Please help, I need help reviving my orchid

[mexitica]

Hi,
I am new to this board and to orchid growing as well. I love orchids and had tried growing them in the past with no success. I now have 2, that have been with me for over a year and looking good. One just lost it flowers and leafs look very nice.
I was recently at a super market and saw an orchid on sale, looked a bit limp but bought anyway. Well I have had it for about 3 weeks, I noticed when I purchased that it seemed dry so I watered with my fertilizer and water as I do my 2 others about every 15 days.
The leafs look leathery and dark brown almost burgundy color and limp. I started looking onlne and found this site, I took it out of the pot and immediatly felt the moldy smell that came out. The roots are dark brown, stringy and mushy. I cleaned everything and see that about one or two little stubs of firm roots are left. What can I do, please help.

[RosieC]

Welcome to Orchid Board

OK, so even some firm root is good. (I have one with completely no root and that's going to be tricky, it was a gift but the person who gave it to me overwatered before I got it ).

Anyway, I would get a tiny tiny pot, maybe even an old food container such as a tiny yogurt pot. It needs to be the smallest you can possibly fit the roots into. Make sure it's got holes in the bottom, make some if you need to.

Now you could really do with fresh high quality bark to pot it in, but if you are fairly new to this you probably don't have any. You may be able to find orchid bark in your local shops, the problem is that it can often be already decomposed or not even the right stuff (something like Miracle Grow brand is too heavy a mix for Phals, from everything I've read here). There are some good ones, but it needs to be light and airy with large-ish lumps of bark, not broken down like soil and you need to make sure it doesn't smell at all (really it should be sold bone dry).

www.repotme.com is meant to be good from what I've heard (I'm the wrong side of the Atlantic to use it).

If you are really stuck use the best, biggest pieces fom the old medium (from the top/drier pieces are also best).

The plant may be unstable in the tiny pot, but pot size should be based on roots, not leaf span. I use an outer cache pot to help balance ones like this.

Pot it up, and water regularly but try and ensure the bark is fully dry between watering. This is the reason for the small pot, it should dry quicker allowing you to water more often and that allows the plant to absorbe more water in my experience.

Also water with luke warm water. That combined with the coming spring should help trigger root growth.

I've saved a couple this way in the past... although my current rootless one is another matter

Good luck.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

There are a lot of different kinds of orchids. Each with their own set of cultural needs.

If you don't know what kind it is, it's best to post a pic.

But since you got it at your local super market, there are a few general kinds they carry. Most of the orchids tend to be man-made hybrids and usually belong to the genera:

Brassia
Brassolaeliaocattleya
Cattleya
Cymbidium
Degarmoara
Doritaenopsis
Doritis
Epicattleya
Epidendrum
Laeliocattleya
Miltassia
Miltonidium
Miltoniopsis
Oncidium
Phalaenopsis
Sophrolaeliocattleya
Wilsonaria
Vuylstekeara
Zygopetalum

There might be a few more, but as you can see, it's difficult to guess.

However...

If I had to take a wild shot in the dark, it might be a Phalaenopsis, Doritis, or Doritaenopsis (aka Moth Orchids).

They're Phals, Doritis, or Doritaenopsis if they've got those large paddle shaped leaves.

[RosieC]

Good point Philip. I had assumed Phal and that's what my advice was based on, but it may not be.

Mexitica, If you're not sure what type it is, we should be able to tell if you can post a picture. Pictures always help with answering questions.