New sick orchid rehabilitation

[Mercurianmad]

Hey there! Well, I just got custody, so to speak, of my neighbors orchid. I suspect it’s a phalaenopsis. I trimmed off several black roots. I tipped them with cinnamon. Reported it in orchid bark and perlite blend with a bit of spagnum moss (just a bit). It’s got 2 green roots. Super small root system for the size of its leaves. It was severely dehydrated, and I think that’s sunburn damage on the leaves.

I watered it with a diluted probiotic solution. Can you wonderful people take a look at the pictures and tell me 1.) what orchid you think this is 2.) if I should give it any special care besides regular watering when the remaining roots are dry 3.) if and when I should start to fertilize the plant 4.) anything else you think I might have missed.

Thank you! It took me 8 months to rehabilitate my last rescue but it’s almost blooming now. Here’s hoping this one does just as well.

[SouthPark]

The orchid still appears to be in quite good shape. It definitely has the shape of a phalaenopsis.

If you feel or see that the roots ever get too drenched (and unable to get out of this drenched state for a long time after you've finished watering) - and if you feel that water is ever stagnating inside the pot (due to not enough air-movement or air-flow through the pot and media), then consider removing the spaghnum.

If roots are kept moist by the moist media (not drenched, water-logged etc), and good gentle air-movement is maintained most of the time around the plant and the pot, then that will be great - along with keeping the temperature between the suitable range for phalaenopsis orchids.

[aliceinwl]

Definitely a Phalaenopsis, I agree with SouthPark, it doesn’t look half bad. It sounds like your watering plan is good (water whenever the media is dry). Since it does have some roots, you can start fertilizing right away. I give mine about 1/4 of the recommended fertilizer dose every other watering. They don’t need much.

[Orchid Whisperer]

BTW, don't put cinnamon on orchid roots, it can kill them. Trim off dead tissue and let the roots air dry instead.

[Mercurianmad]

Oh wow. I didn’t know cinnamon could do that. I hope the roots I tipped it with are going to be ok. Maybe it will wash off with the next watering?

Thank you everyone for your replies! It will be nice, eventually, to see what color these blooms are. My last rescue is *this close* to blooming some beautiful purple flowers.

[SouthPark]

Originally Posted by Mercurianmad

I hope the roots I tipped it with are going to be ok.

Did you only treat the black-coloured roots with the cinnamon? And does 'tipping' (or 'tipped it') mean that you cut off black-coloured regions, and then applied cinnamon across the face of the cut?

[Mercurianmad]

Yes. Exactly that. I cut the black tips off about a quarter of an inch to where it was green and then put a very light layer of cinnamon over the face of the cut root

[SouthPark]

Originally Posted by Mercurianmad

Yes. Exactly that. I cut the black tips off about a quarter of an inch to where it was green and then put a very light layer of cinnamon over the face of the cut root

Thanks for mentioning those details Merc. That should be quite ok.

For your pot stand in your photos - is that a modified egg/cheese slicer device? Looks good whatever it is.