I have a lot of air roots can you cut them them or will the plant die they're like leeches they've crawled all down the sides of the plant pot and onto the window sill.
There are some issues that must be adressed. The plug serves as the first medium in which the orchid (phalaenopsis) grows. By the time the plant gets to you it flowers for the first time and the medium is approximately 2 years old, therefore it is the time to repot. But with every repotting you do you risk causing stress and the first response to stress is to lose buds and eventually flowers which could otherwise last for another 3-4 months. If there is no immediate danger (bugs, moldy medium, lots of dead roots...), you can wait after the blooms fall off naturally. There are many types of medium you can use to repot, but even if you go from old bark (retains a lot of water) to new bark (retain small amount of water), you risk losing the old root system. In my experience it pays off to wait until you see growing new root tips. New roots can adapt to whatever type of medium you choose. Don't be afraid of the plug, it won't kill the orchid immediately. Phalaenopsis is relatively slow grower, very tolerant, if you give her proper care (light, water, nutrients). But never - ever cut in the healthy tissue. Alway cut off the dead parts, don't open new wounds. Dead roots are soft, squishy. Living roots are firm (color doesn't matter). Rotting roots are symptom, not the problem. If an orchid dies, it might have had some issues long before you bought it. Don't give up, it isn't always your fault.
You seem to understand orchids well. I have two that completed flowering in December. I have them in a fresh quality bark medium in orchid pots with lots of ventilation - I dunk and let them dry out - probably 1x a week in the summer less in the winter, it's warm where I live - in water with orchid fertilizer every 4th or 5th feed. They are indoors in south facing windows. They have grown new leaves - beautiful and shiny but here we are in August and no stems. Can you give me any suggestions? Thank you.
Thank you for the tips! :) Just to share my experience: When I got my first orchid, I was very unsure whether or not to open it up immediately, but I'm glad I did. The roots all around the foam part in the middle were rotten and it was starting to reach the plant itself. So I removed it and cut off the rotten roots (along the sides of the pot, there were many healthy roots left) and it bloomed for another 8 months :D
I killed my first orchid by cutting nearly all roots open to get the plug out cause I was in there so tight.. It's still blooming funnily enough, but the roots tell a different story. I had no idea what I was doing even tho I followed a tutorial video. Just assumed I might as well cut these out as well cause otherwise I wouldn't be able to get the old soil out. I don't think there's much I can do about it now. I have two others I re-planted during blooming and they're still doing well and blooming 😊 (left the roots alone this time). I don't think re-potting during bloom is an issue to be honest. If the pot is too small, it's too small. No point in waiting around.
Thank you for the additional tips. I’ve had several orchids and they all died 😢. Most of my other plants are thriving but I’ve resisted replacing orchids as I don’t want to consign them to early graves. I might now have the courage to try again.
@@craniumrex4614 If you are unsure about orchid care, I can recommend you to visit website of american orchid society. You can find basic information about growing orchids there. One of the most common reasons the orchids die is overwatering. If you grow phalaenopsis, the basic rule is to wait until the roots have silvery color. If you are away from home for 2 weeks, they can still manage without watering. It is safer to grow them more on the dry side.
It's the substrate the baby plant is first grown in. It's just never removed when the plant is put into a bigger pot. These Orchids are grown en-masse, and are about 4 years old when they arrive at garden centres. The roots grow out of the plug, not into it. The tiny plant was growing in that, in its first pot. It's good to remove them when you can, but it won't immediately cause damage, it's fine to wait until the first time the plant is ready to repot.
My mom has been growing orchids since way before I was born, and she still has two orchid plants that are older than me. For reference, I am older than Mr Sheffield by some 4 years. Those plant have lived in about 7 different states and moved over 4k miles through their lifespans, and every time I see them, they are in bloom and looking healthier than I am 😅 She has them on a coconut fiber planter with a mix of coconut fibers, tree bark and very light soil, planted near some ferns, and I think she only adds some soil every now and then at the center of the coconut planter because of the ferns.
@@mrs.bullocksmusicroom6712 About all plants enjoy water, but orchids enjoy moist and/or humidity more than a bucket of water. Their roots shall never get wet for longer than while they are being watered.
@@mrs.bullocksmusicroom6712same rule, you water them when they're bone dry (most orchids at least, esp phalaenopsis). You can water as much as you can, many even soak them for 15 minutes, as long as they drain easily after that. And as frequently as necessary, which entirely depends on the humidity of your location. Can be once in 3 days to more than 1 week. Pull down its pants and check, make sure the roots are not soggy. Make sure there's no pests or prepare for protocols. Check out @missorchidgirl videos for very detailed orchid videos....
I usually unwrap my plants the other way, taking the plastic from the bottom so I have less chance to damage the leaves and flowers… plus the wrapping being a concave shape makes it slides effortlessly.
You just proved why we should always repot. This happened to me with a Venus flytrap. I didn’t realize that the store wrapped the roots in gardening mesh. When I did, the plant was beyond saving.
I just bought an orchid and every video I watched never mentioned those death plugs. When I took his pants down to check his roots, I found one and removed it! This video was timed perfectly for me! Thanks!
I had to let you know that when the blooms died, I cut them halfway down. Now both spikes are growing new buds! Thank you for letting us know this can be done! It really works!
I have seen this thing in many types of plant. Sometimes it is even I small plastic basket. I discovered it when my ficus elastica mysteriouly started to have all its leaf turning brown a few weeks after I bought it.
I would say that might be from moving it (plant shock). They do not even like to be moved into the next room which has been my experience and I have 3 plants. They will grow back just to give it time :))
I bought an orchid last year, picking one that had been underwatered and dry rather than one of the overwatered ones. I was so happy when she picked up and began thriving! She lived through growing all her flowers, and I thought I was still doing a really good job of not overwatering. I was in the process of learning how to swap her over from the moss she came in to bark...and thats when I realized all her roots had rotted. I'm still heartbroken over that one. I'd even taken a bunch of the moss out to let the roots breathe!
