Help me save my Valentine Day orchid!
 

I bought this beautiful plant on Monday. It is about 2 feet tall including base. After just one day of having the plant the petals are getting green spots and it seems decaying. Some petals are also really soft, not firm how they were when I got it. I haven't watered it yet because the soil is still rather damp. I have it in my window all during the day, however since I am in Iowa and it's winter there is a constant over cast and the flower has yet to see the sun.

Here is what I am working with right now. Any help would be greatly appreciated. I do not want to have to throw away this $40 plant before my girlfriend can even see it, and I want to give her a healthy plant. Thanks again.

http://img203.imageshack.us/img203/8035/cimg4386.jpg
http://img402.imageshack.us/img402/1726/cimg4385b.jpg
http://img300.imageshack.us/img300/4849/cimg4383p.jpg

Hi There and welcome to the OB....
Looks like your Phal is potted in moss that is why its so wet. As soon as you can repot it in a Phal type bark. Phal's don't like to be that wet. Eventually the roots will rot. I just repotted one of my new purchases this morning that was in moss. I hadn't water it for over a month and the moss was still very very wet. Once you pull all of the moss off check the roots for mushy black ones and remove them. Then repot in bark medium.
Good Luck.
Sheridan :waving

Ranchnanny,
Thank you for the quick reply. I pulled up some of the moss and the top roots are rotting I can tell. I will go look for something to replant it in right away. Thank you.

I quick went to the store already and bought orchid bark. I couldn't believe that the orchid was only planted in moss and nothing else. I cleaned the roots off of the moss and trimmed the bad ones. My repot job wasn't pretty but I have the plant in the bark now. Hopefully its health turns around.
Thanks again

well all my phals are in Moss and doing just fine.. The key to moss is to totally let it dry out and keep it fluffed up so air can get to the roots!! To tell you the truth.I have killed more phals that were planted in bark than i have killed in moss... The key to growing orchids is learning what works best with YOU'RE conditions

Get a bamboo skewer, like you find in the grocery store for a buck or so. Stick one in the pot and check it periodically. When the skewer is almost dry, water the plant. The new bark will not hold as much moisture as the moss did.

The phal does not want to stay too wet but also does not want to completely dry out.

When you water it, give it lots of water. Let it pour through the pot. Then let it dry out a bit before watering again.

How long to wait will depend on the environment where you are. For example, I live in NC and it is very humid here. I find I don't need to water many of my plants more than once a week or so. And I do not do well with moss. It stays wet way too long for me and rots my roots.

Let us know if you have any questions.

be careful keeping it too close to the window, it could be too cold! you dont want phals to be below 55 degrees this time of year.....

I soak my bark medium over night before I use it. If not I water it more often. I don't have any trouble with bark but most of my orchids are in s/h medium. You might want to check out the s/h forum (semi-hydroponics).

Sheridan:D

You've had some good advise about medium and repotting. Moss works for some people but orchids are often sold with it packed far too tightly and far too wet and already decaying... all bad things. I favour bark personally as do many people.

I really wanted to add something about sunlight. You mentioned it had not had chance to see sunlight yet... well Phals like this don't like direct sunlight. They like brightish light but not direct light... just thought I would add that as I don't want you to solve the rotting root problem just to burn it in the sunlight :biggrin:

I also soak the bark over night. I use a medium fir bark with charcol,perlite, and alittle sphagnum moss mixed together. as far as temps I get a high of around 70 to a low 58 temp. moderate air movement via 12 volt pc fans. with a lighting of 1000-1500 fc