venting!!

[FNS]

So I'm tired and overwhelmed by all the orchid info you can get from google. So many different opinions, that I don't know what to do with my sick orchid :*(

I trust the people of this fine forum to help me but I have mixed thoughts. I live in a caribbean country with nice weather almost all year. In the flower or garden shops i've visited they don't sell KLN or special rooting mixes, and buying then online would to expensive and to much for just one plant. I will give it my all to save my beatifull phal!!!

But I've made up my mind!! This will be my final recipe:
1) Repot orchid in a clear container (it has holes in the bottom and I made 4 additional ones on the sides).
2) Clean the roots, cut the stem and clean with water, let it dry.
3) Repot in new container with a mix of Coconut Husk Chips, gravel and moss. I will put the moss at the bottom, with bigger gravel on top for moisture and to keep separate from root, then the rest of the mix on top.
4) Water with Miracle Gro Orchid Food and let dry.
5) I will put the phal in a nice airy window where the sun ain't too hot but It won't be too cold.

I will do this on saturday so I be right on schedule with the watering (I will lightly or barely mist the root on wednesday just to keep her nice and fresh).

I will also tend to the plants next to her with the same TLC I give this one (I read this fertilizer can be used for other plants so I'll take care of my mother's plants too). Maybe our love will make her grow until judgement day comes!!

TO ME!!

[quiltergal]

It sounds like a pretty good plan, but you don't say what is wrong with your orchid. It's hard to give good advice without knowing what the symptoms are.

[FNS]

My previous post title is ''I think i hurt my phal orchid pretty bad'' (can attack the link...sorry!)

My orchid as of today:
1) No leaves, I had to cut the ones that were yellow and one fell off.
2) Long green stem with withered flowers and 2 blossoms.
3) Some dead roots. I have a hard time with this one description so this is what I can grasp: Dead roots (mushy, the xylum was intact and white but no covering), some new roots coming but I was fearing that when cleaning (some said with toothbrushes which to me sound kinda harsh) I would to more damage and remove more of the root covering.
4) The mushy odor in the root is almost all gone and is drier.

I know the damage is pretty bad (1st timers mistakes), but I am determined to learn and try hard. Hope I got all the part names right!!

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

I recommend understanding the biology of Phalaenopsis first. I do my best to give a basic understanding of it in a way that pertains to orchid hobbyists in the sticky http://www.orchidboard.com/community...ends-here.html

Now, I also recommend you read it from the beginning.

If you've already read it, maybe you could read it again.

With you growing in the Caribbean, I don't think you need to use moss as part of the potting media. The Caribbean islands are already humid. Imo, just forego the moss completely.

In fact, I think you could even mount your Phals and succeed at growing them considering what your growing environment is like.

Have you considered mounting your Phal onto a piece of cork bark?

[Leafmite]

I usually wait to fertilize until a plant has a chance to recover (about a week) from repotting or I use something organic so damaged roots are not burned by fertilizer salts. Perhaps, though, orchids are not as sensitive?

[FNS]

Thanks King of orchid growing!!

I have no place to put it, I live in an apartment. I did read that thread (but will read again to better understand it) Thanks!!!

So I should I forgo the moss then? Should I still use the coconut and gravel (i haven't found bark, in my country people use moss and coconut, also mounting them as well).

@leafmite: I can wait a weak (though i will be super worried I might be doing more damage), so I would rather check the roots and let them settle in a medium that could be long term.

[silken]

Since you live in the Caribbean, you may find seaweed (kelp) in liquid or freeze dried form to give to your plant in place of KLN rooting hormone or SuperThrive. The kelp has hormones that promote root growth and might be easier to find. I am beginning to think it works better than the other supplements and is very natural.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Coconut husk chips retain a lot of moisture. If you're using this as a potting media, you need to reduce the frequency of your watering.

The pot also needs to be large enough to fit the roots without giving the roots too much extra room. This is an issue of balancing out air to water that the plant's roots receive. Remember, in the wild, a Phal's roots are not usually covered by anything. If there's anything covering the roots, it's a very thin layer of moss - and only in light patches. The roots are mostly exposed to humid air.

One side of a root is exposed to humid air, the other side is attaching itself to the surface of the tree.

[quiltergal]

Does your apartment have a balcony or other outdoor area? If so you could mount your orchids and not have them take up a lot of space. Someone here who lives in Taiwan has a nifty set up on their balcony. They have attached hardware cloth to one wall of their balcony and hang their orchids on the hardware cloth. Wooden lattice would work too.

[FNS]

Originally Posted by King_of_orchid_growing:)

Coconut husk chips retain a lot of moisture. If you're using this as a potting media, you need to reduce the frequency of your watering.

The pot also needs to be large enough to fit the roots without giving the roots too much extra room. This is an issue of balancing out air to water that the plant's roots receive. Remember, in the wild, a Phal's roots are not usually covered by anything. If there's anything covering the roots, it's a very thin layer of moss - and only in light patches. The roots are mostly exposed to humid air.

One side of a root is exposed to air, the other side is attaching itself to the surface of the tree.

About the coconut I thought that too when I saw it at the garden shop (even stuck my finger in it), but the gardener swore by it. I also noticed those orchid were planted with moss on top (like mine at first) which was wet. That made me even more confused! That why I like the bark or gravel medium, and the moss that was still fresh and dry.

But I need to ask, do you think maybe I should try a different method? I want to decide what to do (that why I decided the plan I wrote) and stick to it to leave the plant alone to rest and grow.

I read about sphag and bag (seems to complicated for a newbie like me, prone to a lot of infection through fungus and delicate) and other ways to get the root growing in time.

I'm thinking off this in a practical sense and related to something I actually know how to do! Thinking of the plant like a human patient that needs food, sun and water and the human consecuences if one is low or missing (I'm learning plants are a lot like humans!!!)