Mr. S, I believe the plug is used in lieu of substrate. They just plug the baby plant into a plug and let it grow from there. And, because the plug does retain water for some time, the growers water the plants less often.
I've been learning so much from my first, current orchid which makes me happy I adopted it a couple months ago. Although it didn't have one of those plugs, it was nonetheless in a slightly sad shape. About half its roots were long dead, and any living ones were quite gray. Its old, clear plastic pot was crammed (and I mean really crammed) with all sphagnum moss and no bark, which I'm certain wasn't healthy for it. One of the first things I learned about orchids is how their roots actually need air, unlike other plants. Fortunately, it's been doing quite well under my care. It's now in a new plastic pot with special orchid bark and some pine needles, and every week, I'll spray its leaves, somewhat exposed roots and stems (including its brand new branching stem with five budding flowers) with a fertilizer that smells like peanuts. Recently, one of its new roots grew white hair, which scared me into thinking it was mold at first. With the way this root has been growing upward these past few weeks, it sure seems like it might become the first to eventually poke out and then hang over the pot. I'm expecting that next surprise.
No need for urgency. If the root system looks healthy, not need to remove the plug right away -- just adjust your watering, so you're not keeping the plug constantly wet. If the root system is healthy, wait until the blooms drop, then repot. (This would be a good time to start fertilizing to prepare for the next bloom cycle.) Otherwise, you risk stressing the plant unnecessary and shortening the blooming period. Same goes for orchids sold in sphagnum.
I discovered this death plug thing on my mini orchid when I saw it kind of withering away and I was like.. what is even this?? Ever since, I changed the medium to little bit of soil and mostly bark and moss and also did the trick you presented in your last video about orchids, and now it is fully grown new petioles and the new flowers are blooming just a couple of months later :) But I didn't know soil is not necessary at all.. will apply to my brassia soon ! Super useful video!!
I am so glad I found this video because the Phalaenopsis I bought approx. 3 weeks ago started to let the flowers of one of the two flower spikes wilt and produce a couple of yellowing leaves after a couple of weeks. I haven't had any Orchids for quite some time, but have had much better luck previously and really had no idea what was up. After watching your video I went straight for the kitchen ready to try and rescue my pretty pink acquisition. At the same time I also cut back said flower spike hoping for new growth and possibly/hopefully new growth (more flowers) there.
I always repot every plant that comes back to my house and Orchids too. The medium they put in is so wet it’s usually all moss that has algae on it because it’s been so wet for so long. I have not seen these plugs in our stores here, but perhaps their older plants I am buying. I have seen that foam in other plants I have bought and I try to get it off, but sometimes the roots are to small like on a tiny Begonia that I have to keep it in there. Thanks for sharing this information for everyone!
These death plugs are around so many houseplants. Sometimes they are made of material and are difficult to rip and I’ve been seen some that are in small plastic cages (never going to decompose).
I've bought "starter plants" on Etsy that are grown in those plugs and the sellers don't recommend removing them. I notice that many of the plants grow OK for a while before declining rapidly. I wonder if this is why, and it makes no sense for the sellers to advise keeping them on.
The baby plants are grown and sold in those plugs to companies that grow them to market size. They've been in those plugs since they were first potted about two years before.
I grew orchids in an orchid potting medium for years. In fact, one orchid bloomed for 13 months non-stop, on one stem. It grew longer and longer and in the end I had to arrange some support to hold it up. When I moved home, however, every single one of my 12 orchids died and I have never had success with them since. I guess they liked the house that I left more than I did. 😂
Those peat blocks are starter cubes. The seed is place into a small hole in the top center of the cube, and the rots don't grow "into" the cube. They grow out from the cube.
They don’t start orchid seeds on peat; that happens on agar. The plug only comes once the seeds have germinated and grown for at least several months on agar.
I discovered that my Phalaenopsis orchids grow best when planted into sphagnum-moss. I use clear net pots/hollowed pots and place my orchids on my balcony in the warm season. They grow like crazy and start to bloom every autumn/winter 💁🏻♀️
Timing is everything! 😂. I just unspotted and reorganized my year old orchid, as it was leaning. I saw that plug thing. Left it be. Will be adding this to my to do list!
I watched the video and looked at my on sale orchid from my local grocery store. Here in Colorado USA they use a small plastic basket containing some kind of moisture retaining material. Thank you so much! My hopes for a healthy orchid are renewed👏👏👏👏👏
I’ve found with my phalaenopsis that they like it moist but also to be able to breathe. Mine thrived in the wet season in South Florida. I always used a combination of 50-50 bark and sphagnum but used vented clay pots to ventilate the extra moisture.
I live in Australia and because it’s hot here they plant the phalaenopsis into sphagnum moss. If just straight bark is used it dries out too fast in this part of the world. A nice bark and sphagnum mix is better here. The problem is they jam so much sphagnum into the pot it causes the roots to suffocate and rot. I bought three plants last weekend, one on clearance that had finished flowering and two at full price. All three of them had some degree of root rot going on. It’s disappointing that these beautiful plants are pretty much marketed to just be bought as living gifts which more often than not will die due to incorrect potting and lack of knowledge.
I think the worst thing about the plug is that it can cause stem rot which is an infection that can spread. Usually the new roots grow along the edge of the pot and circle around.
The plug is quite simply a product of plant production. When plants now (post brexit) each plug plant is examined for pests and disease. Each orchid nursery will then 'pot' for their market. They are often potted on via a machine called an Elle Port which can be programmed to make the exact size of plug as per requirements. The machine is fed a biodegradable paper that is folded again to exact measurements etc.
