Black spots that start small but soon take over an entire leaf are common orchid problems called Black Rot. If not controlled soon, Black Rot will travel form the leaf down toward the crown, killing the pseudobulb, rhizome, and roots.
If the roots of orchids begin to blacken, then the owner of the plant needs to take urgent measures to save the flower. Otherwise, it will soon completely rot.
You can tell a lot about an orchid’s conditions by simply looking at its roots. When an orchid’s roots are brittle and dry, the plant is being underwatered, but when the roots are mushy and brown, it is being overwatered and has root rot. Diseases brought about by pathogens can also target orchid roots and cause problems.
Why are my orchids leaves falling off?
Orchids are highly sensitive to root rot. Your plant’s leaves will droop, and flowers may drop off if it’s being affected by root rot. When caught early, an orchid can potentially be saved by removing it from the soil, letting the roots dry out, and repotting the plant in fresh, well-draining soil.
How to repot orchid with air roots?
The best time to repot an orchid is during its active growth phase, which occurs during summer. Investigate: prepare the working space, remove the old potting medium, take the orchid out of its old pot, to repot orchid plants, we need the following components, or shop for the components necessary for repotting.
Why are the roots of orchids called aerial roots?
Aerial roots make the orchid safe and secure, signaling it’s safe to send out a flower spike. With unstable roots, the orchid will not send out a flower spike. (Source) As if the orchid followed a pyramid from Maslov’s Hierarchy of Needs, they place safety before propagation of species.
They truly live in the air. Most orchids will have aerial roots reaching out into the air, rather than digging down into the potting media. These roots absorb moisture from the air. Do not trim off these wandering roots, just let them do their thing.