Dehydrated and root bound
#PhalaenopsisOrchid I decided to steal my moms orchid and rehab it for her, but I’m having a hard time finding instructions. The core/stem is so dry it’s flaking and white. The leaves are getting darker, leathery and curling. The roots have busted out of the original pot but seem strong. It’s probably 5 years old. I’m guessing I’ll need to cut the stem and repot, but I don’t even know where to start. Any direction or links would be greatly appreciated!
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@JennJennATX It's severely dehydrated. Soak the roots in water as soon as you can. Try not to get water into the crown of the plant. The crown is right in the middle where the new leaves come out. It could cause root rot if water is allowed to stay in there. If you accidentally do get water in there dab it out with a paper towel or a q-tip. Put it in a shallow dish of water or a cup just somewhere where it's allowed to sit on top and the roots are allowed to be fully submerged. Green roots are hydrated, gray and white roots are thirsty, brown crunchy roots are dead and yellow mushy roots are rotting. The yellow roots need to be removed with sterilized scissors (wiped down with rubbing alcohol) so bacteria won't spread.
@JennJennATX I soak the roots of my Orchids once a week for about 45 minutes. You might also want to repot in an orchid pot. They are the ones with holes in the sides and bottom and also get new orchid medium for it. I use orchid bark and spaghnum moss and layer them in the pot. Orchid Bark then spaghnum moss and so on. Wet and squeeze out the moss and place in and around the roots and so they stay moist throughout the week. @MusicalRedmint Recommends Miss Orchid Girls videos on YouTube. She is very knowledgeable. Don't hesitate to ask if you have any other questions. Everyone here is very helpful ☺️
@princesspitstop Luckily I have all the supplies except spaghnum moss. I’ll just have to tell my mom ice cubes don’t cut it! Hopefully I’ll have a good update soon! Thanks again!
@princesspitstop one other random question for you - she has a salt water softener. Would it help for her to use bottled water instead of her tap water for the orchids? (Yes, she has more in about the same shape 😞)
@JennJennATX That's right Never ever ever use ice. It's way too cold for them and it could damage their leaves and roots. They need to soak once a week to get properly hydrated.
@JennJennATX Oh for well water? I have city water and it's horrible so I use distilled water or I collect rain water to water mine.
Hi, Jennifer. Congrats on your heist 😉. If it's your first orchid, as Heidi said, I'm a big fan of Miss Orchid Girl. She has great beginner tutorials. I would hold off on cutting the stem as there still seem to be viable roots in there, even though it looks quite old and dry (congrats to your mom. That is one old Orchid. especially if it has been watered with ice up to now, that is quite a feat, even if it probably has seen better days). Also you always want to avoid cutting any stem until it's a last resort, because, if not done right or with a bit of bad luck you might infect it with something, which in many cases ends with the death of the orchid.
For now, don't panic, though. Your phal is not as dehydrated as you might think. The top two leaves are still firm and can hold themselves up, though, yes, the bottom leaf is showing signs of stress.
If you soaked the whole bottom part, as Heidi suggested, you might consider cleaning up the lower dried part of the stem a bit and get rid of all that debris. Those leftover papery bits of old leaves can be a haven for part outbreaks in the future, and if they get wet, they are perfect incubators for mold and rot. Once they are soaked, you can try carefully pulling them off (without damaging the plant, of course. If there is too much resistance, just leave it be). I like to use tweezers for that, for more grip strength.
What has it been in before? If you have similar surroundings like your mom's place, I would go with something similar. Don't place it in pure bark, for example, if it has been in a more water retentive mix. Orchid roots adapt very slowly to new surroundings, if at all, so you would risk losing roots if the shift is too big. It's always great to use sphagnum and orchid bark because you can mix it to suit your and your orchids' needs. You aim for a medium that is airy enough to not suffocate the roots and doesn't stay wet for too long (~<8 days). Full fresh orchid bark in many homes needs water almost daily. Every strand of sphagnum moss helps retain the water stretch the time between waterings. It also helps distribute the water throughout the pot if placed correctly.
