What should I do?

[Hermes]

Hello orchidboard,
I got my first orchid on my bday and fell in love with it. However I'm new in taking care of plants and bothanics. Here are some pictures of my orchid i got in november last year

Im not sure if the roots are dead or not, shall i cut the whole nod or not, shall i repot it or not etc.

Any response or advice would be appreciated

[cjm3fl]

A little background about how it's being cared for, like it's location in reference to nature or 'plant grow' lighting, feeding and watering.

Many of my Phal's will have some, or some part, of their roots die away. Leaves also tend to die off after several months (lower ones).


I live in Florida and my orchids are outside so I've found out Phal's do like a pretty good amount of light, direct and indirect.
I let the dry out a bit before I water again AND (important one here) all my Phal containers do NOT have collection trays under them.
I notice your's does and drip pans/plates are great for keeping water from dripping everywhere...but I don't let water collect in them and have the orchid(s) sit in them and stay wet.
And for feeding, I use the kinds you mix with water and I only use 1/2 of the recommended amount and do not use as often as the fertilizer says. Now I will feed more often just before blooming begins and if I notice keiki development, but that's for another discussion.

I'd remove the plant from it's container, trim away those roots that are (definitely!!) dead, replant (clean the pot if you have to re-use it, and wipe it out/down with rubbing alcohol to sterilize it..there are better things available for the future).
Once re-potted, place it 'near' a window but out of direct sunlight for a week or two. After that you Phal can probably handle a few hours in the sun.

I don't feed my "ill" Phal's until I seem new growth; leave, stem, or root.

Keep us posted!

[Hermes]

Thank you for fast reply!
I don't think the light is an issue because my window is located on the East and plant is sitting opposite of it so i believe it gets enough of sun.?
As for tray, i make sure it's nice and clean and that Phal is not dropping after watering. It also came with plastic pot and my neighbour told me to remove it cause the roots dont get enough light? is that true?

I visited local plant shop and asked the lady if the roots that are like mine are fine, and she said that i dont need to worry about it and to leave the plant be.
I did also cut 2cm above upper-most node to support its blooming, is that correct thing to do?

I also noticed that most of the roots that are visibe through the container are brownish like the on the pic, not sure if inside all is ok.

I do water it regularly as well and today i used fertilizer but the number are low like 4-4-8 those are the maximum i can find in the stores with Fe+.

Also If i shall re-pot it, could i use regular bark from regular trees and what else shall i add in the mix that is easily collectible. Because i cant find the mix to buy where i live.
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Sorry for my horrible english

[Hermes]

Anyone?

[Ray]

The plant needs to be repotted into fresh potting medium, and will need to grow new roots.

Select a potting medium that allows lots of air flow to the roots (orchids do much of their respiratory gas exchange through them, rather than leaves), while still holding moisture pretty evenly.

[katrina]

Originally Posted by Hermes

I don't think the light is an issue because my window is located on the East and plant is sitting opposite of it so i believe it gets enough of sun.?

You say the plant is opposite an east window...if it's not close to or in the window then it's likely not enough light. It may seem bright to your eyes but plants typically need more light than what our eyes detect as bright. Placing it so it sits near the window would be ideal for a phal. I live in Ohio and I'm far enough north that my phals actually need to sit right in front of an east window.

If it's been in the darker area for awhile then you'll want to acclimate it to the brighter light by either shading it a bit initially OR leaving it in the brighter area for longer and longer periods over a couple of weeks until you can leave it there all the time. Doing it too quickly could result in the leaves getting scorched.

[bil]

Originally Posted by Hermes

Sorry for my horrible english

If that is terrible English, I am curious to know what you would regard as good.

My view is that the definition of fluent is always flawed, because to anyone who loves languages, fluency, like zeno's tortoise, is always one step ahead of you.

What you pot phals in doesn't matter, in that you can get almost any medium to work, with the exception of soils. The downside to this is that some mediums require you to be super careful about the wetting and drying cycle.

I pot phals in 2" bark lumps, the sort that people use to mulch flower beds, or make paths in rural walks. I never use moss, because when the moss is wet, it blocks all air to the roots, and for the plant it is a bit like putting a plastic bag over someone's head. The moss can retain water a LONG time. So, you need to be very careful not to wet it too much, and it must dry out inbetween.
I can if I wish, water my phals 5 times a day, and because the water falls thru the pot straight away, my phals nnever suffocate. I also pot mine in large shallow pots, about 6 inches deep and 12" - 14 " in diameter.

To be blunt, people talk about over potting and overwatering. You can't doo EITHER if you pot phals in 2" bark, and repot them before the bark breaks down. (Because the bark has so much air in there it takes longer to break down.)

You could pot a phal in a pot 5 feet wide, and 6 feet deep, and you could water it every day, and it would do just fine.

[rbarata]

I use bark only or, alternatively, a mix suitable for epiphytes consisting of bark+perlite+leca. Usually it is sold already mixed.
There's something important that you must always consider for most orchids and that will help you find the adequate watering regimen: less water is always better than too much.
This means you will notice when your orchid is lacking water by all the symptoms it might present. These symptoms are the same for low watering and root rot, but since you will be watering less, their probable cause won't be root rot, almost for sure.
This way you will determine the best watering cycle for the medium you are using.

[estación seca]

The roots are old. The roots do not look good. There are no new roots. The plant has been in that pot a long time. The medium in the pot looks old. I also think you should repot.

You can use bark from regular trees. Use pieces 1.5-2cm in diameter. You can also use stones this size. And some people grow Phalaenopsis in glass vases with no medium:
Repotting overgrown phal

You can also read a lot here:
The Phal abuse ends here.

and here:
Using skewers to determine when to water

[Hermes]

Thank everyone for great feedback