Im a bit worryed about my Miltoniopsis - help please!

[LoopyLou]

Hi,

I have had this Miltioniopsis for about 2 weeks now. It had been reduced right down in the shop as the stem and flowers had died. I thought I would buy it and look after it.

I have done some research on them as this is my first miltioniopsis and it said to water twice a week as the like to be moist, is this right?

Anyway a couple of the leaves look like they are dyeing as they are turning brown one a lot more than the other and it looks like there's mould growing on some of the roots.

I have attached come pics for you all to have a look at.

If that is mould is there something I can use to get rid of it?

Is the plant going to die or are the brown leaves a result of minimum care at the shop?

I was really hoping it would live with some proper care and eventually re-flower.

Please help!!!!!!!!!!!!

[MattWoelfsen]

Hello LoopyLou, since your plant has finished flowering, I suggest you repot the plant into fresh media. BUT before you do, pay attention to the size of the bark. They look like they are medium sized bark nuggets. So get a similar size. If there is a home improvement center near you with a garden and garden supply area, you might find a bag. Soak the potting media, if you have something like Safer soap spray (I have the product with kelp), spray a little bit of that stuff in with the soaking bark media. After all is good and soaked, remove your plant from the pot. Carefully remove all the old media and inspect the root ball removing obviously dead roots, I say this as some roots may look dead but not really. Do a gentle squeeze of suspected roots and if it feels pliable, keep that root. If the roots do not look like they are completely root bound, I would re-use the pot it came in. Wash it with soapy warm water.

Your plant looks healthy but its potting media needs replacement.

[LoopyLou]

Thanks MattWoelfsen,

I was getting worried as the leaves are becoming brown and I didn't want it to die!

I have this suff - Orchid Focus Repotting Mix - 3 litre

Will this be ok for the plant? The chips in this are quite big but I could break them up smaller.

I cant get that safer soap in the uk. (if im looking at the right thing!)

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

I agree that the plant should be repotted. In fact, I probably would've recommended that they be repotted while they were still in bloom, but it's fine if it is repotted after they have bloomed.

The leaf you are concerned about naturally would be dying back anyways. The oldest leaves always die back first, leaving behind the pseudobulbs and the leaves on top of the pseudobulbs.

[MattWoelfsen]

I could not tell what size the planting media from your link. My rule of thumb with repotting orchids is to try to use a similar potting media as the one the plant was in before it became part of my orchid collection. If this potting media is slightly larger than it was potted in, it should be fine. The planting media is really for us humans to keep a plant upright and convenient for us to provide its care and nurture. In the wilds, these orchids are attached to trees, rocks, etc. and their roots are exposed to the air--to better catch moisture and airborne nutrients.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

I wouldn't get a potting media with pieces that are too large for this orchid. It would provide too much air and dry out way faster than the orchid would like. Miltoniopsis come from places that are consistently moist. They don't dry out for long periods of time in the wild, the dry out periods are very, very brief. I too would recommend a potting material with similarly sized pieces as the potting material the orchid is currently in.

[LoopyLou]

Thanks both, I will re-pot the plant.

King of orchid growing- the flowers had already died when I bought it that's why it was so cheap.

Are there any other fungicides you can recommend? I cant get the safer soap in the uk.

I do hope that's just an old leaf dyeing.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

I don't know any fungicides that are available in the UK, but I do know that there shouldn't be an issue if the potting material gets switched out.