Orchids How To: New purchases: Phalaenopsis violacea and ...

Phalaenopsis Violacea, young orchid species, first flowering, plant potted in sphagnum-moss

Phalaenopsis Violacea,
young orchid species, first flowering,
potted in sphagnum moss
(picture of 5 August 2012)
var. coerulea Malysia x Dark red "Norton"

Is a long time I want to see a flowering of Phalaenopsis violacea and Phalaenopsis bellina, unfortunately, the various attempts to purchase I've made so far have been disappointing. Last Saturday we had plans to meet a dear friend fond of orchids like me, I jumped on the bandwagon, we took him to meet my favorite orchids seller (Orchids & More). I discovered recently that only 2 miles from my house is located one of the most well-stocked greenhouses of orchids in Germany! A great place. Towards the end of our visit,in the last hall, I saw a group of phalaenopsis with flower stems in growth, they were phal. Violacea ! (var. Malaysia coerulea x dark red Norton).
Unfortunately, all the plants had recently been the victim of a fungal disease, so even if new leaves were beautiful, some roots and old leaves was not the best, but the stem was perfect, and she was calling me ...

Phalaenopsis Violacea, ditail of stem and roots

Phalaenopsis Violacea,
orchid species,
detail of stem and roots
(picture of 5 August 2012)

I found the plant that seemed to be better, it has 2 new leaves and a lot of roots still healthy although the pot was filled with some synthetic fiber cubes instead of normal substrates like bark or sphagnum-moss; those cubes are too much absorbent so they were too wet and they had a stange, worrying smell.
Roots over the substrate have typical signs of Rhizoctonia solani fungus and after removing all the cubes I had a confirmation to my suspect: all the oldest roots (those in the center of the pot) were completely rotten and others were starting to rot, however, after cutting all the bad parts using sterilized scissors there are enough healthy roots. After cutting, I put the plant soaking in a systemic fungicide for about an hour (Azoxystrobin 22.9%, 1 ml diluted in 0.7 l of water).

Phalaenopsis Violacea, orchid species, repoting, roots detail, those in the middle have rotted by a fungal disease

Phalaenopsis Violacea, during repoting, roots detail,
those in the middle have rotted
by a fungal disease (Phytophthora or Pythium)
(picture of 5 August 2012)

I thought for a while 'before deciding how to repot, for sure I wouldn't miss the flowering and already the stress of the environment change and the cut of several roots do not help, of course I do not want to miss the remaining roots, then I decided, only sphagnum! (read how to repot a Phalaenopsis in sphagnum-moss).

As retention of humidity and consistence, sphagnum is the more similar substrate to cubes in which the roots have grown and I can gradually get them used to dry out between watering. Since this kind of phalaenopsis likes a humid climate, I put it in a bowl with wet expanded clay in a not too bright light position, in fact this species loves very suffused light.
Here it is in its location close to the Phalaenopsis Bellina.

Phalaenopsis Bellina and Phalaenopsis Violacea, orchids species repotted in sphagnum-moss

Phalaenopsis Bellina and Phalaenopsis Violacea, orchids species,
repotted with sphagnum-moss, on wet expanded-clay
(picture of 6 August 2012)