Your choice, I leave them out, this is the natural way the plants grow, I think they are trying to tell you something.

Nick

What are they trying to tell me Nick?

That they are growing because the plant is dying underneath in the crappy stuff it came in and it is sending out those aerial roots to survive, in this case a must?

Or,

That they are very happy to be left that way, naturally, and the plant will be ok once the roots that were looking horrible planted in the dryer 'fir' bark mix, make, or should make a recovery with good care?

In this case, those aerial roots should do the bulk work , providing nutrients and moisture until the ones buried make a come back and get healthy again?

Sorry, but still trying to figure out Orchid language:-)

Thanks a million Nick and others

Mike

You worry too much, Mike. Just go with the flow. It probably doesn't matter whether or not you bury them, but since they're growing into the air, I would say that's where they want to be.

If you received the plant in a trade and didn't know which roots had been in the bark and which not, you might just bury all the roots and that would be just fine, probably.

You'll get a feel for it.

Thank you.

Since there are no healthy roots from what was buried, I think I will repot into a slitted orchid pot pushing have the aerial roots into the pot and leaving a few out of the mix. This way everyone is happy.lol

Again thanks for your patience and suggestions:-)
I will snap a picture of the finished plant when I do it.

Mike

I have formed the opinion that roots are made for a particular environment and will not function in a different situation. Best example is converting a plant in bark to SH. All existing roots will tend to die as the plant makes new roots suitable for the new circumstances.

The air roots this plant has are best left in air, that's what they were made for. Repot what ever else there is to the plant in fresh bark, stake it up and let the plant decide what to do next. If you shove these roots into bark, they will probably deteriorate as new roots are being formed.

Another wrinkle to this is that the plant has successfully adjusted to the crappy mix in the pot and has found a way around this problem. You really never again have to repot it as it has established a life for itself outside the pot. It has cut the umbilical cord to the endless repotting and will motor along indefinitely. I have a large Blc Daffodil that last was repotted over 20 years ago. It has a great root system outside the pot and measures 2' x 1 1/2' x 1 1/2'. I call them liberated plants that have escaped the bonds of captivity and returned to the wild way of growing. I would just leave your plant alone but since you have already unpotted it, give it fresh bark but leave the roots out.

Nick

I agree with Nick. If you bury the roots they might die. I sometime lead stray roots toward the mix during a growth stage. I will not bury it but lead the root tip toward the pot. Most times the root will enter the mix. The root which grows into the root forms differently that the upper part which is still in the air.

I have many orchids growing happily in the same old mix from years past. When the plant insists on growing outside the old pot, I put the pot inside a larger pot and the roots grow, filling up the empty space between both pots. I have some plants which are growing in multiple pots. I think the plants like growing that way.

Jane

That's a great way to grow orchids Jane, I call it the 'Pot in a Pot in a Pot' routine. SBOE grows many of their plants that way. Often we start out with a seedling in a 2 1/2" pot, when it's big enough and sending roots over the edge, just drop it into a 4" square. When it outgrows that a 6" round etc never adding bark. I have large plants that grow in 5 different pots, only the last one is visible, roots fill the empty spaces and cover everything else. Works extremely well.

Nick

Well guys and gals. Thanks for everything anyways.

Looks like I have myself a dud and recieved a sickly plant in the first place.

With the main actual ROOTS, you know that ones that grow in the pot, being dead and rotted, and just the aerial roots to depend on to keep it alive for now, which seem to be anything less than thriving in just a few days, there is NO hope for this plant. Thanks to the E-bayer who sent me a plant with a dead main root system before shipping, and who now has to depend on aerial roots to keep my plants alive in which I know nothing about.:-(

At least my Cattleya from the same company looks great. Those roots are beautiful.

Mike

'With the main actual ROOTS, you know that ones that grow in the pot,'

Spoken like a true American retail plant customer. We like all of our plants in pots with the roots covered with something and think that this is the main way they should grow. The orchid thinks totally different. The roots in the pot are an annoying necessity of captivity. THE PLANT PREFERS AIR ROOT!

