will have to be awakened from hibernation. For this you need to put a flower in the most illuminated place in the apartment. True, direct sunlight should be avoided. You can buy a phytolamp for such purposes.

The roots of the plant, cleaned of rot, are placed in a small pot with a substrate of sphagnum moss and expanded clay. The soil must be constantly moist, but not too much so that the water does not stagnate at the bottom. In such conditions, the plant is left in a warm room. The temperature in it should be about 25 degrees.

There is another method of saving an orchid without roots. This resuscitation is resorted to when there are few living roots left on the plant. More this option allows you to restore even a flower with blackened buds. First you need to make a small greenhouse from such improvised materials as:

Cans;
bottles;
Old aquarium.

As in the previous version, expanded clay and sphagnum are laid out at the bottom. A flower is planted in this prepared substrate. In this case, you will have to ensure that the temperature in the created greenhouse does not rise above 33 degrees. If you neglect this rule, the roots will begin to rot again.. However, coolness can also harm Pholeenopsis, because due to too low a mold fungus can appear, which will quickly destroy it.

This method is based on the action of carbon dioxide formed in a closed space. It is needed for the emergence of new orchid cells. Truth, once a day, the greenhouse should be ventilated. Every month, a tropical flower can be fed with Epin and honey solution. Of course, the main healer will be scattered sunlight.

The period of revival of the home orchid

After completing all the rescue work, the plant will not immediately begin to recover. It may return to normal within a month and sometimes it takes up to a year. When reviving Folenopsis in the spring or autumn months, the chances of saving him are much greater than in winter.

When the appearance of the orchid improves, the leaves turn green again and new roots appear, it is better to stop feeding. Its roots usually develop quite quickly. Watering after the resuscitation of the flower should be slightly reduced so that the soil has time to dry out.

As seen, rotting of the roots of Pholaenopsis is a very unpleasant phenomenon. which can be prevented with proper care. And even if it was not possible to avoid rotting, the plant can be saved.

Indoor orchids are considered difficult to care for and maintain only because many beginner gardeners die due to the loss of the root system. Is it possible and how to reanimate an orchid, in which most of the roots that feed the flower have rotted or dried up?

The autumn-winter period is the most dangerous for people from the tropics, where there are practically no seasonal fluctuations in temperature, light and humidity. In the warm season, actively growing, blooming orchids feel comfortable in natural conditions, easily enduring the lack of lighting, heating and additional humidification. ()

But in winter the picture changes. And the plant noticeably slows down growth, consuming less nutrients and moisture. What is the reason that orchids die at home, and how to save a beautiful flower?

If the grower did not respond in time to the change of season, did not correct the conditions of detention, the consequences in the form of weeping, rotting roots will definitely make themselves felt.

How to save an orchid with rotten roots?

Noticing that recently a living and healthy flower has become lethargic, the leaves have lost their juiciness, withered, and even watering does not help the plant recover, the grower should be wary. The sooner the trouble is discovered, the easier it will be to resuscitate the orchid, because without roots the flower will not be able to eat and will inevitably die.

Before resuscitating an orchid at home, you need to assess the situation and find out the degree of damage. This is done by carefully examining the root system:

Live and healthy roots are always dense, with an elastic uniform surface. The younger the rhizomes, the lighter their color, and when immersed in water or after abundant irrigation, they noticeably turn green.
Old rhizomes have a gray or brownish tint. But as long as they nourish the leaf rosette and flower stalks, the roots remain firm, smooth and dry to the touch.

Removing the substrate and washing the underground part of the plant will show the full picture of the lesion. A sign of decay, bacterial or fungal infection is:

darkening of rhizomes;
the appearance of weeping, slimy areas on them;
outflow of water when pressing on the root;
thread-like appearance of collapsed roots.

Unfortunately, rotten roots can no longer be saved, so they are removed, carefully trimmed to healthy tissue. Do the same with dried rhizomes. The loss of two or three roots, if the plant is properly cared for, will not affect viability.

But what if the orchid has all or most of its roots rotted? Is it possible to restore health to a plant or will you have to say goodbye to a green pet?

After removing the problem areas, the sections on the remaining parts must be treated with activated carbon crushed to the powder stage or ground cinnamon, which also has pronounced disinfectant properties. When the roots are dry, it is useful to immerse them in a fungicide solution for 10-15 minutes. This will reduce the risk of colonizing a weakened plant with harmful fungi.

Having disinfected the remains of the roots, ensuring the protection of the plant, it is important to treat the growth zone of future roots with a growth stimulator. This will strengthen the immunity of the orchid and speed up rooting.

How to revive an orchid: ways available at home

An orchid left without roots should not be thrown away. A tropical plant, with due care and patience, turns out to be very hardy and cheerful. Experienced flower growers are advised to consider three ways to revitalize:

in a home greenhouse;
without a greenhouse, using regular watering and drying;
by planting in a normal substrate.

