This plant was huge when I purchased it over a year ago. It was blooming and continued to do so for a couple months. After the last bloom fell, I washed medium off the roots and put it in a large vase with water. The plant started losing it's roots, then the mature growth that bloomed died leaf by leaf. At this point I put the two growth plant into a large pot using SH medium. Still no roots, plant only has one small (5") growth that is still green. This plant is very overpotted. Will it stress it more to be moved into a smaller container or should I wait for Spring and then repot? TIA. Sheila

Personally Sheila, I would repot it immediatly. I would put it into some sphag. Use the shap and bag technique for awhile. Phrags are very resilient and should snap back quick.

Welcome to the forum!

TADD :devil:

Hi Sheila!

:welcome: to the forum. I agree with what Tadd said and personally, I would never grow Phrags in just water only. Keep us posted.

Sheila, hello. May I ask why you put it in a large vase of water to start with?

Thx guys. This is pretty much what I wanted to do but was too concerned about additional stress. Will the plant be better off outdoors with cooler temps or inside where temps range from 65 nights to 80 daytime?

Ron there is a grower who posts from time to time at GW, she claims to grow all of her phrags in water alone (nutrients added to the water). She has posted pics of these plants. She did say not ALL phrags would respond to this method, but she did encourage me to use the water method with the Eric Young. I also had a Sorcerer's Apprentice growing in water. I swapped it over to SH medium in a pot intended for african violets. It is doing better. I can see root nubs starting and I think also a new growth.

Hopefully the Eric Young will survive too. It had beautiful blooms. Thx again. Sheila

Hi Shiela,
I'm really glad you found us!!! :joy:

Frankly, I've seen some of those posts about water culture and been pretty pessamistic about them. Granted Phrags like it moist, and some downright wet, but just water? that isn't moving at all times and oxygenated? I don't know, I think some more traditionally used medium is better. I know Glen Decker, for one, grows in a simple bark/perlite/charcoal mix - paphs and phrags, all the same, with great success. If it isn't broke, don't fix it.

The advice already given is good - follow it and I'm hopefull it will recover. If not, there are other plants (and many Sorcerer's Apprentices, which tend to be pretty easy to grow to HUGE monstrosities) out there. :)

Hope you stick around! There's a wealth of slipper knowledge here (be sure too search for past post such as "what media do you grow in" etc.)

:hi:

Welcome and LONG LIVE THE SORCERER! :D

Hey there Sheila and welcome to the forum.

What Tadd said :) at least initially so that you get new roots and the plant settling in to growing rather than dying. Experimentation is for when you're prepared to lose a plant. It's sorta like gambling - if you can't afford it, don't do it :)

Cheers
Stephan