don't understand good roots bad plant,HELP

[cgregory]

I have 5 or 6 orchids and I'm to grow them and not just water them I have 1 plant that has nice green roots but the plant is turning yellow the plant next to it has great leaves but not so good roots and right now I don't know whats going on and I would really love and appreciate any help you could offer so I get started on the right track, thanks very much in advance.

[AGibson001]

The plants and roots look ok, they just appear to be dehydrated. I would suggest watering them a little more often. The media looks like it is very well draining, the roots are probably just drying up. How often do you currently water them?

[Gazpacho]

They look pretty much like mine and I thought I was doing ok. You have them in terracotta pots which dries them out faster.. you have them in large bark which holds less water.... seems like you have the right recipe and when they feel light (as opposed to heavy)... water them.

The one with the yellowish leaf has really healthy looking roots. Maybe it got a bit of sun? Those lower leaves tend to drop off my young plants as the plant grows.

[cgregory]

I water them all 1x every 5 to 7 days and i do them all the same so what is the difference in the plants some roots good and some not so good the one with yellow leaves I moved in to a plastic pot yesterday so I could watch it better

[james mickelso]

They look fine. The bark mix is a good media and the pots are good too. Phals don't always have a ton of roots. Even in nature. With this media you could water them every 5 days and it would be ok. But that would depend on where you live, how much light they get, and how fast those new leaves are growing. It is winter time. Water is crucial for good phal growth. Phals do not like hard water. Less than 200 parts sodium and calcium is good. Less than 150 ppm is great. Where do you live and where are you growing these phals? What you are doing right now is working so don't change too much. But water them a little more often. Don't let them stand in those dishes with water standing in them. Fertilize once a month with half strength orchid food. And read the thread above at the beginning of this forum.