Should these roots be covered?
2ft to light, indirect
5” pot without drainage
Last watered 1 day ago
2
No, please do not cover these roots, as they will suffocate, causing root rot. This is because they are epiphytes, which means in the wild, they naturally grow attached to tree trunks and branches, with all of their roots exposed to the open air. From the picture you posted, I can tell that your plant is dehydrated, the roots look dry and brown. After you water, check the exposed roots. They should be a vibrant green. If any roots stay papery, flat, hollow, or feel mushy, they are dead or rotting and should eventually be snipped off with sanitized scissors. When you water the plant, don’t just water the bark mix. Gently mist or run water over the exposed roots until they turn from silver to vibrant green. I also would reccomend buying a cheap clear plastic inner orchid pot with side ventilation slots. This will let you see the condition of the roots underneath, allows the roots to photosynthesize, and ensures they dry out completely between waterings
No, they’re fine. You want to have open air at the base of the plant, it helps you monitor the health of roots and reduces the likelihood of anything bad growing in there.
That said, your plant’s leaves look very dehydrated. If you aren’t experiencing some sort of rot in the roots hidden under the bark (rotted roots cannot absorb water properly), you may not be watering it enough. Bringing the plant into your bathroom when you shower (to expose it to extended high humidity) a few times might also help perk it up faster. You could also just move your orchid into a bathroom for a few weeks, even when you’re not using hot water a bathroom still often has humidity that’s something like 10-20% higher than other rooms (bc small space, water sitting in toilet/drains slowly evaporating, hydrophobic surfaces everywhere, etc)
That said, your plant’s leaves look very dehydrated. If you aren’t experiencing some sort of rot in the roots hidden under the bark (rotted roots cannot absorb water properly), you may not be watering it enough. Bringing the plant into your bathroom when you shower (to expose it to extended high humidity) a few times might also help perk it up faster. You could also just move your orchid into a bathroom for a few weeks, even when you’re not using hot water a bathroom still often has humidity that’s something like 10-20% higher than other rooms (bc small space, water sitting in toilet/drains slowly evaporating, hydrophobic surfaces everywhere, etc)