The root system supplies the orchids with water and important nutrients. Damage to the root area can lead to growth and flowering problems and even death of the plant. Why the orchid roots have dried up, what you can do to save the flower and how to continue caring for the plant at home – read on.
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Signs of drying out of orchid roots
Aerial roots of healthy orchids have a silvery-green color. The shoots of a healthy plant are dense, fleshy, smooth, tightly fitting. Over time, the roots are replaced by new shoots, and their old parts gradually shrink and die. Drying out and separation of roots is a normal process in the life of the plant.
But if the orchid has a lot of aerial roots that have become wrinkled and brown, then this should definitely alert the owners. Such a phenomenon indicates a disease of the flower.
The easiest way to determine drying out is to look at the roots above the substrate. The first sign of dehydration is dark spots that eventually turn into dry patches.
Orchid roots dry up: causes
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An orchid’s aerial roots can dry out for many reasons. Here are the most common ones:
Age of shoots Uneven climatic conditions, e.g. B. Drafts, poor irrigation or poor water quality, low indoor humidity, infectious and fungal diseases, burns caused by overheating of the substrate or by watering with hard water with a high salt content
How to save an orchid with dried roots
To solve the problem of drying out of orchid roots, you can transplant the plant into dry, fresh and well-drained soil.
You must first remove the dried roots. Tools used to remove diseased roots should be wiped with alcohol. This should also be done after use to ensure that no bacteria remains on the items.
Also interesting: Stimulating flower shoots in orchids: This is how the exotic flower blooms magnificently again!
How to prune dried orchid roots
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You can cut off dried roots from orchids to bring the plant back to life. Correct pruning of the roots and subsequent resuscitation of the plant should be done as follows:
Carefully remove the plant from the substrate. Shake out small parts of the soil and then place the whole plant in warm water with a weak solution of potassium permanganate for 5 minutes. Remove the plant and allow the rhizomes to air dry. To cut the orchid roots, loosen the root network and remove any dry or damaged parts. Then carefully examine the roots and make sure that only healthy parts remain. Sprinkle charcoal or ash over the cut surfaces. Place the epiphyte in fresh substrate.
Note: In greenhouse conditions, the plant recovers faster. Proof that the pruning was done on time are young shoots that appear within a week.
Preventing orchid roots from drying out
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The most effective measures to prevent the roots of the above-ground and underground parts of the flower from drying out are proper care, consisting of:
timely and moderate watering protection from cold air masses and direct sunlight maintaining a constant temperature in the room fighting pathogens
Note: Indoor orchids should be fed with mineral fertilizer, the composition of which is tailored to the needs of flowering epiphytes.
If all of the above measures are carried out correctly and on time, the orchid will survive. If you miss the moment of plant death, which is announced by the roots drying out, it will be difficult to revive the epiphyte.
Also read: Growing orchids with water pearls: advantages and tips for watering and caring for exotic houseplants