Most plants in the big stores are not given the ideal conditions for long term cultivation. These mass produced Phalaenopsis hybrids are a good example of that. Usually the soil needs to be changed on all plants. That's one of the reasons why I like to start with smaller specimens.
Thank you so much for posting this video. It made me check my orchid as its been declining and i found this exact thing in it!! I removed it straight away. I just hope it survives 😢
Great video I am always looking forward to hearing about how to take care of my orchids. Mine were given to me from a friend who had them for years. I guess she took care of them then. They bloom a lot and have great green leaves and wonderful plump gray roots.
I've never seen that here in the States. All the orchids I've bought are in bark without that plug. I repot mine after blooming every year. They are starting to put up flower spikes now.
I had a small bop with a terrible plug, the thing was rock hard and stuck to the roots like glue. I can understand the use for coir plugs etc. but that thing was terrible! And the plant wasn't years old, it was a baby so the plug can't have been very old. Since then I always check for a plug and remove it (plus I'm probably throwing the plant in semi Hydro anyway).
Thank you for this!!! My husband bought me an orchid from a local grocery store when we were dating and it was the first plant that i ever unalived lol now i know ut wasnt my fault! It had water in the pot when he bought it so i tried to let it "air out" because i knew it wasnt supoosed to have that much water. I saw this plug in the plant but had no idea it would harm it. Next time I will know to remove it straight away
Oh my gosh. I had no idea. I was gifted one 3yrs ago roughly. Every mid april she givez me beautiful fuchsia pink blooms. The green leaves are out of this world. Big and green,healthy and still growing.those long thing,maybe called breathers? Thier getting sooo long. Im so going to look for plug. Scared to disturb it though. As it is so pretty. Even in dormant stages
I have an orchid again received in the Spring with some gift whatever and its just finished up its little purple blooms....glad i saw this vid, i would have repotted into soil without disturbing the plug.....probly explains why i dont have any earlier specimens
The plug is also the seedling plug they use for when they’re growing as youngins. Those orchids are typically 3 years old or so and when they pot them up when they get bigger, they just throw the seedling plug into another pot and even though that plug helps retain it more moist as young seedlings, it becomes this weird death cake later and almost nothing grows well in it. Pretty much speed and laziness with the nurseries selling these in large amounts. Cool video! /Secretly hoping you’ll become an orchid enthusiast so I can have another awesome channel to watch for orchid research >_> haha ,
Just to say, that I repotted an orchid into soil, as I didn't have anything else at the time. I don't water the soil and just spray the plant with a really dilute orchid feed, and it seems to be doing well, as it is growing lots of green and silver roots into the soil. Perhaps it is the amount of moisture that would be the problem?😊
During the summer I bought in the sale from an excellent local nursery a Cambria isl. Nelly Yellowstone orchid. It has never thrived and of course I thought it was me. That is until I watched your video. I went out and bought a bag of specialised orchid compost then I tipped my orchid out ……..would you believe it there was a small soggy pot entwined in the roots ! The orchid is now repotted , it even looks more stable even though I have only potted it loosely. Thank you for your excellent advice. I am now going to look at my recently purchased Alocasia because it has lost several leaves for no apparent reason.
If only this video was uploaded a few months ago I would have know why my plant from home base was dying and now dried out … I’ll know for the next plant I buy from them 😊
Weird. In the US Phalaenopsis usually come packed in a tightly compressed wad of long-fiber sphagnum. That’s done because most likely those plants sitting in a grocery store or Trader Joe’s are not going to get watered. I’ve had so many people come in with orchids rotting away…One lady had stuck her orchid in its moss wad into a vase. The original roots had all rotted but that orchid wanted to live; it grew past the rot and spread out new roots up above the vase.
Ive had some 10 years , and they are a problem to get your head around , ie . repotting and watering, but once mastered will aways have a place in the home .
If only this video was uploaded a few months ago I would have know why my plant from home base was dying and now dried out … I’ll know for the next plant I buy from them
You'll want to use different medium mixes depending on your environment. Just useong bark in Sheffield and most of the UK is generally fine because we dont have a very hot climate so it drys out relatively slowly. But if you live in a much hotter climet you'll want to mix the bark or layer it with sphagna (sorry for the bad spelling) moss so it holds onto moisture better and you dont have to water ever couple of days. You want your orchids in a medium or mix of mediums so your watering them between 7 to 10 days ideally
Damn.. I got an orchid 5 years ago who have been a lil rollercoaster, it had been so healthy and happy for the last 3 years and now its looking grim.. Ill have to repot it and see if it has the plug..
I just bought one and it's in moss. I prefer to use new freshly soaked bark in case there are pests in the moss/bark that the plant often comes with. Do you ever use a pest spray on newly bought orchids for that reason? I love my orchids and they always come back in bloom!🥰
Just given my 7 orchids their bi-monthly soak in the sink, so i took the opportunity to inspect and lo and behold, 4 of the 7 had the little plug and one a little sinister cage. Im not sure if theyve caused anybissues as my orchids ate at least 4 years old and always rebloom time and again. Anyway, I've removed them and some mushy roots and will see how they do. Thanks Mr S!
So glad to find out what that weird plug is all about-and that I can toss it when repotting my orchid. I recently started finding these things in my new orchids and wondered what they were. I suspected it was something the tiny new orchid was planted in, but wasn’t sure. And I really despise those tall plastic cones that force the orchid to assume such an unnatural state. Lately I’m also seeing some really unnatural colors in the cheaper orchids. Like BLUE! When I visit my higher priced nursery with the lovely orchid greenhouse, the plants are never shown in those plastic cones, but are arranged with their leaves spread out in the natural way. And no BLUE orchids. So far I have only bought phals, but would love to try another type. Any suggestions as to what would be the next easiest variety?
