Hi, Judy. It's a lot easier with rooting hormone, so if you can find a local or internet hydroponics store, try to get some. I found out this summer that generous dollops of Clonex work even better than a more meager "painting" with it when repotting. This a case where more really is better.

Maybe you could call some local growers and ask them what they use for propagating or cloning or making cuttings. Maybe root hormones are called "propagating agents" or "cloning agents" or something like that. They must use something to increase the rate of cuttings "taking".

If you have willows locally, the water willow branches have steeped in contains rooting agents, and was used by old-timers for rooting.o

Here's what you're trying to do in rooting a rootless piece of a plant: It has to form roots before it wilts or rots. That's it.

So it's a sort of race with rot and wilting. Will it root before it rots or wilts? Rooting hormones speed the rooting up, so change the odds in the race.

To keep it from wilting you need to provide a very humid atmosphere-- hence the bag. I always got mold in a tight bag-- kept it too wet I think. You need to loosen the bag maybe once a day to let some air in. I would be careful with the squirting-- moist, warm = rots of various kinds.

I would *not* put a rootless plant in a deep pot filled with medium. It will rot. You just want a source of humidity in the bag. A wet shard of clay pot will do. If the source of moisture can be sterile, that's better. Sphag is used because it seems to have rot inhibiting properties.

Suspending the cutting *over* the water in a glass will also do. You want the cutting away from anything wet, but *in* an atmosphere of nearly 100% humidity.

Keep the plant away from the humidity source.

I would not give it total shade, as on a desk in the interior of a room, but instead give it some light-- maybe a screen over it for shade, but in a window? I think light tells a plant "you could make it here".

Bottom heat is good-- a heating pad, seedling mat or even cable converter box, top of fridge or TV, etc.

Figure on about a 50% chance.

Other people will have suggestions.

Good luck.

"I have to make do with what I have locally"

This begs the question: why don't you just mail order what you need? There are so many mail order orchid nurseries out there that sell not only plants but supplies. Then of course there are places that sell mostly orchid supplies. You can get exactly what you need, and get some new plants while you're at it!

Mehitable gave good advice: Keep warm and humid. Though I'm not a fan of sphag and bag, I've lost every plant I've used that technique on. I think a better idea is to order sphag, pot up your plant with the sphag, then maybe cover the top with a generously large ziploc bag with plenty of holes poked in. Holes will allow the space ot breathe so you won't have quite as high a chance at fungus. You don't need 100% humidity to do this, as is often the impression left when describing how to reroot a plant. Here at my work we must have 10 rootless phals I'm having to rehab. They're just potted in their normal bark mix. But the greenhouse this is taking place in follows M's advice: its very warm and humidity is around 60% on average.

Good luck!

PS: For your milt, if its a readily available variety, IMHO its not worth saving. Just throw it out and buy yourself a new one when you mail order your sphag and rooting hormone ;)

Terpguy,
Thanks for your concern. However, it's not so simple to mail-order something that catches your fancy on the internet. Importing plants into the country is almost impossible for the individual grower. I'll have to follow Mehitabel's advice and ask around. I have some contacts in the local Orchid Society - surely they can give me a few cc's of whatever they have if I can't find the rooting hormone in the shops.
Mehitabel,
As usual, you have supplied me with very practical advice, as well as the logic behind the process. I now have the plant sitting over a tall glass half full of water. The whole lot is loosely covered with a plastic bag, in which I have punched a few holes. The plant is now close to a good source of natural filtered light. Tomorrow I start the hunt for the rooting hormone.
By the way, Mehitabel, I just received my copy of Frowine's new book on phals, which I pre-ordered way back in April. As well as being packed with information and fascinating to read, it is also so aesthetically pleasing. I love it!
Judy

Judy, I enjoyed the Frowine book so much! I love the whole "history of breeding" thing-- I get the thrill of adventure from it (tells you how adventuresome I actually am LOL)

And there were so many wonderful pictures. I have to admit I love pictures of orchids -- so beautiful. And the book cover had a picture of Nobby's Amy, an all-time drop dead gorgeous "10" multiflora.

I'd love to hear how your quest for rooting hormone goes. Sounds like another "adventure" to me :)

I see. I didn't realize you were not in the US. Definitely go with M's advice, see what you get then. Good luck!

