How to save an orchid, if the roots are dry and the leaves turn yellow: why is this happening and what needs to be done to restore the plant?

Sick orchid is not difficult to determine. Her leaves turn yellow and fall, buds dry, roots change color, the bush sits unsteadily in a pot.

Experts say that mostly unpleasant phenomena occur due to diseases of the root system. It is important to recognize the causes in time and respond.

From the article you will learn why the roots change their color, what to do with it, and how to distinguish a healthy flower from a patient, how dangerous it can be and what preventive measures can be taken.

Plant life cycle

Orchid - a plant native to rainforests, where it is wet and hot. Depending on the area of growth, the flowers have a unique structure. A feature of orchid roots is the substance velamen. It is a non-living coarse fabric filled with air.

Velamen is like a cover that envelops the roots. The functions of this substance: absorb and retain water, nutrients. Due to the natural humid climate, there are dissolved particles of liquid in the air, which the velamen absorbs and nourishes the plant during a drought.

With a lack of sunlight, the natural substance does not completely dry out, as a result of a prolonged wet state, the process of decay begins.

Attention! Another factor that affects the condition of the roots is the lack of interaction with the air.

Why did the rhizomes change color?

It happens that the rhizomes of orchids change color, turn yellow. A similar phenomenon occurs because the roots lack light, it is dark. Perhaps, when transplanting, they deepened enough into the ground, or put the pot in a dark place. And for an exotic handsome man this is unacceptable.

The root system should be fully enough light and airspace. Otherwise, the process of photosynthesis stops, due to which pigments responsible for the green color are produced. Therefore, it is extremely important to plant orchids in a transparent container with loose, breathable soil.

Serious problem when yellow roots are the initial stage of rotting. In this case, it will be more difficult to cope with an infectious disease. But, as already noted, the main thing is to recognize the cause in time.

How to distinguish a healthy flower from a patient?

In order to understand whether there are problems with the roots or not, you should pay attention to the appearance of the plant.

Foliage condition. When the root system rots, the leaf surface turns yellow, dark spots appear on it, and soon die off in turn.
Flowering time. Buds are falling off, a flower with diseased roots is not able to nourish them.
Pot stability. If the orchid leans to one side, sits loosely in the pot, loses balance, then the roots have weakened.

If such signs are found, you should remove the plant from the pot and inspect the roots. Dry shoots of roots, indeed, do not bear any benefit for the plant. But to determine whether this shoot is alive or not is sometimes difficult even for experienced gardeners. They differ:

By color. Healthy rhizomes are light to dark green in color. Dry, rotten roots - pale yellow, brown, black.
By structure. Living roots are thick, smooth, dense. Damaged areas - soft, loose, wrinkled with your finger, while fluid flows out of them.

Advice! To make sure that the root system is alive, it is worth taking the plant out of the pot, placing it in water for a couple of hours. Healthy parts will get the above appearance. Dry, sluggish, pale processes safely remove.

How dangerous is color change?

Roots - an important organ of plants, in particular orchids. They nourish the plant with liquid, minerals, participate in photosynthesis, gas exchange. These processes are vital for the flower, and if the organs are diseased, then the general condition noticeably worsens.

As you know, orchids have aerial and internal roots. Yellowing of one or another rhizome is a signal that the plant is not healthy. You should immediately understand the causes and begin treatment. In the opposite case, the roots turn yellow and dry, and the flower itself awaits death. And resuscitation of an orchid without roots is possible, but the process is long and not always successful. Therefore, it is better not to bring it to this, because problems with the roots are fraught with serious consequences.

The main causes of yellowing and what to do about it

How to save a flower if the leaves turn yellow and the roots are dry? The yellowness of the root system can be a symptom of many factors. Basically - the wrong conditions. Sometimes it happens that the owners of orchids confuse the living and nonliving roots. As a result, they make a mistake by trimming a healthy root. By such actions, the plant can be severely damaged, infect with diseases.

If yellow roots are found,:

Sanitize the trimmer.
Get the flower out of the pot.
Soak the roots in warm, clear water.
Carefully inspect and touch all the roots.
Trim damaged, soft, dry areas with a cooked, sharp tool.
Treat slices with an antiseptic that does not contain alcohol (ground cinnamon, powdered activated carbon).
To kill or to prevent infections, treat the flower with a fungicide.
Put the orchid in a new pot, it should be transparent and slightly cramped.
Mandatory presence of a drainage layer.
Sprinkle the plant with a new, mineral-enriched soil.
You can fertilize after 2 weeks with weakly concentrated preparations.
To optimize the growing conditions, because it is possible to revive a flower only in a favorable environment.

Important! Before removing the dry root, make sure that it is inanimate.

Similar symptoms can occur due to improper transplantation, waterlogging, infection with a bacterial or fungal infection. In this case, you need:

We extract the orchid from the flowerpot.
We clear from the ground.
Leave the roots in the water for a couple of hours, to replenish the liquid.
We examine the root system for the presence of living areas.
Remove unhealthy roots with a sharp knife.
Dry leaves are also cut to a healthy tissue.
We disinfect places of cuts.
We place the flower in a greenhouse with high humidity, put a slightly damp sponge on its bottom.
We air the quarantine place daily, lasting 15 minutes.
After a couple of days, the lower part of the plant is processed in a dry preparation "Zircon", to stimulate root formation.
We monitor the appearance of the roots, and the condition of the flower.
When the roots reach 2 cm - transplanted into the substrate.

Prevention

To avoid such unpleasant situations is possible only with proper care of the orchid.

Maintaining a comfortable temperature in summer: + 22-25ºС, in winter + 16-18ºС. The difference in temperature differences should not exceed 5ºС.
Lighting is required diffused, with a daylight duration of 14 hours.
Choose a pot that fits the flower in size.
Humidity within 50-60%. Be sure to regularly ventilate the room.
Renew substrate every 2-3 years.
Water once a week, in between the soil should completely dry.
Water temperature should be 35-40ºС.
Spray 5 times a day. Exclude the procedure during the flowering period.

Like it or not, but without the fundamental rules for caring, you won’t be able to grow a beautiful and healthy plant. Therefore, before buying, read the requirements for growing orchids. Thus, you will protect not only the flower from various health troubles, but also your nervous system.