What is happening to my orchids?

[Ilinnichi]

Hi everyone.

I'm a beginner with looking after plants. I got baby orchids for my birthday when it had about 9 flowers in bloom. Under my care, they started falling off which I found to be a normal thing. I can't really find answers on Google so I came upon this forum. I water the moss occasionally by spraying it with water. Attached are pictures of my plant, I'm not sure what's happening and what I should do.

Thanks.

[Keithj]

It looks OK to me. Personally, I don’t like moss for most orchids. Epiphytes, like your Phalaenopsis, don’t need to have their roots damp all the time but if you’re spraying it when the moss is almost dry you should be fine.

Keith

[Ilinnichi]

Hi Keith!

Thanks for replying. So if the moss is dry, should I spray it so that it is always damp? I think the problem that I am seeing is that the two spikes look as if it were drying up and turning brown whilst the plant with a bloom looks plump and green. What do you think?

Cheers.

[Dollythehun]

The stalks drying up are done, cut them or leave them, your choice. As to moss, if you are not going to repot, drizzle water on top when the moss is slightly crispy. The idea is not to be so wet they are suffocated. My worry is moss plus a plastic pot. I use clay and grow in moss quite successfully.

Go to the maroon search bar at the top of the page. Under phalanopsis you'll see a sticky thread titled "The Phal Abuse Stops Here." Reading that will be helpful for you.

[Ilinnichi]

Originally Posted by Dollythehun

The stalks drying up are done, cut them or leave them, your choice. As to moss, if you are not going to repot, drizzle water on top when the moss is slightly crispy. The idea is not to be so wet they are suffocated. My worry is moss plus a plastic pot. I use clay and grow in moss quite successfully.

Go to the maroon search bar at the top of the page. Under phalanopsis you'll see a sticky thread titled "The Phal Abuse Stops Here." Reading that will be helpful for you.

Thanks so much!

[katrina]

If I'm seeing the pics correctly, the plants look too deep in the moss. If water gets trapped down around the "collar" of those leaves, you could develop rot. If you want to keep them in the moss, I would definitely remove enough of it to get the lowest leaf juncture area situated above the moss line.

[Ilinnichi]

Originally Posted by katrina

If I'm seeing the pics correctly, the plants look too deep in the moss. If water gets trapped down around the "collar" of those leaves, you could develop rot. If you want to keep them in the moss, I would definitely remove enough of it to get the lowest leaf juncture area situated above the moss line.

That would make so much sense, thanks so much