Newbie here: help regarding 2 orchids (repotting and saving)

[RandomGemini]

That makes sense. In the photo I was looking at, the spike looks yellowish brown.

Happy to help if I can!

[RoHa]

Hi and welcome Alex R!

I am also quite new here and I have been dealing with an orchid that I think has been in just as bad shape as your second one. It only had one living root on it when I repotted it. But now it seems to be taking small steps towards recovering. So that shows that they are strong little things and I am sure yours will make a nice recovery if you give it the attention it needs.

I see you and RandomGemeni have been talking about when to cut the spike or not. Like I said, I am pretty new and I hope someone can confirm this. But I read on the board that once a spike is finished flowering one should cut it. This gives the plant a chance to recover and put more energy towards creating a new spike. Also, if your orchid were to start flowering again from the same spike(s) then it would have fewer flowers than in the previous flowering. So while it might be sad to cut the spikes that have given you so much beauty, if you want them to give you large and full flowerings you should clear away the old growth. I hope I got that right and someone else might be able to confirm that.

Good luck growing!

[bergdj]

I have a similar problem Alex. I've got 3 phals doing great. They are the 3 that got me started and have all bloomed for the last 5-8 months which has been fun. Then I was gifted one last x-mss that has been a struggle since day 1. I gave up on it's special treatment for the last few months and just gone about watering it like I do my other Phals. It has sent out 2 or 3 spikes off it's main stem since I got it but they always die. It has put out some new leaves and aerial roots though. Anyway I was just out of town for the last month and when i got back it was looking particularly sad. I decided it was time to do some investigating. I figured I couldn't do it any harm since it's knocking on deaths door. I pulled it out of the pot and found it wrapped tightly in sphagnum moss. I pulled all of that off and all the roots were completely rotten. I figured my last hope was to re-pot it in bark/charcoal/rock medium and bury its few good aerial roots. It currently has 0 leaves, a spike that amazingly looks OK and about a root and a half. Do y'all think it has any chance of survival?

Sorry for poaching your thread, I thought it was a similar situation though.

[Alex R]

As far as I read, in your situation, you should also cut down rotten roots before repotting ... if the root feels solid and is white or green (or in-between) then leave it as it's healthy. if the root is mushy and/brown or dried out, then cut it before repotting.

The experts here would be able to advise.

@RandomGemini: I took pictures of my green spike that I didn't want to cut down and, guess what ... 2 days later it began to pale and I cut it down today as it was almost dried out entirely.

It is just giving birth to a new spike now though and I need some advice with it on whether to steer it up or let it grow at about a 45 degree angle (a big and sturdy leaf is in the way). I'll post a picture tomorrow.

[bergdj]

yeah yeah, i guess i forgot to say i trimmed all the dead roots...fingers are crossed now though!

[RandomGemini]

Originally Posted by Alex R

As far as I read, in your situation, you should also cut down rotten roots before repotting ... if the root feels solid and is white or green (or in-between) then leave it as it's healthy. if the root is mushy and/brown or dried out, then cut it before repotting.

The experts here would be able to advise.

@RandomGemini: I took pictures of my green spike that I didn't want to cut down and, guess what ... 2 days later it began to pale and I cut it down today as it was almost dried out entirely.

It is just giving birth to a new spike now though and I need some advice with it on whether to steer it up or let it grow at about a 45 degree angle (a big and sturdy leaf is in the way). I'll post a picture tomorrow.

That's up to you. In the wild, phals grow upside down with their flowers growing toward the ground. If you leave the spike to grow as it wants to, it will try to grow toward the floor. I think the weight of flowers might be a risk of pulling the plant out of the pot when it's in bloom. I would probably stake it if I planned to continue growing it in a pot.



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