New slipper orchid not doing well

[tomo]

She is looking worse.

I removed some of the bark to provide some space and have been avoiding getting any water near the leaves but they are not happy at all.

[Roberta]

It looks to me like it is much too dry. Paphs don't like to dry out. That large bark probably needs daily watering.

[estación seca]

I agree. They should not get dry.

[WaterWitchin]

In a week's time since your first post, with the new pictures... well, it may not make it. Paphs don't suffer watering mistakes well. How often have you watered since you first posted to the point it is now? For now, I suggest putting in a saucer with a half inch to inch of water in the saucer. The top of the medium should never feel dry when you put your finger on it. I see pieces of sphag on top that look totally dry. Not nearly being watered enough. It may possibly have enough root left to start a new plant, but from the look of the die-back on the crown only time will tell.

[jldriessnack]

That is not from drying out. I have paphs and while they do not like excessive drying, when a plant dies from desiccation it typically first loses lower leaves and then also the WHOLE plant will be limp or brittle. So yellowing and browning occurs bottom up, tip to center, not the other way around. What you have is ROT from dunking it in water, allowing that water to sit in the crown, and then fester with bacteria. When you bottom water avoid allowing the water level to get into the folds of the crown.

Rot will also cause the effects of drying, because it kills the base/crown where water is taken up and funneled to the leaves.

I water my paphs weekly, they are in mid sized bark, and they do just perfectly.

[estación seca]

When I was learning to grow Paphs. I was afraid to overwater anything because of all the wrong information I read. I killed a lot of them because I didn't water them enough. As they died they looked exactly like your plant.

Now when I water my Paphs. I douse them with a water wand. I get water into the crowns and leaves every single time. Often the water stays in the crowns and leaf crevices for more than a day. That doesn't cause any trouble with my plants. I still think your plant is in trouble because of lack of water.

[jldriessnack]

That is easily explained. When you water from a faucet or a device there is typically far less bacteria (standing water is bacteria ridden, most people know this, think a pond versus a river). Also when you 'dunk' a plant, the water enters the medium of the pot and then washes over the plant second, as opposed to spraying water which hits the top first and then sinks, decreasing the risk of pathogen exposure - there are often also different environmental conditions which impacts this. I also do not worry about crown water when conditions are ideal or really good, and when I use good water. This is why rain water is not a problem. But if you poor bath water onto your orchids, wait for it, you will get rot.

But I will do what you did and offer an anecdote, I just watered my paphs today after 10 days of not watering. They were bone dry for several days and doing just fine and in low humidity. So I guess we all have our story.