I repotted my phal about a month ago. I looked like it was doing OK for a couple of weeks and even sprouting a couple of new air roots. I realized a couple of weeks ago that the new air roots appeared to dry up. I tilted the plant and the whole plant broke off at the base. The leaves looked good but the base where it broke is black and the stem is sort of hollow on the inside. What do you guys think happened? Is there any chance that the plant can be revived with no leaves left?
More to the point, is there any root activity on the portion with leaves? Forget the base - it's rotten. The fact that the aerial roots dried up is telling. The plant could have been over or underwatered. Either can cause the roots to be unable to absorb water. Also, it might be a bacterial or fungal infection that causes root rot. Without knowing the condition of the leaved part, I can only offer a generic answer.
Cut away any rotten parts below the leaves, being careful to preserve anything that remotely looks like a root. Spray with an anti fungal solution. (See
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for natural ways to do this.) Soak some spaghnum moss in water with a bit of rooting hormone mixed in. Surround the base of the plant with spag, and either wrap in plastic or pot it up.
I've saved them in the opposite state, ie the crown had rotted and the base was still good. But heck. You have nothing to lose by trying. Sort of like CPR. The plant will either send out a root or not. Give it 6 weeks and see what happens. Under the right conditions Vandas etc will put out new roots when 'topped' and phals are in the same alliance, so heck. You get to play 'Columbus' and chart new territory.
I wouldn't pot it up. I'd just leave it in a pot without any medium (just so it doesn't tip over or anything) and see what happens. The theory is that there are axial buds that, depending on the nature of the catastrophic event, will form a root, a new growth, a flower stem or whatever is required for the plant to live. (Well its a bit more complex than that, but hey. For our purposes its only important that you know Mother Nature has planned for these eventualities.)
People talk about the "sphag and bag" technique to keep the ambient humidity around the plant a bit higher, but that has never worked in my hands. I usually do good with just putting it in a pot and letting nature take its course. Not that the S&B Tech wouldn't work in your situation, but just to let you know that there are alternatives and variations on a theme. Like put the plant top in an empty pot, and put a clear plastic bag (like what you put vegetables in at the store) over the plant and empty pot (ie halfway between the "sphag & bag" technique and my 'Tough Love' technique.) (I'm big on adapt or die). Other people exhale into the bag making a richer CO2 atmosphere. Do NOT inhale!!! There are spores in the sphag that'll kill you. (well, that's an overstatement, but it got your attention. These spores can make you sick.)
I suppose you could google "Sphag and Bag technique" as well as "sphagnum moss spores" and educate yourself. Orchid hobbyists talk endlessly on these subjects so there'll be any number of chatrooms with threads on these topics.
My. I have been chatty, haven't I? I don't usually write this much because no one reads it. Sound bites aren't just for the press, now are they? There are NG write bytes, too. (Hmmm... I think I just coined a term.....)
Well, I read it, so your sound bite/write byte worked its magic.
I didn't mean to suggest spag/bag, as I have had no luck doing that with Phals-they inevitably rot when I've tried. (I have propogated many a Catt back bulb that way, however.) I meant to just wrap the base in spag. I agree that potting it is not ideal.
Here's an idea. Carol Holdren came to a recent Society meeting and did a "Tips and Tricks" presentation based on questions she asked of an assortment of good growers. One of the things she talked about was taking a hurting SOB plant and wrapping the base in spag, then wrapping the whole base in aluminum foil. Don't know if you've seen it, but certain foreign growers of Phals bring them to shows like that. Anyway, Carol had good luck with it, so why not?
NPR has a series called "I Believe". I am going to write an essay on my belief in orchids. If an ailing orchid can save itself (and they do!), then anyone can.
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