# My roth



## The Mutant (Sep 15, 2012)

I thought I should create a thread about my poor first roth where it belongs, which is in this sub forum; Problems, Pests, & Diseases.

This is how it looked when I got it (on top, underneath the surface it had practically no living root system and no sing of any new root nubs):







And this is how it looks now:






In its effort to survive, it has thrown out three new leads and this is how they looked like when part of the fourth, then dying back, leaf was still attached to the plant:











And this is how it looks now after I've removed the last of the dead leaf (not much change as you can see):











I don't know if the little root nubs next to the leads are alive or not, but I sure hope so, 'cause if they are, there might actually be some hope left for this roth.

I'll update this thread from time to time if anything changes, for the better or worse.


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## Justin (Sep 15, 2012)

it's going to survive. give it 1-2 years to get stronger and you should see a spike.


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## The Mutant (Sep 16, 2012)

I really hope so. I'm keeping it together with my Phals and a bit drier, but with higher humidity. I'll keep my fingers crossed that it'll give me a spike in 1-2 years (if it survives that is).


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## NYEric (Sep 16, 2012)

Dont let water get in the nubs!


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## John Boy (Sep 17, 2012)

You'll be okay, and (given time) it should recover. I'd guess that a heatmat would help! I've done the same for some sanderianum youngsters, which went from next to no decent roots, to fully rooted within a matter of 3 months, so heat does help, and make a difference.

Should you want to extend the collection: Popow is currently selling some very nice roths, strong seedlings, for very decent money. 

Tata,
Martin


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## The Mutant (Sep 19, 2012)

YES! *punches air*

One of the root nubs has turned out to be alive and it's growing!  Woot! It seems like there still might be some hope left for my first roth after all. The leads are growing as well so it seems as if my method of spraying both the sphagnum and the foliage lets the motherplant absorb some water at least.



John Boy said:


> You'll be okay, and (given time) it should recover. I'd guess that a heatmat would help! I've done the same for some sanderianum youngsters, which went from next to no decent roots, to fully rooted within a matter of 3 months, so heat does help, and make a difference.
> 
> Should you want to extend the collection: Popow is currently selling some very nice roths, strong seedlings, for very decent money.
> 
> ...


I've been thinking about putting it on a heating pad since autumn is here in Sweden with lower temperatures.

I have one seedling/young plant from Popow already. It's the most vigorous roth out of the three I have and puts the other two to shame (although the main roth in this thread is excused). I really look forward to this youngster blooming only to see which clone it comes from, if it will be possible to tell that is.


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## NYEric (Sep 19, 2012)

10-12 years.


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## John Boy (Sep 19, 2012)

I'll be 52 then! Great, thanks Eric!!!


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## The Mutant (Sep 20, 2012)

NYEric said:


> 10-12 years.


What on earth are you talking about? I feel I'm too slow at the moment...


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## NYEric (Sep 21, 2012)

Maybe you should look up how long plants take to get to blooming size.


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## The Mutant (Sep 21, 2012)

NYEric said:


> Maybe you should look up how long plants take to get to blooming size.


Are you serious?! Does a roth take 10-12 years to reach blooming size?! I thought it took 5-7 years?

I have three roths so far:

'Starhip' x self, with an impressive 28 cm leaf span (about 11")

'Mont Milais' (?) x self, with a leaf span of ca 40 cm (about 15.5")

'Big Garden' x 'Lark', the one featuring in this thread, with a leaf span of 60 cm (ca 23.5")

Are you telling me the two littlest ones won't reach blooming size until 2022- 2024? Gee, since I thought it took about 5-7 years I figured it was okay, but if they're THAT slow, I'll probably sell them...


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## Paphman910 (Sep 21, 2012)

The Mutant said:


> Are you serious?! Does a roth take 10-12 years to reach blooming size?! I thought it took 5-7 years?
> 
> I have three roths so far:
> 
> ...



