Dying Orchid Please help!!!

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Author Message   Orchidnewbie  Posted on Wednesday, April 07, 2004 - 09:26 pm EST :    I received an Orchid for valentines day from my girlfriend. She knows I love plants and wanted to get me something special. My orchid is the typical Phalaenopsis, one probably found in a home depot or other chain store. My orchid was planted in strictly peat moss in a plastic container. The leaves started turning mushy and yellowish in color. I repotted the orchid in an orchid soil and placed it in an orchid pot which is clay. The flowers are still on and starting to wilt. When repotting i tried to cut off all the apparent dead roots. I know there is one good green root which I can see ontop of the planting medium and it digs down into the peat moss on the top layer of the soil. What should I do? Can I do anything to help this plant recover? Please help! Orchidnewbie - VA, Zone "7"   Nibbs  My Favorite Photo My Garden Journal My Weather My Time Posted on Wednesday, April 07, 2004 - 10:30 pm EST :    Hi, Chris, and welcome to Gardenbuddies! I'm sorry I can't help you with your orchid, but you would probably receive some good suggestions if you popped into the Garden gallery, said a quick 'hi' and mentioned your problem there. The Garden and Social galleries have a much higher flow of 'traffic' by members, and it sounds like your problem is somewhat acute. Why not give it a try? Diane British Columbia Zone 7b   Kniphofia  My Favorite Photo My Weather My Garden Posted on Thursday, April 08, 2004 - 05:25 am EST :    Hello Chris, welcome to GB. Sorry your first post is to report a problem! It sounds like you've done exactly the right thing. I've had phals that I've managed to keep going for years and other have just faded away despite my best care. I think a lot depends on the care they received before you buy them! Good luck with your plant. Your girlfriend sounds like a keeper :) Sue Central Maine Zone 4   Jak3  My Weather Posted on Thursday, April 08, 2004 - 06:30 am EST :    The most common problem with orchids is overwatering. Your orchid may recover in time as you have probably taken care of the problem by repotting and using a clay pot. Orchids need only to be watered about once a week and left to drain completely, never sitting in water on a dish. They do well in very bright light but not in direct sun (there are some that like direct sun but I think the phal is not one of them!). They also seem to like slightly cooler temperatures but not drafts. It is hard not to water when the flowers look wilty, but try to hold off. Sometimes orchids get virus's and then you pretty much have to just let them g. Julie; Merrickville, Ontario, Canada, Zone 4   Deanneart  My Favorite Photo My Weather My Garden Posted on Saturday, April 10, 2004 - 06:16 am EST :    Hi Chris, Sounds like you are doing everything right and everyone has given you great advice. One other thing that can help with phalaenopsis is keeping the humidity high enough. They do like a humid environment and if it is very dry they can just give up. I keep my orchid room at 50% humidity with a humidifier I bought at Sears. Works well for us because we like the extra humidity in the winter when everything gets so dry indoors... Julie is correct in that phalaenopsis do not like direct sunlight. They like bright indirect sunlight. A sign of too much sun is yellowed or sunburned leaves. They can actually get scorched and the burned areas turn black. Best of luck with your new orchid! They are wonderful plants. Deanne New Hampshire Zone 5   Ramo_pam  Posted on Sunday, February 10, 2008 - 12:49 pm EST :    Hello! This is the first time I enter this forum. I have an phal orchid and I have overwatered it. I tried to take all the mushy roots out but the flowers have fallen,there is only one left and the plant is turning yellow in the middle part. The leaves are all right and the ends where the flower is are green, the rest is turning yellow and drying out. Should I cut it or should I let it be? Ramo_pam - Oradea, Zone "?"   Rosemary  Supporting Member My Weather Posted on Wednesday, April 09, 2008 - 07:51 pm EST :    Treat them as you would an African Violet. Don't overwater. Lots of bright light, not direct sun. Look at the roots and see if they are hard and white, if not repot the plant. When you water the plant make sure you leave no water in the crown part of the plant. They don't like that. Rosemary - CT, Zone "5"   Agosto  Posted on Wednesday, April 30, 2008 - 09:40 am EST :    It's easier to know when the phal needs to be watered is you pot it in a plastic transllucent pot. You only need to water when the roots are grey-white, if they are still green more water will hurt the plant. Some of my phals are only watered every two or three weeks in winter, every week or every ten days on summer. Agosto - Valencia, Zone "?"   Jak3  My Weather Posted on Wednesday, April 30, 2008 - 06:54 pm EST :    I think I have severely damaged my entire collection by reducing the light to avoid strong Spring sun. I rave on and on about it in my Journal. If anybody has advice, please read the jounal entry and post on this forum or on my jounal. Thanks. *sigh* Jak3 - Ontario, Zone "4/5"   Otnorot  Posted on Wednesday, June 11, 2008 - 06:27 pm EST :    Orchidnewbie I notice you said "into peat moss into the soil".I hope thats tree bark and charcoal not dirt/soil,most tropical orchids are grown in a bark mix as soil will kill them. Bill Otnorot - Ont, Zone "6A"

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