Wrinkly leaves on phalaenopsis
 

Hi all.

I repotted a baby orchid about a month ago in bark medium. Previously it was in bark and sphagnum moss medium.

I noticed the bottom leaves are becoming wrinkly and shriveling. I have attached a picture for your reference.

The orchid is watered once a week or twice, depending on the weather. Although I live in Malaysia, where am I gets very hot to the point the plants get dried out. The orchid is also misted occasionally.

The adaptation from older bark and sphagnum to new dry bark is going to require more frequent watering. I would suggest soaking the pot and media when you water for about 20 mins. Then let it nearly dry before doing again. that way the roots can take up as much water as they want. Did you soak the new bark well before using? New bark does not retain moisture very well. After it has been in use for a few months it will start to absorb a bit more. Misting won't do much as its the roots that need the moisture. When you soak be careful not to get water in the crown and leave it sitting or crown rot may result.

If you want the plant to not suffer too much try to keep intact a part of the media around the roots.
To your surprise plant also has a few guests that live in symbiosis, symbiotic bother removing all the media and the plant will take time to restore the flora.

If it is very dry, then water more. My phals get by with a twice a week soak in winter, but now in summer, in bark, they are watered every day.

Every time I water mine, I fill the crown out of spite. No crown rot in any phal watered like that.

Humidity in Malaysia is high, around ( 80-90 )%...

Yes, humidity is high, but where I am in Malaysia, I'm not exactly in the rainforest or jungle where the orchids get plenty of moisture from the air. It's always 35 degrees Celsius on average and even normal trees and plants dry out if they are not watered once a day...

You can buy wooden barbecue skewers, stick a skewer in the pot after you water and dont water again until that stick is barely dry.

ok I shall give that a go. Thanks

I use those thin bamboo skewers in most of my orchid pots and it is a very good gauge. Your bark looks very dry so soaking the pot will help get things perked up I think.

I agree with Silken and Bil that you should soak when you water and probably water more, especially if it's in bark.