Orchid aerial roots
The aerial roots of the orchid are part of the plant's nutritional system. Their quality depends not only on the development of the epiphyte, but also on its health, as well as the strength and frequency of flowering. Root damage is manifested by drying out. A similar state of aerial shoots threatens the death of the flower. That is why you need to deal with manifestations immediately.
Orchid aerial roots
Signs of drying out roots
The aerial roots of orchids are silvery green when healthy. Shoots of a healthy bush:
- dense;
- fleshy;
- smooth;
- tight to the touch.
Over time, the roots are replaced by new shoots, and their old parts gradually dry out and die off. Drying and separation of roots is a normal process of plant life.
But if the orchid has a lot of aerial roots that have become wrinkled and brown, then this should definitely alert the owners of epiphytes. Such a manifestation speaks of a flower's illness and portends its imminent death.
The easiest way to notice is the drying of the roots located on top of the substrate. The first sign of fast drying is the appearance of dark spots, which eventually turn into dry spots.
Drying reasons
The aerial roots of an orchid can dry out for many reasons. Loss of density and elasticity of orchid rhizomes is often due to:
- old age of shoots;
- violation of agricultural technology;
- inadequacy of climatic conditions;
- poor watering;
- low air humidity in the room.
Another common reason why orchids dry out air roots may be poor-quality watering water. Also, infectious and fungal diseases can provoke drying out of phalaenopsis rhizomes.
Aboveground part
All orchid species have many aerial roots. They carry out the function of taking moisture from the atmosphere. Shoots grow on top of the substrate and look like a peduncle. Care for aerial shoots should be done carefully because they are fragile.
Among the reasons that cause drying of aerial roots, the most common are:
- Insufficient watering and dry indoor air. It is widely believed that if you water an orchid a little, then it will soon bloom. This statement is fundamentally wrong. In such a situation, the plant starts up many shoots and tries to get saturated with moisture thanks to the spreading rhizomes. As a result, a large mass still lacks moisture and weaker roots die.
- Chemical burns. These processes can be the result of improperly selected mineral fertilizers and exceeding their concentration, as well as watering with hard water.
- Pinching and trauma suffered by the flower. Touching the rhizomes often causes dry patches to appear the very next day.
If all of the above is excluded, then the reason that the roots dry out is the defeat of fungal diseases or the presence of bacterial infections in the soil. Flowers that are grown nearby can be the source of the disease.
Underground part
Underground roots take moisture from the soil
There are also roots under the substrate. They are adapted to receive moisture from the soil. Sometimes there are so many shoots that there is practically no space and land between them. Then the epiphyte releases them outside. Often, such shoots die as soon as they get into the air, because the conditions under and above the ground are radically different.
Among the reasons why underground roots have dried up are:
- Frostbite. A common reason for it is the close location of the pot with the orchid to the glass or a draft around it.
- Burns. They can be provoked not only by overheating of the substrate, but also by watering with hard water with a high salt content.
- Fungal lesions. The disease is manifested by small multi-colored balls that appear close to the root rosette. The reason for the appearance of these pathogens is improper plant care.
- Irregular watering. The roots can shrink and dry out when the plant does not receive enough moisture during irrigation. A long break between them also has a negative effect.
- Fusarium rot. A disease characterized by the simultaneous death of the ground and underground parts of the roots. It is caused by a fungal pathogen that develops in too wet and compacted (decomposed) soil.
Solutions
To solve the problem of root drying in phalaenopsis and other varieties of indoor epiphytes, you can transplant the plant into dry, fresh and porous soil. To do this, you should prepare:
- new pot;
- fresh turf;
- wood ash, crushed into powder, sieved to small fractions;
- deep container for water.
The last component is needed to disinfect the slices, so it is allowed to replace it with grated cinnamon or crushed activated carbon tablets.
Tools that will subsequently have to remove diseased areas of the roots should be disinfected over a fire or wiped with alcohol. This should also be done after use to ensure that no bacteria remain on the items.
Step-by-step instructions for pruning dry roots
Correct root pruning and resuscitation of the plant after it should be done as follows:
- Remove the plant carefully from the substrate. Pieces of turf pressed inside the roots will have to be removed by hand, simultaneously straightening and untangling the turns.
- Shake out small parts of the soil, then place the whole plant for 5 minutes in warm water with phytosporin or a weak solution of potassium permanganate.
- Remove the plant and air dry the rhizomes. Blot the leaf rosettes inside with cotton pads or paper towels.
- Disassemble tangled roots and remove dry or damaged parts. After that, you should carefully examine the roots and make sure that only healthy areas remain.
- Sprinkle the places of the cuts with charcoal or ash.
- Place the epiphyte in a fresh substrate.
- Place the pot in a container of clean water and cover with a plastic bag. Leave the last one for a day.
Greenhouse conditions will help the plant recover faster. Evidence that the pruning was carried out on time will be young shoots that will appear in a week.
Prevention measures
The most effective measures to prevent dryness of the roots of the ground and underground part of the flower are proper care, which consists in:
- timely and moderate watering;
- protection from cold air masses and direct sunlight;
- maintaining a constant temperature in the room;
- fight against pathogens.
Also, the plant should be fed with mineral fertilizers, the composition of which is developed taking into account the requirements of flowering epiphytes. Some preparations used as complex fertilizers also act as a natural antiseptic.
Conclusion
When the air roots of an orchid suddenly begin to dry, then it is necessary to take care of the flower more thoroughly.The main procedure in the struggle for the future life of the plant is pruning diseased shoots and sanitizing the cut sites, as well as the soil and the container in which the epiphyte is contained. If all of the above actions are performed correctly and in a timely manner, then the orchid will live. If you miss the moment of extinction of the plant, the signal of which will be the drying out of the roots, then it will be difficult to reanimate the epiphyte.