My mini orchid doesn't look healthy - Orchid Board

alexm · #1 11-25-2013, 01:51 PM

I recently got a mini orchid and i've had it for a few weeks now, but this morning i noticed that it suddenly had turned brown all over. All the leaves and the stem have turned this unhealthy brown and when I feel the leaves they are mushy. The remaining flowers on the stem look dead and are hanging down. I don't know what to do and if it's still possible to revive it. Please help!

Optimist · #2 11-25-2013, 02:00 PM

Sounds like you cooked it, where was it?

alexm · #3 11-25-2013, 02:03 PM

It was on a windowsill in the living room. If I did cook it, could it be because of the heater that's on? Can I still save it?

Optimist · #4 11-25-2013, 02:24 PM

Near a heat vent? Radiator? With winter's chill unfortunately many plant owners forget to move their plants from dangerous spots where they can be essentially par-boiled or sautéed just like an onion or a mushroom. The way that cellular death occurs is that the cellular wall is lysed and pretty much demolished after "cooking" (that is to say application of too much heat), so that there is no dna enzymes nesessary to initiate the growth process exist any more, and really with a Phal (I assume that you mean a Phal) there is no back bulb pseudo bulb to propagate a clone and frankly that is the skill only advanced orchid people seem to have. Perhaps if you have a camera you can post a picture.

Orchids do not work like African violets or some succulents where you can plant a leaf and some roots will grow in a few weeks. A thick leaf or pseudobulb might contain enough nutrients to get a new set of roots to grow, but as far as I know, roots will not grow leaves, and if you have killed both the roots and the leaves, I think it is safe to say that the plant is a gonner.

On the other hand a reason to take heart, and try again, is that most people here, beginner and advanced have killed their fair share of orchids, some out of ignorance, some out of plain old bad luck, and have been interested in orchids enough to get another and try again.

Please post a photo. Maybe someone else will have a different opinion or a great way to get the plant to grow. My knowledge set does not contain that piece of information now, so I can't help you.

---------- Post added at 11:24 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:21 AM ----------

Too much light could have done it too, for instance a lot of snow reflection.

alexm · #5 11-25-2013, 02:34 PM

There was a radiator nearby. That's very unfortunate since that's not the place I usually keep the orchid. Thank-you for your help anyways, here's a picture of my orchid although the leaves are more brown that the picture shows. [IMG]file:///Users/alexandramoskovitch/Desktop/IMG_8009.jpeg[/IMG]

Optimist · #6 11-25-2013, 06:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alexm

There was a radiator nearby. That's very unfortunate since that's not the place I usually keep the orchid. Thank-you for your help anyways, here's a picture of my orchid although the leaves are more brown that the picture shows. [IMG]file:///Users/alexandramoskovitch/Desktop/IMG_8009.jpeg[/IMG]

I think you need to upload your picture in a different way.

And I am not saying that is what happened. I just feel from your description of brown and mushy plant that it may have happened. It also could have frozen at some point and then died -- possibly the trip to the car from the store or somewhere else gave it frost bite.

Phals need about from mid 50s to mid 70's F weather.

It could have been a virus also. There are plant viruses.

alexm · #7 11-25-2013, 10:45 PM

I guess it's lost then? Here's the picture, again, it more brown in real life

RandomGemini · #8 11-25-2013, 10:57 PM

Doesn't look dead to me. Maybe a little sunburned. Actually, the bigger concern to me is that it might not be getting enough water. It's not so sunburned that I would relocate it as far as the light it's getting, but I wouldn't want it by a radiator either. That can't be helping it.

What sort of media do you have it in? It looks like moss.

Optimist · #9 11-26-2013, 09:32 AM

I am glad you put up a picture. The moss or whatever looks brown. It does not look cooked. Your original post had it seem like it was totally rotted as you said "brown and squishy." The leaves just look a bit "floppy," and as for brown, it could be over fertilized, over watered (thus rotting the roots so the leaves do not get the proper amount of water).

I think your best bet is to take it out of the material it is potted in, sterilize a pair of sissors, cut off the pflower spike and the old squishy roots, re-pot it in fresh bark medium (chunky not fine), put it in 1000 to 1500 candle lights of light, not full sun, and water modestly like once or twice a week, also keep in 30 to 70 percent humidity or something like that.

So yes you may be able to save it. Read the phal abuse stops here thread on the stickies at the top. A lot of good info about how not to kill a phal.

alexm · #10 11-26-2013, 05:04 PM

Here's a better picture of the plant. The leaves are still squishy. I've also noticed that the stalk of the plant has some sticky substance coming out where the buds are so I don't know what that means. The orchid is in a reddish brownish moss and the moss is soft in some places but the part of the moss in the centre is stiff. I peered inside and the plant's roots seem to be in a sort of plastic bag and not in the actual pot.