Phrag roots growing out of the pot?

[Mykuhl]

Hi. I have been doing some research on the internet and can't seem to find out why phrag roots will grow out of the surface of the substrate.

I find that this tends to happen with about 20-30% of my roots. I will have healthy actively growing new roots growing throughout my pot but for some reason some roots will grow upwards. Is this normal or an issue with my culture?

 

[big923cattleya]

If they tend to grow up and out of the substrate or media, that can be a reaction by the Phrag. used in its attempt to escape, grow away from too much moisture. But honestly, why do we put them in pots to begin with? Well, because it is much easier for us to deal with them in pots. I love growing Phrags. but really I grow other things and I can't worry or fret about who likes so much water, who likes less, who would like more light, etc. I do not have that kind of patience anymore. I am 76 years old and I try to make things simpler as I go along.

I do divide my Phragmipediums into two groups. The smaller growing group that seems for me to like less light, more media moisture and a regular application of fertilizer. Things like Pink Panther, besseae, besseae hybrids, Sedenii, Rosalie Dixler, Jason Fischer et.al.
Then I have the Phrags like Kovachii, Kovachii hybrids, caudatum, caudatum hybrids, the really big boys growing with more light. Those I let dry out a bit more between waterings, I fertilize a bit less often but at the same, weak or half strength level. But keep in mind that I to water and fertilize less often for the 6 months my plants are indoors because it is too cold outdoors. I put them all out doors starting around May 1st. They come in in early October. They are on benches at the north end of my house. They grow in a bright area with perhaps 2-3 hours of direct sunlight. Here in SE Michigan, the sun is not very strong and rarely is any orchid hit with enough light to cause a sunburn.
We do NOT have periods of prolonged heat here and generally it is a cooler summer environment then many. Breezes here, in and around the Great Lakes, are fairly constant. Rarely do my plants sit in warm, stagnant air.

But perhaps the best advice I can give you is to try and simplify things where ever possible. Orchids have been a big part of my life for 50+ years, BUT not the only part of my life. I tend to my container gardens outdoors, grow a few veggies, golf, flyfish, tie my own flies, photograph birds and animals, and I want to keep enjoying as many of these things as I can. So Mykuhl, slow down, relax a bit and don't worry about every little thing with orchids. You may go crazy from worrying about the small stuff and before you even realize it, the world has let yourself get cut off from all the fun that can be found, all of the joy in living!
Experience is the best teacher!!! Slow down. Enjoy each and every event both good and bad. There is value in everything we do!

 

[Ray]

Slippers in the wild tend to spread their roots laterally into the interface between the soil and the leaf litter that accumulates on top of it. Some are more “belligerent” about it than others, and seem to do better in shallow trays, rather than deep pots.

What potting media do you use? Could it be to compact deeper?

 

[orchid527]

Hi. I have been doing some research on the internet and can't seem to find out why phrag roots will grow out of the surface of the substrate.

I find that this tends to happen with about 20-30% of my roots. I will have healthy actively growing new roots growing throughout my pot but for some reason some roots will grow upwards. Is this normal or an issue with my culture?

I do not know why your phrags are doing this, but I don't think it is normal. I have more than 150 phrags growing in various sizes of Orchiata, and in Promix, and none of them have roots growing out of the pot. Nor do the roots grow out of the drainage holes. I do not have any of my phrags sitting in water, but I do water them often. Also, the greenhouse can be a little on the dry side at times, but I don't know how that might affect phrags roots. Paph roots don't grow out of the pots either, but the roots on most of my other orchids do, and with vigor. They will not be contained. Mike

 

[Mykuhl]

If they tend to grow up and out of the substrate or media, that can be a reaction by the Phrag. used in its attempt to escape, grow away from too much moisture. But honestly, why do we put them in pots to begin with? Well, because it is much easier for us to deal with them in pots. I love growing Phrags. but really I grow other things and I can't worry or fret about who likes so much water, who likes less, who would like more light, etc. I do not have that kind of patience anymore. I am 76 years old and I try to make things simpler as I go along.

I do divide my Phragmipediums into two groups. The smaller growing group that seems for me to like less light, more media moisture and a regular application of fertilizer. Things like Pink Panther, besseae, besseae hybrids, Sedenii, Rosalie Dixler, Jason Fischer et.al.
Then I have the Phrags like Kovachii, Kovachii hybrids, caudatum, caudatum hybrids, the really big boys growing with more light. Those I let dry out a bit more between waterings, I fertilize a bit less often but at the same, weak or half strength level. But keep in mind that I to water and fertilize less often for the 6 months my plants are indoors because it is too cold outdoors. I put them all out doors starting around May 1st. They come in in early October. They are on benches at the north end of my house. They grow in a bright area with perhaps 2-3 hours of direct sunlight. Here in SE Michigan, the sun is not very strong and rarely is any orchid hit with enough light to cause a sunburn.
We do NOT have periods of prolonged heat here and generally it is a cooler summer environment then many. Breezes here, in and around the Great Lakes, are fairly constant. Rarely do my plants sit in warm, stagnant air.

But perhaps the best advice I can give you is to try and simplify things where ever possible. Orchids have been a big part of my life for 50+ years, BUT not the only part of my life. I tend to my container gardens outdoors, grow a few veggies, golf, flyfish, tie my own flies, photograph birds and animals, and I want to keep enjoying as many of these things as I can. So Mykuhl, slow down, relax a bit and don't worry about every little thing with orchids. You may go crazy from worrying about the small stuff and before you even realize it, the world has let yourself get cut off from all the fun that can be found, all of the joy in living!
Experience is the best teacher!!! Slow down. Enjoy each and every event both good and bad. There is value in everything we do!

Thank you for the advice.

 

[Mykuhl]

Slippers in the wild tend to spread their roots laterally into the interface between the soil and the leaf litter that accumulates on top of it. Some are more “belligerent” about it than others, and seem to do better in shallow trays, rather than deep pots.

What potting media do you use? Could it be to compact deeper?

I use 100% mixed grade pumice for all my phrags.

 

[Mykuhl]

I do not know why your phrags are doing this, but I don't think it is normal. I have more than 150 phrags growing in various sizes of Orchiata, and in Promix, and none of them have roots growing out of the pot. Nor do the roots grow out of the drainage holes. I do not have any of my phrags sitting in water, but I do water them often. Also, the greenhouse can be a little on the dry side at times, but I don't know how that might affect phrags roots. Paph roots don't grow out of the pots either, but the roots on most of my other orchids do, and with vigor. They will not be contained. Mike

I don't have any of my phrags sitting in water either. I water my water loving phrags everyday and the long petaled types every second to third day.