Phalaenopsis roots looking terrible

[LaurenRebecca]

The roots of my phalaenopsis look awful. I’m afraid it’s dying. I repotted it about 2 months ago so it has fresh potting media with nutrients. I water it when the roots don’t look green anymore and I just started fertilizing it with Better Bloom about 3 weeks ago and the directions say fertilize once a month. It was my Grandmother’s and it’s special to me and I don’t want to lose it. Please help!

[estación seca]

They don't look that bad. What are your ambient temperatures? I suggest you not soak the moss when you water. Just sprinkle a little water onto it. It will diffuse through the moss.

[Dalachin]

It doesn’t say where you are… keep it warm, away from cold windowsills.

[Ray]

Rather than waiting for the moss to dry out, try keeping it evenly moist - not dry, not soppy.

Also, I recommend not feeding less often than every two weeks. I don't know the formula for that fertilizer, but if you divide 16 by the %N in the formula, the result is teaspoons/gallon for application every two weeks. Feel free to round for measuring convenienvce.

[estación seca]

I have a little more time to answer. In most homes Phal. roots that are exposed like this don't look great because the ambient humidity is too low. Most of us try to keep the medium level up to the neck of the plant, where the leaves emerge, so the roots are buried in the more humid medium. I would not leave a plant with roots like that exposed, and I would not pot one so high.

Keep in mind Phals. always need lots of air at the roots, which is why it's not good to soak moss if that's the growing medium. All that water forces out the air.

Phals can be repotted at any time. A lot of people use medium to large bark. This provides lots of air spaces so the roots can stay moist but still have lots of air. You can water Phals. in bark frequently and not worry about roots suffocating.

Moss is also a great medium for Phals., but as I and others mentioned before, you don't want to soak it when you water.

Temperature is critical. Phals. are warm growing plants. If your home temperatures hover around 60 F / 15C they won't be happy. The evaporative cooling from moist moss makes the medium even cooler. That's why I asked the question about temperatures in your growing area. It's very important to know.

[LaurenRebecca]

I live in Louisiana so it’s pretty humid. I will try potting it in only bark and deeper in the pot. How often do I water it if I change it to only bark? Only when the roots look silvery?

[Ray]

Originally Posted by LaurenRebecca

I live in Louisiana so it’s pretty humid. I will try potting it in only bark and deeper in the pot. How often do I water it if I change it to only bark? Only when the roots look silvery?

You cannot water on a set schedule. It should be “when the plant needs it.”

Look at it from a different perspective:

Water is the true driving force for growth. A plant - any plant - must absorb and process about 25 gallons to add 1 pound of tissue. It will also lose about 95% of what is absorbs through leaf transpiration, so the net it must absorb is on the order of 500 gallons!

What that means is that you should try to provide as much water as possible…BUT - orchids do most of their gas exchange processes through their roots (most terrestrial plants do so through their leaves), so you must make sure they get lots of air at the same time. Potting the orchid in a medium sized bark is probably a reasonable option for you, but keep it well watered.

Water does NOT cause root rot and orchids do not need to dry out between waterings. If you potting medium is too dense, water is held in the voids, cutting off airflow and gas exchange, and the roots suffocate and die. If your mix is coarse enough, that can’t happen.

[WaterWitchin]

From what little I can see in the picture, leaves look dehydrated (not getting enough water). Sounds like you're new to growing an orchid and just want to keep Grandma's plant alive? I think it's easier for someone new or beginning to grow in bark.

Soak the moss well, then gently get most of the moss picked off but don't be rough and break roots. Don't cut anything you see growing under the moss whether it looks dead or not. Plant it much deeper in the pot, like where you see the leaves end and the stem begins... right below that.

When you water, don't dribble water into it. Hold over the sink and water until water's coming through bottom, and then water a smidge longer. Keep water out of the middle of the plant where the leaves come together.

Put somewhere in the house where it never gets below at most 65-68F. If unsure about the repotting, take during or right after picture and post. Someone will be along to assist you. Welcome to Orchid Board!

[Mountaineer370]

You've gotten excellent advice so far, so I just want to join in and say I don't think those roots look bad. I have a lot of mature Phals, and the top-most roots, especially if it's impossible to put them below the media, often get a little brownish and woody-looking. Rest assured they are still viable roots.

In your case, it looks like you may be able to pot the plant a little deeper and have media cover all of those roots. I can't speak to sphagnum as I do not use it, but it sounds like you may be interested in changing the potting media to chunky bark. That's what I use (Orchiata in my case), and in my growing environment, I'm having to water about every other day or every third day. I grow indoors, and in the wintertime, the indoor humidity is extremely low. When I water, I also use a spray bottle on all exposed roots, ones like yours that are close to the top of the media, ones that are aerial and growing higher up on the plant, and anything that has snuck out the side holes of my plastic pots.

The one thing that does seem a little odd is that, from the one photo you have posted, it appears that plant has only two leaves? I could be wrong, and maybe you could post an additional photo or two of the whole plant.

[WaterWitchin]

Yes, Cheri, that was first thing I noticed...appeared to be only two leaves, and rather dehydrated or "floppy." Agree an overall picture with leaves would be helpful.