Mrs. Sheffield, "I KNOW that look! You did it, didn't you? More plants?!?!" Mr. Sheffield, "Um, yeah....about that.." Mrs. Sheffield, "Oh, for a video, is it? We're gonna have a go, you and I!"
I never knew about this plug, but perhaps my orchid doesn’t have it. I have an orchid that was given to me on my birthday by a new Beau as a “living” flower bouquet that was supposed to last longer than normal but not be a permanent plant. It was in the tiniest of plastic containers that was then in a very small nice pot. It’s still alive over 4 years later, has more new roots than I know what to do with, new leaves all the time & all I do is water it with a trickle of water about once or twice a fortnight! A few times a year I may put some liquid fertiliser in the water trickle, but that’s it! I’m convinced that if that new Beau who is now my partner of 4.5 years ever leaves me, it will die. LOL
I don't have any orchids, but this was really interesting. Not sure if the US orchids have the same, but those plugs look the same as Root Riots that dahlia cuttings are started in here. thanks for the info!
I find those plugs on baby plants that I buy. It seems like a sponge. I think it is a growing medium of some sort. They sure help baby plants make it through the mail though. I remove them from all my plants too 😊
Been quite inconsistent lately but I promise I'll make up for it all ! Mr Sfheffield I love you more and more when you deal with Phals (respectulyy, MRS Sheffield! 😄) I've been always dealing with those KILLER Sponges/Cagees with my Phals. The sooner you remove those deadly traps, the better ! GRAZIE
Hello, i really like your videos about plants..my parents love orchids but very rarely they tent to survive after 2-3 months at our house.Last year, i bought 2 phalaenopsis and i had a strange thought..what if i could raise them in water?so, i used a glass vase that looks like a fish bowl and i took the first one, i cleared all the mud and the soil and placed it inside the vase with 1 gallon of water.Unfortunately i didn't had another vase, so i put the second one in an actual fish bowl, which was wrong because the glass wasn't that thick and the water is coming to be blur after 3 days.But the first orchid is THRIVING in water, she has new leaves, very shiny and now she has new flowers...i am so excited about her!!!so, i think imo that plants like people can survive in multiple environments and they are more adaptable than we are some times.The water in the vase doesn't become moldy or blur and i think that the glass is the reason why.Therefore i do not change the water, but it doesn't smell either.
Nice video, thanks Richard. It would be a good idea if the propagators used some kind of beneficial fungi as a plug. I'm just an ideas guy, I'll leave that with you to sort out, thanks in advance.
I am going to assume that once the orchid flowers die off (because a cat knocked it over...) you can still go in and remove it after we do what your last orchid video taught us? Will do that tomorrow. Thank you so, so much for another brilliant video!!
I've had orchids for years without replanting them sometimes. XD They seem to be doing fine. Once or twice I've gotten root rot though. And I got one with some kind of pests on thought, and they spread to almost all of them. I think I have it contained to 3-4 orchids now. Spraying with neem oil once a week for like 1,5 years now. It's working, but if I fail to spray them a week or two, they're back. So I keep failing and they refuse to go away. XD Well... they are going, just very slowly with many setbacks. :P
yup, just had to do it. get rid of sponge, and even bark can remain moist too long. got rid of it all and put into 1-7mm pumice for orchids that have fine roots, and 7-20mm pumice for more sturdy root orchids. btw aquarium people come thru again with the goods. aquarium ph down solution i just bought is sulfur based, unlike many others, and is a safer solution to acidify nutrient/water.
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I have a lot of air roots can you cut them them or will the plant die they're like leeches they've crawled all down the sides of the plant pot and onto the window sill.
@@carolyndymond4065 you can cut
There are some issues that must be adressed. The plug serves as the first medium in which the orchid (phalaenopsis) grows. By the time the plant gets to you it flowers for the first time and the medium is approximately 2 years old, therefore it is the time to repot. But with every repotting you do you risk causing stress and the first response to stress is to lose buds and eventually flowers which could otherwise last for another 3-4 months. If there is no immediate danger (bugs, moldy medium, lots of dead roots...), you can wait after the blooms fall off naturally. There are many types of medium you can use to repot, but even if you go from old bark (retains a lot of water) to new bark (retain small amount of water), you risk losing the old root system. In my experience it pays off to wait until you see growing new root tips. New roots can adapt to whatever type of medium you choose. Don't be afraid of the plug, it won't kill the orchid immediately. Phalaenopsis is relatively slow grower, very tolerant, if you give her proper care (light, water, nutrients). But never - ever cut in the healthy tissue. Alway cut off the dead parts, don't open new wounds. Dead roots are soft, squishy. Living roots are firm (color doesn't matter). Rotting roots are symptom, not the problem. If an orchid dies, it might have had some issues long before you bought it. Don't give up, it isn't always your fault.
You seem to understand orchids well. I have two that completed flowering in December. I have them in a fresh quality bark medium in orchid pots with lots of ventilation - I dunk and let them dry out - probably 1x a week in the summer less in the winter, it's warm where I live - in water with orchid fertilizer every 4th or 5th feed. They are indoors in south facing windows. They have grown new leaves - beautiful and shiny but here we are in August and no stems. Can you give me any suggestions? Thank you.
Thank you for the tips! :) Just to share my experience: When I got my first orchid, I was very unsure whether or not to open it up immediately, but I'm glad I did. The roots all around the foam part in the middle were rotten and it was starting to reach the plant itself. So I removed it and cut off the rotten roots (along the sides of the pot, there were many healthy roots left) and it bloomed for another 8 months :D
I killed my first orchid by cutting nearly all roots open to get the plug out cause I was in there so tight.. It's still blooming funnily enough, but the roots tell a different story. I had no idea what I was doing even tho I followed a tutorial video. Just assumed I might as well cut these out as well cause otherwise I wouldn't be able to get the old soil out. I don't think there's much I can do about it now. I have two others I re-planted during blooming and they're still doing well and blooming 😊 (left the roots alone this time). I don't think re-potting during bloom is an issue to be honest. If the pot is too small, it's too small. No point in waiting around.
