found this orchid in a thrift store, been trying to reviv...
2ft to light, direct
4” pot with drainage
Last watered 1 year ago
5
Right now I wouldn’t have it in bright light (I agree with @AstroMind ) and don’t let it be cold. That to me looks like it got too chilly. If the leaves wrinkle up, it’s ready for watering! And remember these guys grow ON trees in the jungle - so not a ton of light comes down from the canopy, and they mostly “drink” from humidity in the air. 🌱☀️❤️
I love a good rescue story! What type of media was the orchid originally potted in? Sometimes changing the media drastically can create root problems because orchid roots adapt to suit the media it is in. Instead of existing roots adapting, what the plant will often do is kill off the existing roots and make new ones which adapt. Eg, if it was potted in bark the roots will be accustomed to drying out fairly quickly as bark doesn’t hold on to water for too long, whereas moss, depending on your humidity, does so the existing roots might struggle to adapt to a wetter environment. Or say it was in bark that had become very broken down, the roots will have become accustomed to not having much air around them, whereas with moss they will have plenty of air and so might not adapt. It can be really helpful to try and mimic the conditions it was in - if it was in bark, use bark etc, especially if it’s winter where you are. Phals tend to adapt to media changes much better in the spring and summer when they are in their active vegetative stage as they produce roots at a really fast rate! The leaves can be droopy because of a root problem - dehydration, too much hydration or a lack of roots. Stress will also make the leaves floppy and yours will be stressed right now due to not being looked after in the store and also the repot (phals stay on their trees their entire lives in the wild so repots almost always stress them out!). When you repotted, what sort of condition were the roots in? There may have also been a sponge plug or plastic cage around the inner roots - these can cause no end of problems as the orchid ages and so it’s best to get rid of these - they do more harm than good and your orchid will be healthier without them. Despite the leaves being floppy, don’t take this as a sign that the orchid is thirsty - only water when the roots become a silvery colour. Phals prefer being underwatered to overwatered and they need a wet/dry cycle. When I water mine, I soak mine for 15 minutes - this helps with hydration. If your roots are papery and dry, you can soak him for longer, but ensure that the moss dries out completely after a week or two and the roots get the wet/dry cycle. Then, all you do is wait! Orchids, especially at this time of year, can take a few weeks to get over their stress and perk up, so don’t worry if there seems to be no sign of improvement for a few weeks - as long as the roots are healthy and get the wet/dry cycle, there’s every chance that he will perk up and can be saved!