My orchid is not doing so well. The leaves look wrinkled ...
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@PrizedLagunaria Welcome to Greg, Agata!
If you notice wrinkly and limp leaves leaves on your orchid, it is a sign of stress. This may be caused by overwatering, underwatering, excessive cold or heat, old or unsuitable growing medium or even rot.
Which orchid are you talking about? Can you also post a picture of the one in question and also a picture of the roots?
If you notice wrinkly and limp leaves leaves on your orchid, it is a sign of stress. This may be caused by overwatering, underwatering, excessive cold or heat, old or unsuitable growing medium or even rot.
Which orchid are you talking about? Can you also post a picture of the one in question and also a picture of the roots?
@PrizedLagunaria
When an orchids leaves grow limp, the typical solution means improper watering. If you want to diagnose whether the issue is over-watering or under-watering, it is helpful to examine your orchid’s roots.
Dry, wrinkled, brittle, or shriveled roots may indicate under-watering. Brown, mushy, soggy, or rotted roots can mean you’re over-watering. In the latter case, there could also be a secondary issue developing with root rot, a common orchid fungus.
However, in either case, the end result is that no water is getting from the roots to the leaves.
The first thing to do is to avoid removing the wrinkled orchid leaves even though they may look unsightly. They may still be helping the plant in other ways to gain nutrients and protection.
Instead, do your best to gently remove dead or rotted roots, using sterile scissors to do so. Apply sterilizing solution over the wounds and repot in fresh, sterile potting media.
Adjust your watering according to your healing plant’s needs and supplement with extra humidity, which your orchid can take in through the leaves until the roots heal.
Moon Orchids need 0.8 cups of water every 9 days when it doesn’t get direct sunlight, and is potted in a 5.0 inch pot. You can tweak this amount based on the conditions on where you live and environmental factors in your home.
When an orchids leaves grow limp, the typical solution means improper watering. If you want to diagnose whether the issue is over-watering or under-watering, it is helpful to examine your orchid’s roots.
Dry, wrinkled, brittle, or shriveled roots may indicate under-watering. Brown, mushy, soggy, or rotted roots can mean you’re over-watering. In the latter case, there could also be a secondary issue developing with root rot, a common orchid fungus.
However, in either case, the end result is that no water is getting from the roots to the leaves.
The first thing to do is to avoid removing the wrinkled orchid leaves even though they may look unsightly. They may still be helping the plant in other ways to gain nutrients and protection.
Instead, do your best to gently remove dead or rotted roots, using sterile scissors to do so. Apply sterilizing solution over the wounds and repot in fresh, sterile potting media.
Adjust your watering according to your healing plant’s needs and supplement with extra humidity, which your orchid can take in through the leaves until the roots heal.
Moon Orchids need 0.8 cups of water every 9 days when it doesn’t get direct sunlight, and is potted in a 5.0 inch pot. You can tweak this amount based on the conditions on where you live and environmental factors in your home.