Phalaenopsis First Time Repotting

[hanaejyrrej26]

Hello! I just joined here. I'm glad to have found this website to help me better take care of my precious Phals and other orchids. I'm also a beginner. I started to collect orchids last year. I have roughly 10 pots of orchids as starter. 😊
I reported 3 of my Phals to a new medium 2 weeks ago. They used to be in a moss medium and now I put them in firk bark. It looked like the medium I bought though isn't fresh or new and they're chunky, which it hard for me not to leave air pockets in my new clear plastic pots. The brand is ProMix. I noticed that the leaves of my once firm and happy Phals and becoming droopy.
I just watered them today. I watered once a week coz it's pretty dry and humid in our small apartment.
Should I do another repot? The upper roots died too. 😭😭

---------- Post added at 06:25 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:21 PM ----------

Please help...

[hanaejyrrej26]

I attached the pictures as reference.

[estación seca]

Welcome to the Orchid Board!

Large chunky bark works well for Phals. It is expected and desirable that there will be large air gaps between the chunks. They are epiphytes, plants accustomed to having lots of air at the roots.

That said, they need watering more often in large chunk mixes than moss or smaller chunk mixes. If your apartment is warm and with lower humidity, I would expect to water Phals in large bark every 2-4 days. If you've been watering once a week, that would account for their floppy leaves.

What are your growing temperatures and humidity?

The upper roots will die back in low humidity. They were formerly in contact with the moist moss, and now they aren't. If the roots in the pot are good this will not be a problem.

I suggest you read through a few pages of a sticky thread here. From the left yellow menu choose Forums then Beginners. Near the top find the sticky thread The Phal abuse stops here.

[fishmom]

The new medium holds much less water than the moss, so you need to up your watering routine. Chunky bark is good for phals, because the roots want moist air, but to keep it moist will take more frequent watering than before. You can judge the moisture by using a bamboo skewer inserted in the mix--just pull it out and feel it to tell if the medium is dry. In time, you will be able to tell by the weight of the pot--lighter when dry.


Oops, cross-posted with estacion seca

[hanaejyrrej26]

Thank you! I appreciate the speedy reply. 🥰 I panicked to see them droopy. 😭 So I just need to water them often then. Are these barks good though? No need to repot again?
I'll surely check the sticky thread page shortly. I'm binge read on different forums around here. ❤

[WaterWitchin]

Bark is just fine. No, don't repot. Start watering more often.

[hanaejyrrej26]

Is it okay to pull it off the pot though to check the roots? I can't see them through the new plastic I repotted them to. It looks like the roots have dried up and the mid layer is kinda hollow too. Can I just redo it on the same pot? I don't to further stress them though

[Roberta]

If you just repotted it, would be better to just leave it alone. To pull it out again would add stress. Remember, orchids do everything very slowly - progress is measured in months not days, So start by just increasing your watering, as several people have advised. Here's a technique for learning how often it needs watering (Phalaenopsis like "humid air" more than "wet" around the roots) Water it well - let water run through the pot (which also pulls air into the root zone) Let it drain, then weigh the pot on a postal scale or kitchen scale. Then weigh it the next day and each successive day. When the rate of weight loss levels out (not much more water to evaporate) it is time to water again Repeat the cycle, and pretty soon you'll have a good feel for how often to water.

[hanaejyrrej26]

you guys are the best. thank you. ^^