Thank you for the additional tips. I’ve had several orchids and they all died 😢. Most of my other plants are thriving but I’ve resisted replacing orchids as I don’t want to consign them to early graves. I might now have the courage to try again.
@@craniumrex4614 If you are unsure about orchid care, I can recommend you to visit website of american orchid society. You can find basic information about growing orchids there. One of the most common reasons the orchids die is overwatering. If you grow phalaenopsis, the basic rule is to wait until the roots have silvery color. If you are away from home for 2 weeks, they can still manage without watering. It is safer to grow them more on the dry side.
It's the substrate the baby plant is first grown in. It's just never removed when the plant is put into a bigger pot. These Orchids are grown en-masse, and are about 4 years old when they arrive at garden centres. The roots grow out of the plug, not into it. The tiny plant was growing in that, in its first pot. It's good to remove them when you can, but it won't immediately cause damage, it's fine to wait until the first time the plant is ready to repot.
My mom has been growing orchids since way before I was born, and she still has two orchid plants that are older than me. For reference, I am older than Mr Sheffield by some 4 years. Those plant have lived in about 7 different states and moved over 4k miles through their lifespans, and every time I see them, they are in bloom and looking healthier than I am 😅 She has them on a coconut fiber planter with a mix of coconut fibers, tree bark and very light soil, planted near some ferns, and I think she only adds some soil every now and then at the center of the coconut planter because of the ferns.
How do you water your orchid.I just got one as a gift....
So cool!
@@mrs.bullocksmusicroom6712 About all plants enjoy water, but orchids enjoy moist and/or humidity more than a bucket of water. Their roots shall never get wet for longer than while they are being watered.
A few plants that I got from Costa farms plants usually have little plastic jails holding the roots in. Hate
@@mrs.bullocksmusicroom6712same rule, you water them when they're bone dry (most orchids at least, esp phalaenopsis). You can water as much as you can, many even soak them for 15 minutes, as long as they drain easily after that. And as frequently as necessary, which entirely depends on the humidity of your location. Can be once in 3 days to more than 1 week.
Pull down its pants and check, make sure the roots are not soggy. Make sure there's no pests or prepare for protocols.
Check out @missorchidgirl videos for very detailed orchid videos....
I usually unwrap my plants the other way, taking the plastic from the bottom so I have less chance to damage the leaves and flowers… plus the wrapping being a concave shape makes it slides effortlessly.
Or, failing that, he could have cut up the seam of the plastic and removed it. 😃
You just proved why we should always repot. This happened to me with a Venus flytrap. I didn’t realize that the store wrapped the roots in gardening mesh. When I did, the plant was beyond saving.
stores are just inventing new reasons why you shouldnt buy from them
I just bought an orchid and every video I watched never mentioned those death plugs. When I took his pants down to check his roots, I found one and removed it! This video was timed perfectly for me! Thanks!
Great stuff 👍
Pants 😆
(Took his pants down) .... Thank you. Its 3.48 am in PNW Washington. You've made my weekend. 😍😘
I had to let you know that when the blooms died, I cut them halfway down. Now both spikes are growing new buds! Thank you for letting us know this can be done! It really works!
Now I have 11 big, gorgeous blossoms!!❤️
I have seen this thing in many types of plant. Sometimes it is even I small plastic basket. I discovered it when my ficus elastica mysteriouly started to have all its leaf turning brown a few weeks after I bought it.
I would say that might be from moving it (plant shock). They do not even like to be moved into the next room which has been my experience and I have 3 plants. They will grow back just to give it time :))
oh yeah, a basket full of mold, that the roots have grown into -.- you can snip it apart, but the plastic pieces are stuck....
I bought an orchid last year, picking one that had been underwatered and dry rather than one of the overwatered ones. I was so happy when she picked up and began thriving! She lived through growing all her flowers, and I thought I was still doing a really good job of not overwatering. I was in the process of learning how to swap her over from the moss she came in to bark...and thats when I realized all her roots had rotted.
I'm still heartbroken over that one. I'd even taken a bunch of the moss out to let the roots breathe!
Mr. S, I believe the plug is used in lieu of substrate. They just plug the baby plant into a plug and let it grow from there.
And, because the plug does retain water for some time, the growers water the plants less often.
I've been learning so much from my first, current orchid which makes me happy I adopted it a couple months ago. Although it didn't have one of those plugs, it was nonetheless in a slightly sad shape. About half its roots were long dead, and any living ones were quite gray. Its old, clear plastic pot was crammed (and I mean really crammed) with all sphagnum moss and no bark, which I'm certain wasn't healthy for it. One of the first things I learned about orchids is how their roots actually need air, unlike other plants.
Fortunately, it's been doing quite well under my care. It's now in a new plastic pot with special orchid bark and some pine needles, and every week, I'll spray its leaves, somewhat exposed roots and stems (including its brand new branching stem with five budding flowers) with a fertilizer that smells like peanuts. Recently, one of its new roots grew white hair, which scared me into thinking it was mold at first. With the way this root has been growing upward these past few weeks, it sure seems like it might become the first to eventually poke out and then hang over the pot. I'm expecting that next surprise.
So happy to see someone talking about this hidden menace. 👏👏👏
An aquarist often uses a dinner fork to help remove the plugs from plant roots to minimise damage.
No need for urgency. If the root system looks healthy, not need to remove the plug right away -- just adjust your watering, so you're not keeping the plug constantly wet. If the root system is healthy, wait until the blooms drop, then repot. (This would be a good time to start fertilizing to prepare for the next bloom cycle.) Otherwise, you risk stressing the plant unnecessary and shortening the blooming period. Same goes for orchids sold in sphagnum.
