Orchid buds won’t open fully

[Girl_With_An_Orchid]

I’ve got an orchid that I’ve had for probably
Close to 10 years. It finally has a spike with buds but they won’t open all the way. I’ve attached a pic to show it. When I first got the orchid it had a spike with buds and they all die. Then it couldn’t sustain more than 3 leaves at a time, one dying, one healthy, one growing, and no root growth. About 2 years ago it finally started growing roots and leaves. Last year I got a spike but it broke. This year another spike but the buds aren’t surviving again. I know it needs to be repotted and I’m hoping that’s the solution here but I doubt it. Is this a genetic thing or is it just not strong enough to sustain more yet?

It is in front of a south facing window and gets mostly morning light. I water as needed when the wood stake is almost dry. I would say humidity is average for indoors in Maryland. I haven’t been feeding lately. I know I should be but I ran out and am trying to figure out a new brand to try.

Also, on a totally unrelated note, I’m moving soon. Any tips on how to travel with orchids in bloom without destroying all my beautiful flowers?

[Roberta]

This one looks to me like it is seriously in need of a repot. I can't tell for sure, but I suspect the leaves are a bit limp. It needs to potted lower with the roots in the medium. It is probably dehydrated. (The wood stake method isn't very accurate) Phals don't mind being repotted in bud or in bloom. so go ahead. I'd suggest medium bark, and then increase the watering frequency. (fresh bark won't hold as much water as the old broken down stuff, but will give lots of fresh humid air to the roots). A better way to tell when to water is to water well and let it drain, then weigh on a kitchen scale or postal scale. Weigh again the next day... when the rate of weight loss slows down (not much more water to evaporate) it's time to water again. With fresh bark, you will probably need to water every 3 days or so this time of year, if it is warmer in summer, even more often. If the medium is well drained, overwatering is not likely. As far as fertillizer goes, pretty much any will do, at half or less of what it says on the bottle. Fertilizer is the least important of all the culture factors.

As far as moving... pack them well in a box so they don't fall over. Then the biggest danger is when you park the car - it can get hot fast. So pick a shady spot. If you have some shade cloth with you, you can also give the plants a bit of extra protection. Protect from sun and heat and they'll be fine. If the weather turns cold, just the opposite, also protect from cold. When you're driving likely to be OK but protect when you park, bring them inside if you have an overnight stop.

[Ray]

I suspect you have been so afraid of "overwatering" that you're simply not watering enough.

It take hydrostatic pressure for plants yo expand their segments, and unserwatering can affect that is an extreme way.

[Girl_With_An_Orchid]

Ok so repot and water more. I knew I needed to repot but I’ve been lazy 😅. I have been worried about overwatering too 😅😅. I probably need to up my watering schedule for all of my orchids. Is there a chance it might be something other than water?

[Mountaineer370]

I agree with the observations of Roberta and Ray. Just digging a little deeper. How often do you think you actually water it? When you say "when the wood stake is dry," are you referring to the tall stake we see in the photo that looks like it's used to hold up the flower spike? Or do you have a smaller wooden skewer in there that we cannot see?

It does look in need of a repot to me. I can't tell from the photo what the potting material is, but it seems to go not much more than halfway up the pot. There are lots of exposed roots that, ideally, should be within the potting material, which should come up to almost the top of the pot, just under the bottom leaves. That will help to retain moisture for those roots that are currently exposed.

That type of pot is fine, many of us use those clear plastic pots, but it's possible you need one size up. Again, it's hard to tell from the angle of the photo. The diameter of the pot is probably fine, but it may not be tall enough. I find a medium chunky bark mixture works well for most Phals.

[Waterdog111]

Those buds have deep color, be nice to see them open.