URGENT - Has m orchid lost its life?can i revive it?

[stephh]

Hi All, i have a huge problem with an orchid i have had for around 7-10 months now, has always been pretty ok and not ever really needed to do alot to it. Unfortunatly i've haad a family bereavement other christmas and kind of forgot to check on my orchid :-( it's really special to me as i think they are the most beautiful plants and my Grandmother bought it for me whom past away recently. I have always kept it in my window downstairs by the front door as i felt this best place to keep it. Only today i notice it has completely deteriorated. The flowers have all died and wilted and the leaves r not looking healthy at all, one is rather brown and soft at the end and i just dont know whether there is anything i can do or if its 'had it!'.

I'd really really appreciate any advice on what to do to try to help it. I do have some plant food here, but have never used it before and as i say its in a pretty bad state.

Embarrasingly i don't recall the exact type and have mis-placed the card with the details. It was purchased from local store, sainsburys and was in seemingly pretty good condition at that time.

It may be too late but if theres any advice at all i'd be most greatful. Many thanks.

[quiltergal]

Hi Stephh. Sorry to hear about the loss in your family. Can you post a picture of your orchid? It willl really help diagnose the problem.

I'll hazzard a guess without being able to actually see it. I'm guessing you have a Phal. They seem to be the most common grocery store finds. Have you repotted it since receiving it? What kind of medium is it planted in? If it's in Sphagnum moss, and it's the same stuff it came in you may have a case of root rot. When the leaves get limp and wrinkly looking that means the plant isn't getting enough water. That can happen for a couple of reasons. If you have extensive root rot the root system is mostly dead and unable to supply the plant with water. It could also happen from underwatering the plant. Either way, I'd pull it out of the pot and take a peek at the roots. If they are brown and mushy you have root rot. If they are hard and shriveled up you haven't watered enough.

Once we figure out what's going on with it we'll go from there.

[10010100102]

Sorry about your Grandmother, losing a family member is always hard.

Like Terri said, a picture would really help a lot (and if you post one in the ID forum, you might even be able to get a name). Don't give up hope on your plant just yet, orchids are pretty tough so it probably still has some fight left in it.