Poor Orchid. Not sure what to do!
 

I have an orchid, a Phal I think that I was put in charge of taking care of while my partner is overseas.

Several months ago I was watering and saw a roach swim out of the bark, so I decided it might be a good idea to repot. When I did, I noticed that the roots were either rotten or decomposing. I cleaned a set of scissors and removed dead and rotting roots which left only aerial roots.

Recently, after some browsing of this forum and others, I decided to try and improve the health of this orchid. I've purchased Kelpmax in an attempt to improve root health, staked the orchid and have put a little moss (around perimeter of pot) to help improve moisture. The leaves are still wrinkly and I'm not seeing any signs of new growth.

Currently: I am misting the aerial roots with water when they appear dry (silvery). It has spent most of its life in the bathroom, but I have moved it to another location when the weather gets colder.

The plant has sentimental value and I am hoping to save it. Any advice is appreciated!

You don't say where you are.

Phalaenopsis like warmth (>70°F) and they start to stall-suffer at 65°. The leave may remain floppy until new ones grow out. Phalaenopsis leaves act as reserve nutient/water source and wrinkling is an indicator of dehydration (either lack of water or poor uptake due to root damage). What roots I see look good, there is enough good root tissue for the plant's recovery.

It should do fine as long as you mind your watering, temperature and light (intensity/duration).

The pot has a much larger volume, relative to the plant, than I would use for a sick Phal. The medium might stay wet too long in the center. Are there roots down into the medium? How often are you wetting the exposed roots?

I am in Georgia. Temperatures are fluctuating but the house stays 68 degrees. It’s harder to keep humidity up in the winter as we all know.

There are no roots other than the aerial roots visible in the photos. I have seen conflicting information about covering these roots with medium so I have them partially covered so that they can get adequate air as well as some moisture.

I am wetting exposed roots when they appear dry and certainly when the medium is dry.

Do you think I should use a smaller pot for now? I feel like I have manipulated the poor thing a lot lately.

I have a very similar one right now, recently rescued from a friend. I have it on top of a pot that has no hole for drainage. The bottom third of the pot is filled with LECA (you could just use plain old pebbles or marbles or whatever you have. Then I put a big chunk of wet sphagnum moss on top of the "pebbles/LECA" and set the plant on top of it.

I'm fortunate to have a large cloche to put over it, but a large enough vase would work, or a gallon plastic baggie (don't zip). That way it's got really high humidity, is warmer, etc. I like using a cloche or glass cover as it's easier to see through without removing. A couple of times a day I take the glass off and leave it off for a half hour or so, then put back on.

Have yet to add any water or mist the plant.

Have had pretty good luck with the method. You can also look up "spagh and bag" which might give you other ideas.

Use a pot only large enough to get all the aerial roots into it by gently "twisting" them into the pot and mixing the medium in between. With no roots in the pot, the plant has little chance of growing well in your environment.

I will never understand why this fear of putting aerial roots into the pot! If one ever watched these aerial roots wander around a bench once they came out of the pot, they would find they will enter the first neighbor pot with mix they can find, usually through a drain hole. They will do the same on a tree in nature. Well, not into a pot but into another bole in the tree.

I hope you have read the pinned post on "The Phal Abuse Stops Here" at the top of this Beginner section.