Before resuscitating an orchid, you need to assess its condition and choose the most effective and fastest way. If a flower that has lost less than 60% of its roots manages to regain health in a month, then an orchid completely devoid of a root system may require special maintenance and care for up to a year.

The choice of the option of how to save an orchid without roots depends on:

from the state of the affected flower;
on the number and condition of the leaves;
from the presence of horse rudiments formed in the lower part of the leaf rosette.

Of considerable importance are the conditions that a grower can create for the resuscitation of an orchid without roots.

How to reanimate an orchid in greenhouse conditions?

If the grower has a window greenhouse in which the plant will be kept at a consistently high humidity and comfortable temperature, there is a high probability of saving even a seriously weakened flower without a root system.

How to reanimate an orchid if the roots have rotted? In the container in which the flower is to be rooted:

pour a thin layer of expanded clay;
a layer of peeled, thoroughly steamed sphagnum is laid on top of it.

The substrate is gently moistened and a leaf socket is placed in it. Until the plant forms roots 3–5 cm long, the flower will have to constantly be under cover:

at air temperature from 22 to 28 °C;
at air humidity within 70–100%;
in bright diffused lighting for 12-14 hours a day.

Temperatures below 20 and above 33 ° C inhibit the growth of roots, but promote the reproduction of pathogenic flora and fungi.

What to do if all the roots of an orchid have rotted? Is it possible to stimulate root formation? Yes, this can be done with the help of competent care for the leaf outlet in the greenhouse. As necessary, the substrate is slightly moistened, and the greenhouse is ventilated. It is best to do this at night, which contributes to the saturation of the air with carbon dioxide and causes the rudiments of a future healthy root system to form faster.

The success of rooting depends on compliance with the temperature regime, maintaining a long daylight hours and increased humidity for the apartment. While the orchid is in the greenhouse, the outlet should be regularly inspected to prevent the appearance of foci of rot.

In four out of five cases, using this method, you can save an orchid without roots, and signs of the formation of a new root system become visible after 10-14 days. And plants with roots 3-4 cm long are planted in a regular substrate and transferred to the usual conditions for a flower.

How to save an orchid without using a greenhouse?

As in the previous case, the plant is rooted at a temperature of 20 to 27 ° C, in a place shaded from the direct rays of the sun. But how to reanimate an orchid in this case, when there is no home greenhouse or greenhouse?

The pre-treated rosette is placed in a deep glass vessel. Soft, boiled or filtered water is poured into it daily, in the morning, so that its surface touches only the lower part of the remaining root system and does not wet the leaves. In this form, the orchid remains up to 6 hours. Then the water is drained, and the flower is dried until the next morning.

There is one feature on how to revive an orchid without roots faster and more efficiently.

A teaspoon of honey or sugar syrup is added to the water per liter of liquid. In addition, to moisten the substrate or water all resuscitated orchids, it is useful to use:

specialized in very low concentration;
fertilizing with iron;
monthly treatments with growth regulator.

How to revive an orchid that has not lost all the roots, but only part of them? In this case, the plant is still able to feed in the usual way, so you can grow the missing roots by planting a flower in a pot with a diameter of 6-8 cm with a regular substrate. Lighting for 12 hours and a temperature of 20-25 ° C will make the root primordia become more active. At night, the temperature in this should not decrease, and the humidity is maintained at an elevated level.

Instead of watering, small-drop irrigation of the upper layer of the substrate is used, or for half an hour they put a container with an orchid in a pan with a small amount of water. The soil should be moistened again only after it has completely dried. New root growth begins in 1-4 weeks.

Video about an interesting experience of nursing an orchid without roots

This is a tropical plant. sometimes behaves quite capriciously and demandingly and for some reason can.

And often flower growers wonder if it is possible and how to save an orchid if it has only roots left.

In this case need to be resuscitated which will be discussed in this article.

If a plant loses one leaf plate, then this is not a problem for it. But if the bush sheds all the leaves, then there is a clear mistake in care. And we need to make sure it doesn't happen again. Reasons why a plant may lose leaf mass:

end of flowering period;
Disease root system.

IMPORTANT! Whatever the cause, it must be eliminated and the plant reanimated.

From the orchid, only roots remained.

Diseased plant roots - a reason for taking emergency measures

That the leaves will not have enough nutrition and the bush will drop them. Therefore, it is necessary to organize watering in such a way that the roots of the plant do not begin to rot.

Possible reasons

Consider the main reasons why an orchid can lose its leaf mass:

Bad light- an orchid can put up with a lack of scattered for a short period. But if it drags on, the plant weakens, the leaves stretch and become thinner. As a result, they fall;
Loss of roots- the roots most often die from decay, as inexperienced flower growers often water their orchid, preventing the substrate from drying out;
Plant overheating- under the influence of elevated temperature, the leaf mass evaporates too much moisture and the turgor of the leaf mass is lost, and, as a result, the orchid bush loses its foliage;
Fusarium- This is a fungal disease that leads to the loss of foliage. If you start treating the plant in time, then it will still lose some of the foliage, but the grower will have a chance to save the entire remaining bush.

