Am I caring for a dead plant?

[floranewb206]

Lol. It bloomed for a really long time. Bought May last year, and still had flowers until about September. Then the leaves went limp, some roots died and I trimmed them. Now there's only one healthy looking root..

I water thoroughly once a week with dirty fish tank water that has a good amount of my aquatic plant fertiliser (Potassium, Phosphate, Iron, Nitrate)

[RandomGemini]

It looks like some sort of rot got in there. It's not dead yet, but if it spikes again before there are enough roots to support the plant (at least 10 to 15 new roots should be good I think), I would cut the spike before it blooms to allow the plant to build up energy for root and leaf growth.

It will take a long time for this plant to recover, a couple of years, but it can recover if you want to give it a shot.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Keep humid and warm, and it might recover.

Recouping a plant like this is pretty difficult, but it's possible.

[Orchid Whisperer]

I would water more often, maybe twice a week. Aim for that bark to be just barely damp, then water again.

Does anything else (aquarium chemicals, salt, disease treatments) get added to the fish tank? I would consider just using tap water if the aquarium gets any other chemicals.

[james mickelso]

For this poor thing I would put it in a small jar, just hanging it by the leaves, and spray daily with distilled water. Especially the undersides of the leaves until it drips. Then put it back in the jar. Put a little water in the bottom of the jar but not enough to touch the plant. That one good root might get enough moisture and humidity to bring this back. Leaves look dehydrated BUT STILL VIABLE. if YOU VCCAN SPRAY A COUPLEW TIMES A DAY THAT WOULD BE BETTER.

[dounoharm]

i think there must be something in the tank water other than fish poop.....stop using that and go with the bottled water if you c ant use your tap water...you don't have a water softening system do you? this is def a candidate for sphag and bag! good luck!

[Paul]

Originally Posted by dounoharm

i think there must be something in the tank water other than fish poop.....stop using that and go with the bottled water if you c ant use your tap water...you don't have a water softening system do you? this is def a candidate for sphag and bag! good luck!

Might not be an issue with the fish water (many plants including chids respond well to such water). Could very easily have been a watering issue.

Definitely agree with using the sphag-n-bag method on this one. (Do a search on the forum for such and you should find some posts detailing what to do.)

[floranewb206]

Im obsessed with my aquarium ive never had diseases so the only additives are the plant supps. But ill stop using it and use tap water. I also have miracle gro orchid fert I can add to the tap.

So I just need to buy a spray bottle to spritz it and also water twice a week? Anything else I can do to help it?

[Orchid Whisperer]

Originally Posted by floranewb206

Im obsessed with my aquarium ive never had diseases so the only additives are the plant supps. But ill stop using it and use tap water. I also have miracle gro orchid fert I can add to the tap.

So I just need to buy a spray bottle to spritz it and also water twice a week? Anything else I can do to help it?

Spritzing the bark (growing medium) and roots is OK. If you spritz the leaves, be careful water does not remain in the top center (crown) of the plant. It is a good way to get crown rot.

I have some Vanda orchids (Vanda = relative of Phalaenopsis) that I grow full-time in a variation of what James suggested. The plants grow in an empty jar or vase (so this is sometimes called vase culture). Leaves are outside the jar, roots are down in the jar. Most of the time, the jar is empty, but every couple of days (3 time a week), the jar is filled with water, just enough to cover the roots (NOT over the crown). It soaks like that for up to an hour, then is drained. The small amount of water clinging to the inside of the jar keeps the air around the roots humid between watering. The plants are growing and making new roots. You could do what James suggested, or try vase culture as an alternative that is similar.

The Miracle Gro fertilizer is fine, but what this plant really needs at the moment is just good water. Skip fertilizer, etc. until you start seeing some root growth. (Added later: when you do have new roots a couple inches long, use 1/4 strength, or less, of the recommended fertilizer concentration, and only once a week)

[james mickelso]

If you spray the plant, the undersides of the leaves is where you want to spray as this is where the pores are that will take in the water. I'm old and forgot the name of the pores.