Should only take about 4-7 years before they flower. The first growth always takes a long time to mature. After it matures the new growth should take no more than 2-3 years to mature and flower. I have flowered a roth that was about 9" across in less than 4 years! It had 4 flowers on it's first blooming.

Paphman910


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## The Mutant (Sep 21, 2012)

Paphman910 said:


> Should only take about 4-7 years before they flower. The first growth always takes a long time to mature. After it matures the new growth should take no more than 2-3 years to mature and flower. I have flowered a roth that was about 9" across in less than 4 years! It had 4 flowers on it's first blooming.
> 
> Paphman910


Pweh, thanks Paphman910! That scared the living daylight out of me! I know they're slow, but 10-12 years were a bit much even for me (although I know there are people who have probably waited even longer for some orchids to bloom, but it's a bit too long for my taste), but 4-7 years are perfectly alright with me.

I've heard that it's always the first growth that takes forever to mature but that they are pretty fast when they have reached a certain size.

Now I'm happy again!


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## John Boy (Sep 21, 2012)

Same as us I guess, once you hit .&%$%&%$§?!...... we speed up too, don't we?!


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## eggshells (Sep 21, 2012)

I agree with Paphman's statement. 

And also with John Boy... Sadly its true


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## The Mutant (Sep 22, 2012)

John Boy said:


> Same as us I guess, once you hit .&%$%&%$§?!...... we speed up too, don't we?!


*sniggers*
True, true. :rollhappy:



eggshells said:


> I agree with Paphman's statement.
> 
> And also with John Boy... Sadly its true


I'm feeling much calmer now, thanks!


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## The Mutant (Oct 5, 2012)

Just a small update on the growing root nub on my roth (we are still fighting for its survival).

I checked the visible root nub and documented it progress today (the one down in the pot I leave alon since I don't want to disturb the roth more than I do already) and it has grown well I think:





When checking the progress of the new leads (the largest one is growing quite well, while the other two aren't doing much) I discovered this little thing, which looks like another new root nub to me:





It seems my roth has decided to really try and hang in there.


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## Susie11 (Oct 5, 2012)

Well done on your roth. recovery. I think that it will make it. Fingers crossed.


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## The Mutant (Oct 5, 2012)

Thanks Susie! I really hope so, but it's starting to look like it's definitely going in the right direction.


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## SlipperKing (Oct 5, 2012)

Susie11 said:


> Well done on your roth. recovery. I think that it will make it. Fingers crossed.



Until the next time a mis-hap occurs! 5-7 yrs is plenty of time to mature as a slipper grower! That's why the older we get the bigger the plants we buy. We, I don't have 5-7, 10 , 15 years to wait! I also buy lots of plants to curve that final destination......dust


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## The Mutant (Oct 6, 2012)

SlipperKing said:


> Until the next time a mis-hap occurs! 5-7 yrs is plenty of time to mature as a slipper grower! That's why the older we get the bigger the plants we buy. We, I don't have 5-7, 10 , 15 years to wait! I also buy lots of plants to curve that final destination......dust


Aww... ity:

I hope there won't be any more mishaps with this guy, it deserves to make it since it has fought really well.


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## The Mutant (Nov 8, 2012)

But of course I managed to kill off the little root nubs it had by letting it dry too much, which was why it got so very, VERY sad as you can see in this thread.

It has now spent some time in the terrarium I managed to locate and excavate from the basement storage. After having some problems with getting the humidity to stay above 80 % (problem was fixed by moving the fan and the humidity is on a steady 95% now), it has started to become less floppy. I also replaced the sphagnum around its stem today, just to be on the safe side, and noticed a new little root nub starting. One thing is for certain; this guy is really a fighter and WANTS to live (despite my efforts to try to murder it apparently...)!

With the terrarium I hopefully won't screw up and let it dry too much again, not with the level of humidity I've managed to uphold. 

