roots wrinkled, leaves dropping

[Afriel444]

Got this orchid in April (I really should have known better, my mother gave up orchids years ago as she killed them, and she's a master gardener). It all seemed to be going well. It put up a flower stem and looked to be growing a new leaf. Then a bud turned brown. I noticed that the roots looked a little shrunk. Web search indicated that this meant over or under watering. I checked roots and there was no rot smell or brown mush. I proceeded to water more frequently. No change in roots and all buds died. Today I was feeling the moss for it's moistness...and 2 leaves fell off. I don't know; I would like to save it, but it seems as it may be too far gone. I kept in indirect light, watered just as the top of the moss seemed dry, used distilled water and orchid food. Any thoughts? I may not try another orchid, but I would still like to understand what I did wrong.
Thank you.

[Pattywack]

Hello and welcome! There are many members here with much more experience/years of growing than myself, you will no doubt receive excellent advice.

This appears to be a Neofinetia, correct? I am new to growing them, just a few months with Neos. This plant looks like it has been over watered and possibly rotted its roots. Neos need to be allowed to dry completely between watering. That moss mound needs to be crispy before you water again. If in doubt about the dryness, wait another day. I water my Neos once a week.

I grow my Neos in plastic Neo pots, they need to dry out in that moss mound and that clay pot is not allowing any air into the roots.

If that were my plant I would unpot it and give it a day to dry out, remove all of the moss. It should be repotted with fresh media. If you choose to grow in the moss mound, I grow mine in moss, you need to create a hollow in the center of the moss, not a solid mass. You can easily use a net pot upside down in the center of your moss mound to achieve this hollow.

Neofinetia will grow in other media, many members here grow them in orchid bark. You should check the Vanda/Neofinetia forum here, there is endless information available. Neos are tough little guys don't give up on yours, I believe you can save it.

I hope this helps a bit. Others will be along soon.

[Afriel444]

I have disliked that pot from the start! I was letting the moss get crispy, but when the issue started I began watering more, probably adding to the injury. I will take it out and let it have a good dry.

---------- Post added at 08:45 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:34 PM ----------

Urg, you were 100% spot on! I got it from this fancy orchid place that only does orchids so I thought it was potted correctly. There was no space at all! The outer edges would get dry, but I can tell from pulling it apart that the interior of the moss never dried out. I can't see a single salvageable root...poor thing. Here I thought I was getting a better start by getting it at a specialty store vs a chain store. Well, I will leave it alone for the next day and see how it does. On the off chance it shows recovery, I will repot it, but at this point it seems unlikely...

[Orchid Whisperer]

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[Roberta]

That Neo is potted in the traditional Japanese style. When done that way, they need to be repotted every year... I have given up trying to grow them that way (never could get the watering right). I put them in small wood baskets with large bark, keep them well watered, and the roots often treat the basket like a mount. Unruly, but for me they grow and flower instead of die. I'll never win any awards in Japan with my lack of presentation, but they are lovely, and delightfully fragrant.

That plant isn't happy, but if you repot it and basically treat it like a small, cool-growing Vanda (which it is) it will very likely revive for you.