Need help :-(

[superduperllama]

I got my gf an orchid on a special occasion and after we broke up she said it was going to die so she was just going to throw it out. For odd and dumb reasons I really don't want this orchid to die. But I know NOTHING and this is the first plant I have ever owned. Are these roots dry or rotted? This is the condition I got it in about 2-3 days ago. Cats knocked it over so I figured I might as well at least get a good shot of the roots before I place it back in.

Is it salvageable? I'm more than willing to put in the efforts if it is.

Thank you for any help you can offer!!!

[RandomGemini]

Nothing dumb or odd about it. That's a pretty plant. Any chance of a close up on the blooms? They seem unusual from the angle you posted.

As far as saving the plant, phals are very tough. They can come back from almost anything. Question about the roots, since I can't really tell in the pics, are the roots white, or are they dry and brittle? If they are dry and brittle, you've got a lot of root loss here.

Hopefully some others will chime in and be able to help you out.

[castalia83]

I'm not an expert but for what i can see, the roots seem very dry but *luckly* i can't see any rot .
There's a thick green root that seems healthy (in the 1st pic) so probably you can save the poor thing

The medium is dry too, how long has your ex-gf had the orchid?
It seems it hasn't seen any water for weeks
These are only my , i hope you can save it

[PaphMadMan]

If the roots are hollow/dry, or mushy, they're dead. But I think you probably have some healthy roots there or the plant would be in worse shape. It looks basically healthy, just a bit dehydrated. It shouldn't be hard to save it. Cut off any roots that are dead, get it potted in fresh orchid bark mix if you can, and water it well. Don't let it sit in a puddle of water, and wait until it is dry at the surface before you water again. Light isn't the most important thing right now, but an east window with just a couple hours of direct light in the morning would be good, or a bright spot near a south window but out of direct sunlight. You may lose the flowers (are they always cupped like that?) but I wouldn't cut the spikes. If it perks up you may get more flowers out of them. Give us a progress report, or feel free to ask more questions. You may get advice that seems to conflict, everyone has an opinion, but the important thing to know is that it is an easy plant to care for and has a very good chance of being with you for years.

[Leafmite]

Soak the roots for about a half hour in a bowl of water and see what greens up.

[dounoharm]

hey! that doesn't look bad at all! just a bit shriveled and dry...orchids need a good long watering at least once a week to ten days....they need to go dry, then get soaked....don't leave em dry for long periods which looks like what has happened....it does look like it needs some new medium, but I think it will do fine as is till after the blooms fade....after that, look on the forum here for potting instructions....make sure it has excellent drainage, orchids need good air movement or they suffocate....I like to sit the pot on a gravel tray to increase humidity around the plant....I like the way you set the plastic pot inside a clay one, it adds stability! nice save! good luck!

[superduperllama]

Wow! This is such a happy helpful group of people!! I went ahead and attached a photo of the blooms as requested. I am not sure how to tag people specifically to the questions they asked so ill try to just answer them all.

The blooms did not used to be that closed or droopy. This is new but I have not seen the plant in a week or two. My gf had the plant since vday. She called some place to ask for advice and they told her to just give the plant an ice cube or something once a week.(she tried but just has the same lack of knowledge I have) Which I guess is not enough. The roots seem to be pretty brittle and flat/dry.

What I have been reading is very mixed about putting small amounts of water on the top and soaking it in water. This is such a drastic difference in amount it is kinda confusing me.

Also how important is it that I remove the really dry roots quickly? I have not seen these roots healthy since this is the state I got it in so I have nooooo idea which once to cut since they all kinda look the same. Is it safe to water it properly for a week or 2 before I remover roots so I can tell the good from the bad a little better? I also bought miracle grow orchid food. Good idea or bad idea?

Thank you so much for all the help! I am so surprised at the quick response time and volume of help! Thanks guys! Prob a bad idea but I don't want this memory associated with this plant to die despite the break up XD It became surprisingly important to me to keep this plant alive so this is reallllyyyyy appreciated.

[Polarizeme]

Originally Posted by Leafmite

Soak the roots for about a half hour in a bowl of water and see what greens up.

This is great advice, the ones that are green are alive, the ones that don't turn green aren't
Good luck

[Optimist]

To me, it just looks like it has not been watered in a while. That is not an invitation to water all the time. Watering too much can kill an orchid. Roots need to breath. So water, as you have been advised, then make a scedual of watering when your medium goes dry. Many of us here repot into bark mix. Spagham moss is okay if you have it loose and do not over water.

[RandomGemini]

Yes, I think it's safe to water it once before deciding what's good and bad. In fact, I would advise that you do just that.I would soak it for about fifteen minutes in lukewarm water, then remove it from the water and allow it to drain on a towel for a little while if you can find a way to balance it so that it won't fall over.

The blooms and leaves are droopy from dehydration. That ice method is silly. I would soak it once every 7 to 10 days for 15 minutes and allow the excess to drain as u described above.

I would not use miracle gro orchid food. I prefer better gro orchid plus, diluted at one quarter the amount recommended on the bag.

Once the roots have rehydrated, it will be easier to determine what's dead and alive. Green or white-ish in color and firm, is alive. Brown and flat or mushy, is dead.

The blooms may drop after you cut the roots this way. That's normal.

Make sure to sterilize your cutting tools with alcohol or a flame from a lighter before cutting.