Orchids Help

[MG7890]

Hello! I'm new here I took in two dying orchids from work long ago and removed all of the decay since the roots were in rotting shape. Months go by, the roots are slowly growing but the stem is still in bad shape and seem to be getting worse I soak them in water every week or so. Any suggestions would be helpful

Orchid 1:

[MG7890]

Orchid 2:

[neophyte]

First off - welcome to the forum!

I think the issue is your orchids have relatively few roots absorbing water (unless the roots are turning black and absolutely rotting and mushy, resist the urge to cut them) and are thus dehydrated. On top of that, bark mix dries out relatively quickly, and considering that your orchids are short on roots, it would be beneficial to water much more frequently. Good luck!

[fishmom]

Also, your phalaenopsis orchids like a warm, humid atmosphere. If you can provide that, the recovery will go more quickly. An occasional soak in a kelp fertilizer will spur growth in the roots, and a very weak solution of a balanced fertilizer (weekly, weakly) will help any new leaves that sprout. Neophyte is correct, your bark mix looks pretty dry, so more frequent watering, aimed so that the upper roots get wet too, will help the plant absorb water.

[Ray]

Yes - shady, hot, humid, and definitely water them more.

Drying out is an effort to make sure that water trapped between potting media particles doesn’t block airflow to the roots. In that coarse bark, that’s not likely a problem when it’s soaked.

You might also consider getting some KelpMax Superior Plant Growth Stimulant to kick-start the root growth. Mix up a tablespoon/gallon and immerse the bare-root plants overnight, then pot them up and water them in with that liquid. Invert a clear plastic bag over the plant and pot to trap the humidity, and keep them warm and shady.

[aliceinwl]

I agree with the Kelpmax soak to speed things along, but if that’s not feasible these can still recover. Pot them up, and make sure one of the live roots is positioned along the wall of the pot so you can see it (from the picture it looks like the pots are clear). Soak them in pot for 30 minutes or so to get the bark really hydrated and then let all the water drain out. Once the root against the side of the pot looks silver again, it’s time to rewater.

I’ve rehabbed quite a few Phalaenopsis for my co-workers that were in similar states. It usually takes about a month to start seeing noticeable improvement such as new root growth and firming leaves.

[MG7890]

Thank you everyone for the tips!

I've noticed the stems were turning black and the barks were getting some mold even though I air them out after the watering. Is that normal? I thought I was over watering or doing something wrong.

Is it preferred to grow them in pots or can they grow without any support (on a hook)?

[Roberta]

Originally Posted by MG7890

Is it preferred to grow them in pots or can they grow without any support (on a hook)?

Unless you have a very humid environment (like a greenhouse or you live in south Florida) it's difficult to maintain Phalaenopsis bare-root or mounted. (With enough humidity they love it) Your bark is quite large, so the roots are getting plenty of air. but as others have noted, you do need to increase the watering - with bark that large, they could tolerate watering every 2-3 days.

[aliceinwl]

What is t the ventilation like in the pots? I find my Phals seem to like holes in the sides of the pots as well as the base. If I have a plastic pot without side ventilation that I want to use, I take a soldering iron and melt some additional holes in the sides. I rarely have mold issues.

[MG7890]

Originally Posted by aliceinwl

What is t the ventilation like in the pots? I find my Phals seem to like holes in the sides of the pots as well as the base. If I have a plastic pot without side ventilation that I want to use, I take a soldering iron and melt some additional holes in the sides. I rarely have mold issues.

Both of the clear pots have bottom ventilation. I'll look into making more holes or get better pots, thank you everyone