My orchid is dying, help!

[Olgacerpita]

My boyfriend bought a purple orchid for me from flower store, they said that the flowers should last for 2 month, but they starter to wilt after 3rd week and the middle of plant started yellowing as well as leaves in the middle (not bottom), end up falling off. That's when i started panicking. I started researching online how should be care for orchids, i repoted the orchid, seems the roots was rot and all pretty much dead, i cut the most dead ones, trying to make the humidity level higher too, what's not easy. Seems now it's just not getting worst, and not geeting better either. What should i do else to save the plant? Please help! 😔

[WhiteRabbit]

I'm afraid it sounds like your plant got crown rot and root rot. You should get yourself a new one, and read the first few pages of this thread http://www.orchidboard.com/community...ad.php?t=44792

[Olgacerpita]

I don't want to believe, that when all roots are mostly dried out, the orchid is dead. There are still 3 healthy leaves on the top and 2 stems, which has all flowers on, they are just wilt, besides the last one on each stem. I just dont really know what to do in this situation, wait till all flowers will fall and then cut the stems or to cut the right away so may be the healthy part will give some new root or few roots.

[jcec1]

I agree with WhiteRabbit, that your plant is probably beyond saving. If you want to try and save it, make sure you have cut away all the rotting material. Replant in fresh media, preferably chunky bark. Try and keep the humidity higher, a loose clear bag would suffice. Keep the media moist, but not wet. Don't wet the plant or allow moisture to collect in it's leaf axils. Then sit back and wait, orchids grow slowly, so it will probably be several years before the plant has sufficiently recovered to look anything like the plant you had before. It may take a couple of years to rebloom. That's why it was suggested to throw it away and buy a new one.

[ccrow]

I agree also- it sounds bad. Sometimes they take a long time to decide they're dead If it was mine, I would probably cut off the flower spike so the plant could use its energy to try and recover. Good luck!

[tarev]

Hello Olgacerpita, really sad when all roots are gone, plant will eventually suffer even if it has remaining good leaves. You can certainly try to revive it, but will take a lot of time and your patience.

If it were mine, I would remove the flowering spike as suggested too earlier by ccrow. I will not wait for the flowers to wilt, it takes a lot of energy for the plant to maintain it. Understand too, that the process for it to make new roots, takes time. Oftentimes the orchid goes on a rest mode after blooming is done, just got to wait for those roots to form. At this stage be very careful about your media. I don't know what you used now in your repot, we all have our preferences in what to use.

I have read in several threads here about using Kelpmax to encourage root growth. I have not used that since my orchids always manages to make its new roots on its own. But do read about it further in the forums, and see if you can do similarly.

Again patience will be your friend. Apart from watering, at times, people forget too the air circulation aspect needed on the root zone, so it often is one of the reasons that may have hastened the root rot, when roots stay too wet far too long.

Good luck! Hope your plant recovers! It will be a nice challenge to learn from. Now if after all your efforts it still fails, don't feel bad, it happens. Just got to learn from it, and a new plant will cheer you up.

[snowflake311]

Could you show us some photos of the plant and it's roots?

Phals are tough I Literally Tried to kill one of mine and the thing would not die. So now I am trying to help it recover. It will take years to come back from extreme abuse that I gave mine.

Photos are the only way we will really know what you are talking about. are any of the leaves green? Do you have one good root? If there is green there is hope. BUT it will take years to recover and bloom again. SO getting another orchid is a good idea.

[Olgacerpita]

Yes, i was thinking to do, to cut the flower stems and the roten part and tie it to the stick like i saw in some videos and put transparent bag on the top with the water on the bottom and keep it in a warm place with some light so the condensation would happen and humidity for plant would rise, i hope the healthy part will give some root or produce kiki at least. 😔

---------- Post added at 03:44 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:35 PM ----------

I need i guess 2 more posts so i would be able to post photos, as i am a ne user.

---------- Post added at 03:45 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:44 PM ----------

😉

[Olgacerpita]

I tried to save it, but was too late, the roting almost got to the crown and i had to cut too much of the rot part. 😢
I guess i'll just buy another orchid and will take care of it better and start by making sure, that its not sick and it has all it needs for survival.

[Optimist]

My sympathies. I know we have all been through it. In fact, many people who are now fans and collectors on this site began as someone who was given an orchid, lost it, and were emboldened to seek information and knowledge.