Is this root rot or a bacterial infection or bugs or all three?

[SouthPark]

Originally Posted by elaerna

Okay so then the egg crate allows to create some space between the bottom of the pot to allow for water drainage, and then the dish underneath the crate allows for some moisture to collect and provide humidity.

The dish collects any water that exits the pot. The way that I water - using the garden pump sprayer with nozzle - generally doesn't result in huge amounts of water coming out the bottom of the pot. Water will come out, and will collect in the dish. That collected water is usually all evaporated by the next day.

I know what you mean about 'creating humidity'. But I believe that a pot dish with some water in it won't be enough to create a humid region around the orchid. The evaporating water from the dish won't be able to create some desired level of humidity around the leaves of the orchid. That's what I believe anyway.

[Roberta]

Precisely. Here is what I did when orchids started following me home... I had a spare bedroom that I could use as my "greenhouse" . http://orchidcentral.org/GrowingAreas/indoor.jpg

You're not to that point yet, but Phalaenopsis is a gateway drug... start having success with this one, and you will certainly want another.

Originally Posted by elaerna

Okay so then the egg crate allows to create some space between the bottom of the pot to allow for water drainage, and then the dish underneath the crate allows for some moisture to collect and provide humidity.

[elaerna]

Wow Roberta that's a big collection!

Thanks to you all. Here are some pictures of my phal today. 06.11.2020 - Album on Imgur The yellowing has progressed some on one leaf but almost not at all on the other.

The bark felt dry so I watered today. I bought a moisture meter and it said it was dry, but I tested it on bark I just put in water and it was only halfway to the maximum amount of wetness so I'm not sure how accurate it is. I also put my finger in the bark with my phal and it felt dry but not extremely dry. My own version of an egg crate is in the mail and should arrive today.

[Roberta]

Moisture meters won't be of any use in bark. They're designed to work in soil. Bark has a lot more air space. Use the skewer trick, or a pencil to "sample" the moisture level in the middle of the pot. And feel the weight of the pot right after you water it, so that you can feel the change as it dries out.

[elaerna]

Originally Posted by Roberta

Moisture meters won't be of any use in bark. They're designed to work in soil. Bark has a lot more air space. Use the skewer trick, or a pencil to "sample" the moisture level in the middle of the pot. And feel the weight of the pot right after you water it, so that you can feel the change as it dries out.

I know it will be less accurate but haven't gotten skewers yet and it did read as moist after i watered it so it's something. I also felt it with my finger and I weighed the whole thing it was 814g today after watering.

[Roberta]

Actually, a pencil (or any other bare wood) can sample the moisture down in the pot. Skewers are just something many people have around (I also find that they work as stakes for small plants) and more disposable than a pencil when they get cruddy.

Great that you got a measured weight on the pot. Now, you have something that you can compare over the next few days or week. Once you know how fast it dries out, you'll know how often to water.

[elaerna]

Mostly just an update.

06.15.20 - Album on Imgur This is my orchid today. That one yellow leaf is almost completely gone but the yellowing on the second one hasn't progressed at all. I've never seen that happen before; one at a time but I'm glad it's hanging on for longer.

I watered today with orchid fertilizer. The bag says to water once a week but others said to just do it once and leave it for a while until the plant recovers. So I'm not sure who to listen to on this?

It's so strange to me that there is so much different potentially bad advice on all this packaging. For example I've seen several orchids with care notes that say to water with ice cubes. There is even a website called just add ice.

I stuck a bamboo stick in and it came out with like one tiny sliver of black but didn't feel or look wet at all. I also felt it with my finger and it felt really dry. But it's only the third day since I watered; still not sure about this whole watering thing but so far there don't seem to be any new terrible signs that it's dying.

[Roberta]

How often to water is so dependent on conditions - the medium, how much humidity, how much air movement... So the answer to the question "When do I water" is "When it's nearly dry". There is not a formula for the calendar. You are so right, there's a huge amount of bad information out there - in print and on the Web.

New, fresh medium dries out a lot faster than old. rotted stuff. Which is really good... these plants really want "humid air" rather than "wet". Every week or two, dilute fertilizer is good. In between, by flushing well when you water (water running out of the pot) will prevent a buildup of fertilizer salts along with removing other junk, and pulling fresh air into the root zone. (When the plant dries out, what replaces the water? AIR! So a wet-dry cycle is is exactly what it wants)

[elaerna]

Sorry I misspoke I meant when to fertilize. I've been trying to go off of how dry the bark feels to water it. Hopefully I'm doing okay.

I have been watering by pouring water over the bark/roots around the edges of the pot avoiding the crown/middle. It is interesting that the air is so important. I'll try fertilizing every other week, thank you.

[Dollythehun]

Water your plant well. Lift it, notice how heavy it is. Lift it every couple days, and when it feels light again water it.