Can I bring my orchid back?

[gg2un20008]

someone gave me a orchid from his brothers funeral and I think I have killed it!!!!!! this is my first time ever trying to grow one but he thought I would do well with it since I have so many other plants.....I have read up on these plants and may know what I have done to it to send it to it's maker......I clipped the dead roots after all the plants fell off and transpotted it into fresh orchid mix and a new clean pot......I also clipped it back (the stems) as to promote growth......all I know is what to do with regular plants that get sick.......please help.....

[Swamper]

do you know what type of orchid? do you have a pic?

[gg2un20008]

I don't have any pictures but it is a Phalaenopsis according to the white stick that I have.

[JennS]

By "when the plants fell off" do you mean the flowers? If so, cutting the stems back after the flowers fall off is a good thing.

What do you mean though by cutting the plant back? Did you actually trim the foliage? If so, did you trim the bottom leaves or the top leaves? Did you cut the whole leave off?

What type of potting mix did you use and what type of pot? HOw are you watering? What else makes you think it is dead?

Sorry for all the questions, but they are essential in giving you advice.

Remember that orchids do not show as immediate recovery as most plants so it may take time tos how it's improvements. It may also look bad at first after repotting, but should recover quickly. Did you only trim, blackish, hollow or limp feeling roots?

[gg2un20008]

yes the flowers fell off.....I actually cut the stems that the flowers were hanging on......the huge leave at the bottom died off.....one is still hanging on but it too is dying.....the potting mix I used is for the orchids......the pot is a porcelin pot that I got from the flea market.....it just rained like the dickens so I sat it outside to get some of the water.......by the stick it says to water every ten days depending on the humidity.....it has been in the upper 90's........should I leave it outside or bring it back in the house......I just moved here so I have it in a corner in the soon to be living room......it is next to a filtered light winder......I also cut the dead roots because when I first got it, it was sitting in water from the person that gave it to me so I noticed that some of the roots were swollen........

[Chubidubi]

Maybe it could have root rot. How are the roots looking. Are they any left?

[JennS]

Well, swollen roots makes me think, healthy roots, but I could be misunderstanding. Were those roots firm or mushy? Mushy = bad, firm = good.

The potting mix...is it bark, spaghnum, a mix or bark and charchoal, etc.?

Does your porcelain pot have a drainage hole?

That was good to cut the shoot that the flowers were on. That will signal the plant to put energy into itself instead of the flower shoot, so it can hopefully repair any damage that had been done.

One leaf falling off could be from old age, but more signals problems. Is there only one leaf left?

I think leaving it outdoors in Richmond is a good idea. Just make sure it is not getting any direct light. It likes bright light, but nothign direct. Find a nice tree or your porch that is covered and set it there, but keep observing it. I visit Richmond often and the summer weather seems good to me for a Phal. You coudl keep it indoors if you prefer, but make sure it is in a bright window, but again no direct light.

As for watering, you can use a sharpened pencil and stick it half way into the medium. If the pencil tip is discolored from wetness don't water. If it is not discolored water. I have underwaterd Phals a few times and they can be recovered, but it is easier not to do that in the first place.