I discovered this death plug thing on my mini orchid when I saw it kind of withering away and I was like.. what is even this?? Ever since, I changed the medium to little bit of soil and mostly bark and moss and also did the trick you presented in your last video about orchids, and now it is fully grown new petioles and the new flowers are blooming just a couple of months later :) But I didn't know soil is not necessary at all.. will apply to my brassia soon ! Super useful video!!
thanks!
I am so glad I found this video because the Phalaenopsis I bought approx. 3 weeks ago started to let the flowers of one of the two flower spikes wilt and produce a couple of yellowing leaves after a couple of weeks.
I haven't had any Orchids for quite some time, but have had much better luck previously and really had no idea what was up.
After watching your video I went straight for the kitchen ready to try and rescue my pretty pink acquisition.
At the same time I also cut back said flower spike hoping for new growth and possibly/hopefully new growth (more flowers) there.
I always repot every plant that comes back to my house and Orchids too. The medium they put in is so wet it’s usually all moss that has algae on it because it’s been so wet for so long. I have not seen these plugs in our stores here, but perhaps their older plants I am buying. I have seen that foam in other plants I have bought and I try to get it off, but sometimes the roots are to small like on a tiny Begonia that I have to keep it in there. Thanks for sharing this information for everyone!
These death plugs are around so many houseplants. Sometimes they are made of material and are difficult to rip and I’ve been seen some that are in small plastic cages (never going to decompose).
I've bought "starter plants" on Etsy that are grown in those plugs and the sellers don't recommend removing them. I notice that many of the plants grow OK for a while before declining rapidly. I wonder if this is why, and it makes no sense for the sellers to advise keeping them on.
The sellers want the buyers to have to buy new plants when the 1st ones unexpectedly stop growing, turn brown, etc.
The baby plants are grown and sold in those plugs to companies that grow them to market size. They've been in those plugs since they were first potted about two years before.
I grew orchids in an orchid potting medium for years. In fact, one orchid bloomed for 13 months non-stop, on one stem. It grew longer and longer and in the end I had to arrange some support to hold it up. When I moved home, however, every single one of my 12 orchids died and I have never had success with them since. I guess they liked the house that I left more than I did. 😂
I've found net plugs on some of my small plants. They seem to be harder to remove than the peat plugs.
Almost always on alocasias😢
Yeah peat isn't so bad cos you can easily break bits off
Oh dear...that sounds horrible
The plug is an issue when it holds moisture on the crown of the roots underneath. Same issue can happen in the crux of the leaves.
Those peat blocks are starter cubes. The seed is place into a small hole in the top center of the cube, and the rots don't grow "into" the cube. They grow out from the cube.
They don’t start orchid seeds on peat; that happens on agar. The plug only comes once the seeds have germinated and grown for at least several months on agar.
I discovered that my Phalaenopsis orchids grow best when planted into sphagnum-moss. I use clear net pots/hollowed pots and place my orchids on my balcony in the warm season. They grow like crazy and start to bloom every autumn/winter 💁🏻♀️
Timing is everything! 😂. I just unspotted and reorganized my year old orchid, as it was leaning. I saw that plug thing. Left it be. Will be adding this to my to do list!
I watched the video and looked at my on sale orchid from my local grocery store. Here in Colorado USA they use a small plastic basket containing some kind of moisture retaining material. Thank you so much! My hopes for a healthy orchid are renewed👏👏👏👏👏
It is the substrate/ growing media for the original cutting/ cloning which was placed for propagation.
I’ve found with my phalaenopsis that they like it moist but also to be able to breathe. Mine thrived in the wet season in South Florida. I always used a combination of 50-50 bark and sphagnum but used vented clay pots to ventilate the extra moisture.
I live in Australia and because it’s hot here they plant the phalaenopsis into sphagnum moss. If just straight bark is used it dries out too fast in this part of the world. A nice bark and sphagnum mix is better here. The problem is they jam so much sphagnum into the pot it causes the roots to suffocate and rot. I bought three plants last weekend, one on clearance that had finished flowering and two at full price. All three of them had some degree of root rot going on. It’s disappointing that these beautiful plants are pretty much marketed to just be bought as living gifts which more often than not will die due to incorrect potting and lack of knowledge.
I think the worst thing about the plug is that it can cause stem rot which is an infection that can spread.
Usually the new roots grow along the edge of the pot and circle around.
The plug is quite simply a product of plant production. When plants now (post brexit) each plug plant is examined for pests and disease. Each orchid nursery will then 'pot' for their market. They are often potted on via a machine called an Elle Port which can be programmed to make the exact size of plug as per requirements. The machine is fed a biodegradable paper that is folded again to exact measurements etc.
Now i know why my last orchids died, I didn't try again for years. I have a purple/pink phalenopsis that is growing beautifully now.
Most plants in the big stores are not given the ideal conditions for long term cultivation. These mass produced Phalaenopsis hybrids are a good example of that. Usually the soil needs to be changed on all plants. That's one of the reasons why I like to start with smaller specimens.
Thank you so much for posting this video. It made me check my orchid as its been declining and i found this exact thing in it!! I removed it straight away. I just hope it survives 😢
You bet!
Great video I am always looking forward to hearing about how to take care of my orchids. Mine were given to me from a friend who had them for years. I guess she took care of them then. They bloom a lot and have great green leaves and wonderful plump gray roots.
Cheers!
Thanks ! Just unplugged all of my orchids and looking forward to the rewards
I've never seen that here in the States. All the orchids I've bought are in bark without that plug. I repot mine after blooming every year. They are starting to put up flower spikes now.
