Even the biggest plant fan will probably be surprised at first by the orchid's protruding roots if they haven't had anything to do with them before. After buying your first orchid, the questions immediately arise: how do you actually treat this interesting type of root, what purpose do they serve and can or should you perhaps stick them into the substrate or even cut them off? We have youthe most important informationabout the aerial roots of orchids so that your new beauty gets the care it deserves.
Orchids form aerial roots, as everyone knows. If the orchids have a lot of aerial roots, when repotting you ask yourself whether you can reduce them at all. Are you doing something wrong if they change their color and structure? We explain!
What function do the free roots have?
Some people don't like the look of the protruding roots, but that doesn't mean you can simply cut off the aerial roots of orchids. Because they have an important function:
You probably already know that the orchid comes from tropical forests. However, it does not grow in the ground there, but on trees. There they receive the necessary amount of light, which is supported by the roots. They are part of photosynthesis and absorb important nutrients from the bark of trees. This is why one part of the orchid's aerial roots serves to hold on, while the other extends into the air to absorb nutrients and moisture. This works wonderfully due to their spongy structure.
For this reason isconventional potting soilalso unsuitable for planting - the roots would completely deteriorate. The protruding roots, on the other hand, need moisture so that they do not dry out - which is why it is always recommended to spray orchids and aerial roots.
Can you cut off the aerial roots of orchids?
Accordingly, you should not simply cut off the aerial roots when caring for orchids! The plants need them. You may want to cut off some of the roots when repotting your orchid in some circumstances:
When and how to remove aerial roots from orchids?
The repottingis the ideal time to remove dried or rotten roots. It is even a must when caring for orchids. You can easily test whether the roots are still intact by pressing on them with two fingers. If the root is solid, it still fulfills its function. However, if it gives in to the pressure, you can cut off the aerial roots of orchids.
But what about the healthy orchid roots that have been sticking out of the pot so far? The following applies here: If the plant already has a lot of aerial roots, you can reduce them a little (see the paragraph on the topic of “planting”). These are usually a sign that the substrate is no longer of high quality and has become depleted and should be replaced. Normally, the number of aerial roots does not exceed that of the roots in the substrate.
Shorten long roots
As soon as you take the plant out of its planter, you will notice that some roots have grown outside through the drainage holes. Since you can't take the orchid out of the container without damaging these roots, you can cut them off straight away.But don't cut the orchid's aerial roots, or at most just a few if there are really a lot of them! It is best to disinfect cut root ends with cinnamon.
Plant orchid aerial roots
If you now place the plant in the new substrate, you can also incorporate some of the remaining aerial roots into the substrate by simply turning it and in this way “remove” or reduce orchid aerial roots. You should proceed carefully and only divert really flexible roots into the container. They will become more elastic if you immerse the root ball in water for a while and soak it. The container should ideally be larger than the old one so that the roots have enough space.
Do you often have problems with protruding roots?
It is a certain challenge to imitate the tropical environment that the orchid requires in our home and the European climate. Humidity in particular is a problem, not only during the winter due to the dry heating air, but in general. Therefore, a common problem is that the orchid aerial roots dry out. This means that you should increase the humidity or spray the visible roots more often.
Are your orchid aerial roots turning brown to black? This is probably a sign of root rot and is caused by the opposite: too much moisture. So if you notice protruding ones more oftenRoots rot, reduce the humidity to solve the problem.
In both cases, you should cut the damaged aerial roots of orchids and only leave the healthy ones (damaged roots in the substrate do not always have to be removed immediately as they provide support for the plant). Then change your care routine according to your needs.