Most bottled water you can buy ist mineral water, which contains, well... minerals. Those can build up on the roots. I myself have very hard tap water as well, so I just use 50/50 tap and distilled water, which works fine. Since you are in the US, the chloride might be a problem, however, so, probably distilled is best for you. If you go full distilled water, however, take extra care to choose a good orchid fertilizer, or over time (after a long, long time), it will show signs of some mineral deficiencies.
S for the ice cubes, that might explain the shape of those orchids. The main problem I see with those is that the companies give out those orchids with the formula give x cubes every y weeks, which is nonsense once you think about it. Of course, ice cubes reduce the risk of overwatering and getting water on the leaves, but it raises the royal of dehydration. Even in the same house, in the same room, with same humidity, temperature etc it it's highly unlikely that two orchids need the exact same amount of water. Even the same orchid has different needs throughout the year, depending on health and size and moment in their growth cycle. So basically the companies give you a low balled number of cubes for water intake that consistently underwaters your orchids.
It's always better to look at the roots and see what your orchid needs and water accordingly. Just imagine telling different human beings around the globe that every single one of them should eat exactly 1800 kcal every day, no matter their age and circumstances, because that is exactly what they need every single day of their lives. 🤦♀️
Sry, rant over 😉
A good repot tutorial amongst the thousands of MOGs videos is for example this one to start with: https://youtu.be/3LIpLBHl0o0?si=cQ16GN03t1sZMOMi
Have fun with your orchid and happy blooms
For now, don't panic, though. Your phal is not as dehydrated as you might think. The top two leaves are still firm and can hold themselves up, though, yes, the bottom leaf is showing signs of stress.
If you soaked the whole bottom part, as Heidi suggested, you might consider cleaning up the lower dried part of the stem a bit and get rid of all that debris. Those leftover papery bits of old leaves can be a haven for part outbreaks in the future, and if they get wet, they are perfect incubators for mold and rot. Once they are soaked, you can try carefully pulling them off (without damaging the plant, of course. If there is too much resistance, just leave it be). I like to use tweezers for that, for more grip strength.
What has it been in before? If you have similar surroundings like your mom's place, I would go with something similar. Don't place it in pure bark, for example, if it has been in a more water retentive mix. Orchid roots adapt very slowly to new surroundings, if at all, so you would risk losing roots if the shift is too big. It's always great to use sphagnum and orchid bark because you can mix it to suit your and your orchids' needs. You aim for a medium that is airy enough to not suffocate the roots and doesn't stay wet for too long (~<8 days). Full fresh orchid bark in many homes needs water almost daily. Every strand of sphagnum moss helps retain the water stretch the time between waterings. It also helps distribute the water throughout the pot if placed correctly.
Most bottled water you can buy ist mineral water, which contains, well... minerals. Those can build up on the roots. I myself have very hard tap water as well, so I just use 50/50 tap and distilled water, which works fine. Since you are in the US, the chloride might be a problem, however, so, probably distilled is best for you. If you go full distilled water, however, take extra care to choose a good orchid fertilizer, or over time (after a long, long time), it will show signs of some mineral deficiencies.
S for the ice cubes, that might explain the shape of those orchids. The main problem I see with those is that the companies give out those orchids with the formula give x cubes every y weeks, which is nonsense once you think about it. Of course, ice cubes reduce the risk of overwatering and getting water on the leaves, but it raises the royal of dehydration. Even in the same house, in the same room, with same humidity, temperature etc it it's highly unlikely that two orchids need the exact same amount of water. Even the same orchid has different needs throughout the year, depending on health and size and moment in their growth cycle. So basically the companies give you a low balled number of cubes for water intake that consistently underwaters your orchids.
It's always better to look at the roots and see what your orchid needs and water accordingly. Just imagine telling different human beings around the globe that every single one of them should eat exactly 1800 kcal every day, no matter their age and circumstances, because that is exactly what they need every single day of their lives. 🤦♀️
Sry, rant over 😉
A good repot tutorial amongst the thousands of MOGs videos is for example this one to start with: https://youtu.be/3LIpLBHl0o0?si=cQ16GN03t1sZMOMi
Have fun with your orchid and happy blooms