Excellent information, thank you River! 😍
I had a small bop with a terrible plug, the thing was rock hard and stuck to the roots like glue. I can understand the use for coir plugs etc. but that thing was terrible! And the plant wasn't years old, it was a baby so the plug can't have been very old.
Since then I always check for a plug and remove it (plus I'm probably throwing the plant in semi Hydro anyway).
I have one like this now... It's literally like a rock!
Thank you for this!!! My husband bought me an orchid from a local grocery store when we were dating and it was the first plant that i ever unalived lol now i know ut wasnt my fault! It had water in the pot when he bought it so i tried to let it "air out" because i knew it wasnt supoosed to have that much water. I saw this plug in the plant but had no idea it would harm it. Next time I will know to remove it straight away
Thanks Mr Sheffield I received an orchid as a present and never knew about the plug so I’ll be taking that out right away !
Oh my gosh. I had no idea. I was gifted one 3yrs ago roughly. Every mid april she givez me beautiful fuchsia pink blooms. The green leaves are out of this world. Big and green,healthy and still growing.those long thing,maybe called breathers? Thier getting sooo long. Im so going to look for plug. Scared to disturb it though. As it is so pretty. Even in dormant stages
Learn something new everyday 😊
Such gorgeous orchids! Glad you're into them again... ❤
I have an orchid again received in the Spring with some gift whatever and its just finished up its little purple blooms....glad i saw this vid, i would have repotted into soil without disturbing the plug.....probly explains why i dont have any earlier specimens
I’ve see a plastic tube/ rings plug that is filled with peat here in the USA
The store B-roll is a very nice addition to the video.
Glad you think so!
Shopping with Mr Shef 🙂
You learn something new every day. Thank you
The plug is also the seedling plug they use for when they’re growing as youngins. Those orchids are typically 3 years old or so and when they pot them up when they get bigger, they just throw the seedling plug into another pot and even though that plug helps retain it more moist as young seedlings, it becomes this weird death cake later and almost nothing grows well in it.
Pretty much speed and laziness with the nurseries selling these in large amounts.
Cool video!
/Secretly hoping you’ll become an orchid enthusiast so I can have another awesome channel to watch for orchid research >_> haha ,
Thanks!
Isn't it the plugs they're propagated in? 🌿 Great video... 🌿
I don’t even have orchids and I’m fascinated 🤓
Will you do a video explaining how Orchids are grown/harvested for sale to stores? Please?
Thank you so much mine also have this weird foamy! stuff and it has now been repotted so fingers crossed…
Excellent!! This was just the video I needed to take care of mom’s orchids. Very entertaining
Glad it was helpful!
0:48 - Press F to pay respects for the flower lost during the car trip back home.
F
Ahhh! You cut the healthy roots! >_
This this this! You never cut an orchid's healthy roots. Absolutely no trimming, unless they are rotting.
Just to say, that I repotted an orchid into soil, as I didn't have anything else at the time. I don't water the soil and just spray the plant with a really dilute orchid feed, and it seems to be doing well, as it is growing lots of green and silver roots into the soil. Perhaps it is the amount of moisture that would be the problem?😊
Yep
Sending You and Yours Love. So sad to see the troubles across the pond.
During the summer I bought in the sale from an excellent local nursery a Cambria isl. Nelly Yellowstone orchid. It has never thrived and of course I thought it was me. That is until I watched your video. I went out and bought a bag of specialised orchid compost then I tipped my orchid out ……..would you believe it there was a small soggy pot entwined in the roots !
The orchid is now repotted , it even looks more stable even though I have only potted it loosely. Thank you for your excellent advice. I am now going to look at my recently purchased Alocasia because it has lost several leaves for no apparent reason.
You bet!
If only this video was uploaded a few months ago I would have know why my plant from home base was dying and now dried out … I’ll know for the next plant I buy from them 😊
Weird. In the US Phalaenopsis usually come packed in a tightly compressed wad of long-fiber sphagnum. That’s done because most likely those plants sitting in a grocery store or Trader Joe’s are not going to get watered. I’ve had so many people come in with orchids rotting away…One lady had stuck her orchid in its moss wad into a vase. The original roots had all rotted but that orchid wanted to live; it grew past the rot and spread out new roots up above the vase.
Ive had some 10 years , and they are a problem to get your head around , ie . repotting and watering, but once mastered will aways have a place in the home .
If only this video was uploaded a few months ago I would have know why my plant from home base was dying and now dried out … I’ll know for the next plant I buy from them
What would we do without you?? Thank you for sharing your knowledge with us.
I appreciate that!
You'll want to use different medium mixes depending on your environment. Just useong bark in Sheffield and most of the UK is generally fine because we dont have a very hot climate so it drys out relatively slowly. But if you live in a much hotter climet you'll want to mix the bark or layer it with sphagna (sorry for the bad spelling) moss so it holds onto moisture better and you dont have to water ever couple of days. You want your orchids in a medium or mix of mediums so your watering them between 7 to 10 days ideally
Damn.. I got an orchid 5 years ago who have been a lil rollercoaster, it had been so healthy and happy for the last 3 years and now its looking grim.. Ill have to repot it and see if it has the plug..
I thought u was gonna go into the store and confront the manager about torturing the orchids, but this was good too
I'm not that mean haha
I just bought one and it's in moss. I prefer to use new freshly soaked bark in case there are pests in the moss/bark that the plant often comes with. Do you ever use a pest spray on newly bought orchids for that reason? I love my orchids and they always come back in bloom!🥰
Don't think it will do any harm. I prefer bark too
Orchids are rarely rarely grown from their microscopic seed which require perfect everything including bacteria and fungi to sprout and thrive.
Thank you Mr Sheffield!!
Thank you for this eye opener 👍
Thank you, Mr. Sheffield. I was wondering why my orchids had peat plugs in them.