Again: thanks guys for all of your advice and suggestions, not to mention your knowledge. It's because of you that I haven't given yet and am still trying.


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## The Mutant (Nov 13, 2012)

Today I could remove the supportive bamboo skewers from my little guy. The leaves are now firmer than they've ever been since I got it I think. It really likes being in the terrarium and the new little root nub is growing very well too. I'm so glad I didn't give up (I almost did I'm ashamed to admit) and decided to try with the terrarium.


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## NYEric (Nov 16, 2012)

Good Luck. Thanks for the photos! oke: - Yes, we have no mercy!


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## The Mutant (Nov 17, 2012)

NYEric said:


> Good Luck. Thanks for the photos! oke: - Yes, we have no mercy!


I'll fix them as soon as I can.The light levels are very very low here in Sweden at the moment, this even when the sun is shining so when it's overcast, like today, it's rather dark. I have to document the fact that it's getting a new leaf as well. Go roth!


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## The Mutant (Nov 26, 2012)

Okay, the terrarium was the best idea I could've gotten for this guy (all thanks to some thread about someone saving a Paph without roots by using clear plastic bags around its leaves the keep the water loss to a minimum among other things, don't remember which thread it was though). It thrives in there!

This is the picture I took about a week ago after I had watered it and saw that its newest root nub had come along fine, plus spotting that the biggest of the new leads had gotten a root of its own!







Today when I watered it, I discovered another two root nubs, so it really seems to be recovering at the moment. Also, the leaf (which I tried to take a picture of last week, but which were too low down in the crown to be able to take a decent photo of) is growing by leaps and bounds. I think it has grown at least 1 cm in one week.


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## Paphman910 (Nov 26, 2012)

The Mutant said:


> Okay, the terrarium was the best idea I could've gotten for this guy (all thanks to some thread about someone saving a Paph without roots by using clear plastic bags around its leaves the keep the water loss to a minimum among other things, don't remember which thread it was though). It thrives in there!
> 
> This is the picture I took about a week ago after I had watered it and saw that its newest root nub had come along fine, plus spotting that the biggest of the new leads had gotten a root of its own!
> 
> ...



Looking Good!

Paphman910


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## Dido (Nov 27, 2012)

congrats this is alwys a happy moment if you can see that the work is going to start...


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## Ozpaph (Nov 27, 2012)

Its going good so leave the roots covered and protected. Resist the temptation to uncover them for a look!


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## NYEric (Nov 27, 2012)

Good luck. Thanks for the photo.


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## The Mutant (Nov 29, 2012)

Yup, I'm happy. I tossed one of my other roths into the terrarium as well, since its newest leaf has started sagging, and I've seen no sign of any root growth (I have it in a clear plastic pot so I don't need to disturb it when looking). I figured it could keep my recovering one company till summer.


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## The Mutant (Dec 9, 2012)

Look who is poking through the sphagnum!






It's growing so well in the terrarium! One of the roots I thought I had killed has started growing again as well. Since it started to recover, I removed some of the sphagnum covering the top of the substrate to encourage the roots to grow into the substrate, no luck with that so far though, the roots are very happy crawling around between the sphagnum and the substrate. I think I may have kept the substrate too dry, so I need to water the roth more often to prevent it from getting a bunch of shallow roots, and nothing else (it's practically only standing on top of the substrate as it is already).

Since the sphagnum layer is so thin, I can spot the roots quite easily without disturbing them (I even had to relocate some sphagnum since the root had grown out on top of it). Luckily the humidity is so high that the roots won't dry out that quickly.


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## polyantha (Dec 9, 2012)

Justin said:


> it's going to survive. give it 1-2 years to get stronger and you should see a spike.



I still think that this is too optimistic. But it will definitely make it.


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## The Mutant (Dec 10, 2012)

polyantha said:


> I still think that this is too optimistic. But it will definitely make it.


I think so too, but the fact that it's still among us is great.


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