Why not mount the plant to a piece of wood and spray the air roots as often as possible. You may get a surprise.

Nick

Nick, great comeback.lol

I think I'll take you up on that suggestion! Although the aerial roots are not buried as suggested and still look horrible, I'll have a bit of faith here.

I'll take a pic tomorrow and be back to post it. I will keep you updated too.

Thanks a lot:-)

Mike

There seems to be some confusion about the difference between roots and aerial roots - they are the same thing. All roots provide moisture to the plant.

I love mounted plants and have a couple hundred of mine mounted but they also require almost daily heavy watering. Since I grow in a g/h I can give them moisture and fertilizer without too much trouble. I also have several hundred in pots which I don't have to water daily. The question for you is how much work do you want to do every day to provide the needed care?

When I repot I soak the pot including the aerial roots in water for several hours. This makes the aerial roots very pliable and permits me to insert them into the media. I've never had a problem putting the aerials into the pot - the roots will only complain and die is if you over water the pot.

You don't say which cattleya you are considering mounting but many catts are large and a mature plant on a mount is heavy. If the catt is small then they are perfect for mounting but again, do you want to deal with a mount daily?

I don't mount large catts but here is Miltonia clowesii 'Highjack' CCM/AOS I purchased in a 4" pot and in six years grew into this mass of a plant I have to water in place because I can't lift it anymore. The cork mount is 2x3'.

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This is Phal. appendiculata 'Highjack' AM/AOS on a 4x4" mount - both take daily watering.

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Mounts are they way most orchids prefer to live but it is up to you to decide how much time you want to give them.

Brooke

Well I agree with Brooke..

As an indoor winter grower, my few mounted phals species are a real PIA to maintain in the winter. Gets a little better in the summer when they can be outside and I don't have to worry about dragging them around to water them daily or having them in a place where thier dripping doesn't matter. I'm at about 30 potted and 3 mounted phals currently, but I have about 10-12 'kids mounted in total.

I let the roots go where they please, I generally don't try to stuff them back in the pot (for the potted ones). In the case of no 'pot' roots and a few aerials, I would do what Nick said and try and steady the plant (rhizome clip, stake, etc..) in the pot and hope some 'pot' roots develop in the near future.

Good luck,

Bob

Brooke, first I must day that your Orchids are GORGEOUS! They look like they have ben growing in a tree on my land in P.R. Great job.

I understand what you are saying. I guess it is a lot like the mixes I use for my regular plants. I use a very porous mix, but I have to water more often. It comes with the territory. I could use one that takes along time to dry out, but then I sacrifice the vitality of many of my plants.

I can't imagine lifting orchids that heavy. Boy did it grow fast. They certainly love your care and I appreciate your input and insight.

Bob:

I think I am in the same situation as you. I like your view of things and I feel that I am in the same boat. I don't think I can water them as often as that and then there is the possibility of mold and other diseases brought on my constantly wetting my plants leaves.
If I had a dedicated area for them and more time, I would LOVE to try mounted. I think they look so nice on mounts. I actually have coconut shells I was going to try them on, but now I have second thoughts.

So with all the help of everyone here and putting things together, this is what I came up with:-)

I filled a pot with slits with peanuts, then coconut and pine bark mixed with perlite and set the plant on top. I let most of the roots stay outside the pot while I only pushed a couple into the pot. Now I will sit back and see what happens. It seems to be happy thus far and the roots are coming back. I do mist this plant everyday while watering everything else as normal.
See

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Thanks so much everyone. Hope for the best please.

Mike

Your plant looks good and will be fine. As long as you have it anchored, it will like growing like that.

Jane

Jane. Thank you so very much for that. I appreciate it:-))

Mike

im not an expert but have a green thumb naturally but, I have a 5 year old orchard plant its very happy i guess. blooms 2x a year now here is the question I have about 15 air roots it looks like it wants a hug from its friend the angel plant next to her. i think thats a lot? or not? im not sure? should i cut some? or just let her get up and hug her friend?