Years ago I inadvertantly bought about thirty very sick plants from a man who was retiring. After spending a fortune on insecticides and miticides and fungicides, I managed to stem the tide of attack. However, I was left with most of the plants having no roots.

I propped up the plants in the middle of the small bark/perlite medium in very small pots. I used hairpins over the rhyzomes and skewers for the pseudobulbs, whatever I could, to keep the plants in place and upright. Then I put the whole plants into individual plastic bags, the kind produce comes in, open at the top. I watered very cautiously. Eventually they all rooted into the bark.

So, here are the results of yesterday's search for rooting gel:
My first stop was the local garden centre. The very knowledgeable young lady who has helped me in the past showed me what they have, but was doubtful if I could use it on my orchid. However, I jotted down the name of the active ingredient so that I could check it out on the internet...
Meanwhile I phoned the place where I bought the plant. They are usually very helpful. This time, they were friendly, but not very encouraging. When pressed, they admitted to using a rooting hormone for their own purposes, but weren't about to hand over any to me. I didn't contact any of my friends from the Orchid Society, as I don't have time this week to make the trip out to them, anyway.
Meanwhile, the active ingredient turned out to be IBA (indole butyric acid) which, if I understand correctly, is a synthetically-produced auxin. It is in powder form and has to be mixed with liquid and diluted down before use.. Would this be the active ingredient of Clonex??
Orchid 126, your experience has given me a lot of encouragement. I assume you didn't use rooting gel, if you didn't mention it. How long did it take for the first signs of roots?
It seems that the basic principle is to provide the leaves with constant moisture without getting the base of the plant wet. And that there are many effective ways of providing these conditions.
Judy

Here is a thread with a couple of pictures to show the resurection of a tiny rootless phal. That particular phal now resides in a 3" pot and still has one of the original leaves from the post.

Brooke

Here is a link that might be useful: Pcan'd a rootless Phal

Thank you Brooke, for the step-by-step instructions for "Pcanning" a rootless 'chid. I'm sure I must have read the original last winter, but was probably too "green" to absorb most of the content. Now I have filed it away for future reference.
I checked out "Superthrive" on the link and discovered that one of its 2 active ingredients is IBA. And when I checked for Clonex once more, I found its ingredients as well - the self-same IBA! So it's back to the Garden Centre tomorrow to buy some of this magic powder. I might even get some of the Garden Centre's decorative coloured balls that swell up and "gel" when they come in contact with water and moisten them with the IBA solution, to form home-made rooting gel. Or maybe not lol...
Today the phal is back in the clear plastic container with huge chunks of moistened lava rock (I KNEW I'd find some use for these rocks eventually). I'm not concerned that I change my plans all the time. It's still the basic program of providing moisture for the leaves while keeping the base out of water.
So thanks again for all your help. Keep the ideas rolling!
Judy

IMHO the magic bullet to keep the plant healthy is soaking the LEAVES in the fertilizer solution. The moisture from the bag will help with the dehydration but the soaking will supply nutrients plus the moisture IN the leaves. If the leaves maintain enough energy they would probably sprout roots without the rooting ingredient - I just consider the rooting hormone an added bonus for success.

To soak, turn the plant upside down, submerge, yes the crown area will be under water. The stomata on the leaves will absorb the fertilizer/water which is necessary since there are no roots. After 20-30 minutes, sit the plant upright, blot the moisture from the crown, apply the rooting hormone and put it back in the container.

Brooke

Bingo, Judy! That IBA's the stuff, all right. It doesn't have to be a gel, powder will do fine. People used it for years before the gels were created. In fact, powder is what Pcan was using in the post described above.

Good luck!

I did use Superthrive, two drops to a gallon, for a full year. I also used Dyna-Gro KLN, and Shultz's B-1. I don't know how long it took the plants to root. It was so hard getting and keeping them upright that I was afraid to touch them lest they fall over again.

I understand that liquid seaweed and molasses are aids to rooting.

Last update: I soaked the inverted plant in my regular fert. solution for 20 minutes. The water level didn't reach the root area, but it soaked up the moisture in seconds. Instructions for the rooting powder are to coat the dampened stem area with the powder, which I did, after wiping moisture off the crown. The powder became paste-like and adhered easily to the root area. I'll repeat this process weekly until I see results. Will report on eventual success or failure. Thanks for all your help.
Judy