Is this dying?
Is this orchard dying? When I water it. The roots are green and stuff but then it goes back to this right away. This is the soil I used too
#phalaenopsisorchid #orchardlover
#phalaenopsisorchid #orchardlover
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@SwiftTemptation OK it was like this ever since I got it. My step mom got like 5 of these for Easter. There just mini orchards
OK I'll double check them. I belive there all firm! Also since I use the orchard soil I don't really have to water but once a month? Really that sounds crazy @SwiftTemptation
Hi again, Jordan. The roots look indeed as if you are dealing with a bit of rot. Important is how far up that goes. Phals can survive without roots for quite some time. Your main goal at this point is to protect the stem. Sadly I cannot quite make it or from this picture. That black stuff that is cling to the roots close to the stem worries me a bit. In your situation I would clean the roots carefully and gently touch the roots. If they are mushy or the outer layer comes of easily, leaving only the stringy bit behind, it's deaf. Go up the root like this and use sterilized Scissors to cut the uppermost part that is still rotten. *not* the living tissue. Then try to look at the stem. Is it smelling bad? Mushy? Then that is bad. But for now let's just assume it's a bit of root rot. Or maybe not even that is they aren't as mushy as they look. In any case I can recommend you get some hydrogen peroxide to apply it to any parts where there is, or you suspect rot. It's a godsend for any kind of rot on orchids. And then maybe let's take a look at the stem. If you are unsure you can have it outside the pot for a while, that is okay, but in this case do not forget to keep the healthy roots hydrated. The substrate doesn't look bad. And the Orchid itself looks healthy as far as I can tell. Hope that helps for now. If you have questions later on maybe a further picture of the cleaned stem would help. But do not get too much water on it.
The amount you have to water highly depends on your surroundings and the kind of soil. You seem to have very clunky pure bark. If you do not have very high humidity, one a month is probably not enough, no. A few times, like Debbie said.
The stem worries me, as black as the lower part looks. I think hydrogen peroxide (3%) is really needed. You can find it eg.. in a pharmacy. Then spray it on the moldy parts. It should fit, quite a bit, but that is okay. Let it react for a minute. If you treat anything but the roots, dry it off afterwards.
Phalaenopsis are hardy creatures, but the main issue that happens a lot is mold and rot. It could even be that it already had issues in the shop. That happens more often than one thinks. So if in doubt rather under- than overwater. Don't stress yourself and start off trying to get rid of the mushy roots to better assess the situation further
The stem worries me, as black as the lower part looks. I think hydrogen peroxide (3%) is really needed. You can find it eg.. in a pharmacy. Then spray it on the moldy parts. It should fit, quite a bit, but that is okay. Let it react for a minute. If you treat anything but the roots, dry it off afterwards.
Phalaenopsis are hardy creatures, but the main issue that happens a lot is mold and rot. It could even be that it already had issues in the shop. That happens more often than one thinks. So if in doubt rather under- than overwater. Don't stress yourself and start off trying to get rid of the mushy roots to better assess the situation further
Hi 👋. Don’t put cinnamon on the roots - it’s a dessicant and works by drying up tissue. This works great in leaf and stem problems, but the trouble with roots is that the velamen (the spongy protective coating) is way too delicate and cinnamon will burn it off, destroying the root. I’m sure this is similar with garlic too. Susann has given great advice. I would say that your bark is way too chunky for a phal your size and I suspect this is where the problem lies. Chunky bark like this creates lots of air pockets so that the roots dry up quickly - you combat this by watering too often, leading to rot and unhealthy roots. For an orchid this size, I would use bark chips that are between 1 and 2cm long but not too tiny either (if the chips are too tiny, not enough air pockets are created which suffocates the roots). When you repot, use fresh bark so as not to spread the rot and if it’s chunky like this, you can cut it or break it up. As a general rule, the bigger the plant, the bigger the chips. Phals don’t need huge chips as they aren’t big as far as orchids go. Getting the potting media right for you and your environment is the first step to keeping orchids healthy. Your orchids will soon tell you if they don’t like the media, which is what yours is doing. Try using smaller chips and water when the media is dry and the roots are silver (your roots won’t go silver as they are unhealthy, so you’ll have to judge it by when they are dry) - the best way to water is to soak the bark for 15-30 mins. Also make sure that you pot in an orchid pot with drainage as phals hate sitting in water.
I would definitely treat the stem with hydrogen peroxide 3% or cinnamon powder (not on the roots). It’s concerning that there is back on the stem and it could be that the root rot has progressed to stem rot. Stem rot unfortunately almost always kills so this is the problem that needs treating first. Here’s a Miss Orchid Girl tutorial about treating stem rot that you might find helpful https://youtu.be/64FPqaKmueI?si=H_9UGMBz5-l5UjCs
I would definitely treat the stem with hydrogen peroxide 3% or cinnamon powder (not on the roots). It’s concerning that there is back on the stem and it could be that the root rot has progressed to stem rot. Stem rot unfortunately almost always kills so this is the problem that needs treating first. Here’s a Miss Orchid Girl tutorial about treating stem rot that you might find helpful https://youtu.be/64FPqaKmueI?si=H_9UGMBz5-l5UjCs
My orchid is outside on my balcony, and she doesn't like it when I water her too much. Once a month or six weeks is fine. Especially if you live in a tropical climate. I'm now in the raining season in Tampa, so I won't need to water her at all. I just have to pour off the excess water out of the drain plate whenever it rains.
@FirstRubyelfcup they don’t like being too wet. I water mine about once a month but I keep the humidity higher than most.