Any time
Never had that in any flower. Good to knowledge 👍
That size orchid plant are over $30CAD each in my area
I'd never heard of a death plug, Richard.. fascinating video! Thanks so much for the info.. 👍
My pleasure 😊
I discovered this a few years back, I always tell me neighbors & friends about it.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE VIDEO
Beautiful flowers lovely video happy planting 😎😎♥♥🌹
Just given my 7 orchids their bi-monthly soak in the sink, so i took the opportunity to inspect and lo and behold, 4 of the 7 had the little plug and one a little sinister cage. Im not sure if theyve caused anybissues as my orchids ate at least 4 years old and always rebloom time and again. Anyway, I've removed them and some mushy roots and will see how they do.
Thanks Mr S!
You bet!
I’ve never seen a plug in my orchids. I repot every new one.
So glad to find out what that weird plug is all about-and that I can toss it when repotting my orchid. I recently started finding these things in my new orchids and wondered what they were. I suspected it was something the tiny new orchid was planted in, but wasn’t sure. And I really despise those tall plastic cones that force the orchid to assume such an unnatural state. Lately I’m also seeing some really unnatural colors in the cheaper orchids. Like BLUE! When I visit my higher priced nursery with the lovely orchid greenhouse, the plants are never shown in those plastic cones, but are arranged with their leaves spread out in the natural way. And no BLUE orchids. So far I have only bought phals, but would love to try another type. Any suggestions as to what would be the next easiest variety?
Remove the plastic from the top down. Tear it at the seam & move down. Removing from bottom up bruises flowers & buds. 😱🌸😱
Mrs. Sheffield, "I KNOW that look! You did it, didn't you? More plants?!?!"
Mr. Sheffield, "Um, yeah....about that.."
Mrs. Sheffield, "Oh, for a video, is it? We're gonna have a go, you and I!"
😂
I never knew about this plug, but perhaps my orchid doesn’t have it.
I have an orchid that was given to me on my birthday by a new Beau as a “living” flower bouquet that was supposed to last longer than normal but not be a permanent plant. It was in the tiniest of plastic containers that was then in a very small nice pot.
It’s still alive over 4 years later, has more new roots than I know what to do with, new leaves all the time & all I do is water it with a trickle of water about once or twice a fortnight! A few times a year I may put some liquid fertiliser in the water trickle, but that’s it!
I’m convinced that if that new Beau who is now my partner of 4.5 years ever leaves me, it will die. LOL
I don't have any orchids, but this was really interesting. Not sure if the US orchids have the same, but those plugs look the same as Root Riots that dahlia cuttings are started in here. thanks for the info!
My pleasure 😊
I find those plugs on baby plants that I buy. It seems like a sponge. I think it is a growing medium of some sort. They sure help baby plants make it through the mail though. I remove them from all my plants too 😊
Yeah they're good for transportation
I’ve never had an issue with the plugs or nets. I leave them on all my houseplants and veg. Never had a plant rot from that.
Iv had mine in soil for 5 or more years and I flowers continuously and it’s actually over 13 years old
Thank you. U have explained why my orchids died. They seemed to go well then died.
Been quite inconsistent lately but I promise I'll make up for it all ! Mr Sfheffield I love you more and more when you deal with Phals (respectulyy, MRS Sheffield! 😄) I've been always dealing with those KILLER Sponges/Cagees with my Phals. The sooner you remove those deadly traps, the better ! GRAZIE
Thanks!
Hello, i really like your videos about plants..my parents love orchids but very rarely they tent to survive after 2-3 months at our house.Last year, i bought 2 phalaenopsis and i had a strange thought..what if i could raise them in water?so, i used a glass vase that looks like a fish bowl and i took the first one, i cleared all the mud and the soil and placed it inside the vase with 1 gallon of water.Unfortunately i didn't had another vase, so i put the second one in an actual fish bowl, which was wrong because the glass wasn't that thick and the water is coming to be blur after 3 days.But the first orchid is THRIVING in water, she has new leaves, very shiny and now she has new flowers...i am so excited about her!!!so, i think imo that plants like people can survive in multiple environments and they are more adaptable than we are some times.The water in the vase doesn't become moldy or blur and i think that the glass is the reason why.Therefore i do not change the water, but it doesn't smell either.
Nice video, thanks Richard.
It would be a good idea if the propagators used some kind of beneficial fungi as a plug.
I'm just an ideas guy, I'll leave that with you to sort out, thanks in advance.
I am going to assume that once the orchid flowers die off (because a cat knocked it over...) you can still go in and remove it after we do what your last orchid video taught us? Will do that tomorrow.
Thank you so, so much for another brilliant video!!
Thank you 😊
Thanks for reminding me of the plug. 👍
Most enjoyable through information and pleasantly presented info
Glad you enjoyed it!
the plugs are germination plugs so they can germinate more than they have room for pots
Its a rooting cube made from coco coir fyi
Thank you 🥰👍👏👏👏👏❤️❤️❤️
I've had orchids for years without replanting them sometimes. XD They seem to be doing fine. Once or twice I've gotten root rot though. And I got one with some kind of pests on thought, and they spread to almost all of them. I think I have it contained to 3-4 orchids now. Spraying with neem oil once a week for like 1,5 years now. It's working, but if I fail to spray them a week or two, they're back. So I keep failing and they refuse to go away. XD Well... they are going, just very slowly with many setbacks. :P
Thank you. I never knew this!
yup, just had to do it. get rid of sponge, and even bark can remain moist too long. got rid of it all and put into 1-7mm pumice for orchids that have fine roots, and 7-20mm pumice for more sturdy root orchids.
btw aquarium people come thru again with the goods. aquarium ph down solution i just bought is sulfur based, unlike many others, and is a safer solution to acidify nutrient/water.