IMPORTANT! If care is properly organized for an orchid bush, then it will not shed its leaf mass, but will only increase it.

healthy root.

How to distinguish a diseased and rotten root from a healthy one?

Even a novice in growing orchids can distinguish a healthy root from one.

A healthy root has:

Root color light green with a silvery sheen velamen;
Elastic;
When pressed, it does not deform;
The roots growing in thickness acquire a light brown hue due to the lack of sunlight.

Damaged and problematic roots:

Have putrid smell;
Dark Colour;
Soft to the touch;
When pressed, they release a liquid with a putrid odor.

Sick and rotten orchid roots.

What to do with diseased plant roots?

When damaged roots are found they need to be cut with secateurs to a healthy place having a light cut.

Secateurs are treated with alcohol after each plant, which is being resuscitated, so that if one of them is infected, then not to infect all the flowers that are currently in resuscitation.

After all the places affected by rot have been cut out, slices are processed one of the antiseptics:

activated carbon;
wood ash;
cinnamon.

After circumcision and treatment with an antiseptic, drying of the remaining root mass is required for at least 8 hours, after which the flower is planted in an appropriate substrate.

IMPORTANT! The first watering is carried out on the 5th day after disembarkation. This time is necessary for the healing of all wounds inflicted on the roots during resuscitation.

What if the orchid only has roots left?

If there is only one root and part of the trunk left on the orchid, then the grower and his ward have a chance to survive and continue their magnificent flowering.

Pruning of all affected areas

Pruning affected areas is the first step in plant resuscitation. Everything that is dark in color, dried out, rotted, or when pressed turns into a liquid substance is cut out.

It is best to cut with a secateurs, as it is specially designed so that its sections on the plant are quickly tightened.

Everything is cut out to a healthy light tissue without dark blotches. If there is no secateurs, then you can use scissors or a surgical scalpel.

IMPORTANT! After each plant, the cutting device must be disinfected in alcohol.

Thorough disinfection of sections

All cuts are good and any antiseptic, so that the decay stops and does not occur on the plant anymore.

If the plant is not processed and planted in the substrate, then after a while a complete loss of root mass due to decay will be detected. Therefore, this point in intensive care is very responsible and each section must be carefully processed.

Fungicide treatment to prevent the development of fungal diseases

The reason for the development of fungal diseases on orchid plants - this is improperly organized care. And most often it is, which affects the high humidity inside the substrate.

This leads to the formation of pathogenic fungi that can kill the orchid. To prevent this from happening it must be treated with an appropriate fungicide. Among the effective preparations, now experienced flower growers distinguish:

Alipirin;
Quadris;
Mikosan;
Trichodermin;
Pureflower.

Fungicide phytosporin.

IMPORTANT! Fungicides must be applied strictly according to the instructions, and if in doubt, you should consult an experienced grower, who can be found on well-known forums.

Transplanting to a new substrate

After pruning and processing of the root mass the orchid needs to be transplanted into a new substrate to avoid reinfection. Before we select the size of the root system.

If the old container still fits, then it should be boil well to destroy pathogenic fungi.

IMPORTANT! The first watering is carried out on the 5th day.

Plant transplant.

Temperature and lighting after resuscitation

Where does the resuscitation of the plant take place, should be within 21-25 degrees of heat. Because fluctuations up or down in the temperature regime can lead to the death of a weakened plant.

Lighting should be sufficient, and if resuscitation takes place in autumn or winter, it is necessary for the good development of growing roots and leaves on the orchid.

The use of root growth stimulants

Used for plant resuscitation it helps in better root growth, the plant adapts well and receives increased stress resistance.

Helps the rapid growth of roots, helps to build a flower arrow, boosts orchid immunity.

IMPORTANT! The use of these drugs to the orchid will help her to hold out well in the post-resuscitation period.

Flower recovery period after resuscitation

The recovery period of an orchid directly depends on its condition. before resuscitation, on how competently the resuscitation itself was carried out and what conditions were provided to the flower in the post-resuscitation period.

On average, with good adaptation, the first roots appear after a month, and the leaves may linger and appear after a couple of months.

Useful videos

Watch the video resuscitation of an orchid without leaves and a growth point:

This video shows a similar case of resuscitation of an orchid without leaves with a rotten growth point:

And this video shows a clear case when the growth point rotted, and the roots are alive:

If your orchid has shed its leaves, then she needs the help of a grower to grow new ones. Do not despair, you just need to apply certain actions and the flower will delight you with its flowering more than once.

In contact with