teacup orchid is wilting

[Wild Orchid]

Hi Francesca,
No problem, orchids are special and we've all been there learning how to take care of them.

Let me summarize what we tried to discuss here.

1.When Phals are brought home, most of them needed to be repotted immediately.
two reasons: unhealthy media - tightly packed, wet/dry moss; rotting roots.

2. Repotting means -getting rid of all the moss, inspecting roots, trimming off the bad ones and repotting what's left into a new smaller pot & media (bark mix for orchids)

3. It's often recommended to cut off all the spikes, good and bad regardless - because now the Phal needs to focus on recovering roots, not on flowering

4. When unpotting and looking for suitable materials, Phals with bare roots can be left for a few days wrapped in a moist towel. This would not hurt the roots.

5. Phals do the best if they get repotted in a media that is airy, dries quickly and provides some air pockets for roots to breath (bark mix, coconut fibers.)

6. After repotting, it's important to learn how to use proper watering by using a skewer method and also prevent crown rot (by avoiding watter droplets on the crown.)

7. Most cases of Phal's dying is root rot and crown rot.

Here's a link the provides an illusration for repotting. Most growers prefer to repot in bark rather than moss as moss tends to hold too much water and is difficult for the beginner to manage.

Orchid Repotting Clinic - Phalaenopsis


I hope this clears some confusion.

Cheers,
Lilia

[Francesca P.]

Hello, and thanks. I checked out the link you provided and I will try it. I just have one more question...if I do all this and the plant recovers. Will it flower again, and if so what is the time span on that? Thank you rillia and everyone for your help and support.

[Wild Orchid]

Originally Posted by Francesca P.

Hello, and thanks. I checked out the link you provided and I will try it. I just have one more question...if I do all this and the plant recovers. Will it flower again, and if so what is the time span on that? Thank you rillia and everyone for your help and support.

If it was a healthy, robust plant with lots of green, healthy roots - it might take between 6 months to a year to see new blooms, sometimes longer. Blooming also depends on overall culture that includes temperatures, light level, humidity and fertilizing.

Good luck!

[Francesca P.]

Ok great, thanks. Would a bathroom be a good place for it to recover? If it has good filtered light, of course. And just to be sure, I need to cut off both flowering stalks/spikes. Cut them at the base, as close as I can get to the crown base? The link didn't say where to cut the spike, sorry. Thank you

[Vanda lover]

If the medium looks powdery or like soil, it can smother the roots. You need to repot in a good orchid mix.
You want something nice and loose so the roots can get good air circulation. Don't over pot. Just plant it in a container that is one size larger with lots of drainage. Styrofoam peanuts in the bottom can help.
The clear pots are helpful because you can see the roots. If they are silvery grey, they need water. If they are green, they are happy.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

If your bathroom has decent air circulation, doesn't fall below 55 F - 60 F, and has some light, then that kind of growing space will provide plenty of humidity for the Phal.

I've grown the moisture loving, humidity hog, Phal appendiculata in such an environment, and it loves it.

Also, if you haven't gathered this tip already, Phals usually don't naturally grow upright, a large majority of them hang perpendicularly or pendulously off their perches in the wild. That's how they naturally avoid problems with crown rot in nature, just in case you're wondering...

If you really want to know which Phal naturally grows upright, to my knowledge, Phal (Doritis) pulcherrima is currently the only one. So, if you have a hybrid that contains the genes of Phal (Doritis) pulcherrima in its DNA, then it might have a chance of growing upright depending on whether it is a trait that the plant expresses or not.

Originally Posted by Cym Ladye

I have also seen a Cymbidium in a tea cup too! Go figure! But next year it will begin reverting to the usual miniature to mid size, more natural size. Chemicals can do weird things to plants for mass marketing of "hostess gifts".



CL

Interesting...

I didn't know that!

Maybe Zygos in a tea cup may be the next big thing.

[Francesca P.]

Hi everyone, and thank you very much. I have moved the phal to the bathroom, I think this will be a better place for it. I inspected all the roots, and none of them were soft or mushy. I'm sure it will recover and be healthy. Thank you all again.

[james mickelso]

just take it out of the ceramic pot and let it dry thoroughly. when it is lightweight when you lift it (as opposed to heavy when wet) then water it. give it bright light but not full sun. early morning or late afternoon light. don't repot. leave it alone as it is already stressed. it was growing in a nice bright warm humid environment a week or so ago(nursery) and now it is in a dry, coolish, less well lit one. patience grasshopper. let it acclimate.

[Francesca P.]

Hi james. Thank you very much, I didn't think of it like tha, you do have a point. I've only had it a month now, but I did repot it already. The roots looked good, just a lil flat from being in a very small pot. I will be patient and I'm sure it be fine. Thank you again, and I'm open to any more advice you or anyone else has.

[james mickelso]

Hey Philip, are you going to Santa Barbara for the big show soon? We will be up there on that Sunday. I'm renting a van and taking some of my club up. Going to the show and then SBOE and Cal Pacific and then the cym nursery on the way back. Let me know if you are going and maybe we can meet. James