Root Rot on Walmart Orchid

[lauraeli]

Im new to orchids. I rescued this one from Walmart a couple days ago. I have a lot of experience with plants in general, though Ive never owned an orchid. I figured the roots were rotted when I bought it and sure enough, every root that was inside the pot was dead.

I cut off the dead roots and flowers and then soaked the plant in water for a few hours.

I have attached a picture of the before and after soaking. The roots were very dry and wrinkled before soaking, but they plumped up.

I soaked the orchid potting mix at the same time. I set the plant on top of the potting mix, and then just added a little bit to fill in the space between the roots.

Will the orchid be okay with the roots it has left? Is there anything I should do to help them regrow?

[judith_arquette]

I'm fairly new too but the remaining roots look good. I highly recommend reading through the "sticky" The Phal Abuse Ends Here. It's long but the knowledge it contains makes it an invaluable learning tool IMO
Welcome to the forum, you will find the help you need here

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

It'll pull through.

That's enough roots to keep the plant alive.

Use a pot large enough for the roots to fit and use packing peanuts to fill up a portion of the pot where the roots can't reach if necessary.

[Kari_Stein]

That plant is lucky it found you. I'm also nursing a rescue Phal, though mine has no real roots at all left after I removed all the dead ones. At least there are people, like so many on here, who are willing to give these a second chance. Best of luck!

[lauraeli]

Here's some more I just took. I took a picture of the potting mix, it seems to be all bark. I set it on the windowsill and put a gallon size bag over it. It's open on the bottom. Do I need to cover it though? The humidity in there is between 50 and 70 percent generally. It's the bedroom so most of the day it is around 50 percent, and from sleeping in there it jumps up to 65 percent or so.

[tarev]

I do not think you need to cover it. You got a good root system right now, and your leaves looks okay so far. I would not tent that plant..it would enjoy good air circulation all over.

With my Phals, after watering, since it is near my ceiling fan, I turn on the fan, to give them air circulation. Or, if weather is nice and cool, I open the windows to let them have some nice breeze.

[lauraeli]

Well good thing for my orchid (and all my other plants) I have a fan running in there 24/7.

This is not good news for the fan. But it helps me sleep and I became too lazy to turn it off in the mornings sometimes it faces the plants, and sometimes it doesnt. Depends how many times i bump into it in a day. But the air is always circulating.

It's a north window, so I will probably end up training a light on it if I dont put it in an open sort-of terrarium with my bat flower and moving it to the east window (it's not as humid in there...i think).

[tarev]

Not too humid here either..indoors we go down to 22 to 39%..but as long as I get to water them, let it drain properly and run that fan, it enjoys it. My plant is by my west facing window but gets the shadow of city trees, then if it seems like there is intense light peeking through, I just close the curtains a bit.

I just try not to wet the leaves during watering, making sure to have paper towel handy. Unlike my orchids outdoors, I really shower them big time..but these Phals indoors, I just water the root zone, at times during these warmer days, I dunk the root zone for about 5 to 10 minutes, then let the water drain.

[lauraeli]

I didnt know you could grow orchids in a west window. I also thought they needed higher humidity than 30%. One thing I have learned about plants though is that, once they are established, they will surprise you with the conditions they will grow and even thrive in. I like to get to know my plants individually, so as long as this orchid is around awhile, we will get along just fine :-) The only plant that I dont get along with is my zz plant...and I think we have reached an understanding now XD

[tarev]

It can grow by my west window because we are shaded very well by the city trees.

Yeah! It is so nice once we get the feel for our dear plants.

Oh, you have issues with your ZZ plant? That is one of my favorites! Even got to divide it now into three!