please help me... in trouble, sick Moth Orchid

Pour hydrogen peroxide(the kind you find in your medicine cabinet) into the crown /mushy area. Let it sit for a while and then blot up any remainder with a paper towel. Repeat daily until it is dried up. That might stop the rot, and you might get a basal kieki. DO cut the bloom spikes, the plants need their energy to grow leaves & roots. Good Luck !

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< Gilda >
"Master of the Moth"

Sorry, just got back from Chanting! Thank you, the flowers are on my Alter and very pretty! however, she is looking quite helpless right now and reminds me of the movie 'Alien' or even like the legs on a lobster! I took her out of the pot to let her "roots" dry (there are many! I sniffed more decay, I took away all the "fluffy" stuff, it is quite wet and as I did I see much of the roots are yellow (is this good or bad?) and some are a bit mushy. Should I cut these off? I know you said to let her lay out like this and dry... but won't she just dry up? I am having a hard time finding a camera in the house. I do live in a "Temple" like situation w/ about 28 people! So I should find one eventualy... but I am afraid to just let here lay there naked and exposed! Perhaps pot her up for the night and I have to be away all tomorrow...

She needs to dry out. Orchids like this one do not grow in pots in nature. She will be fine out and exposed to air. It is actually good for her to dry out. Then you can remove the rotten roots.

Cheers,
BD

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We could learn a lot from crayons: some are sharp, some are pretty, some are dull, some have weird names, and all are different colors....but they all exist very nicely in the same box. ...Hmmm? .

hydrogen peroxide... wow. Some one else told me cinnamon! I SO need a camera.

Thank you BD! I will let her enjoy the night time air. =) Thing is I have to leave early in the morning, and will not be home until tomorrow night. Will she be ok if I leave her all that time?

Yes, The damage is done to her already. Let her dry out for a couple of days. Remove mushy roots tonight. In two days, rinse the roots under water for about 45 seconds. Then let her sit. You can pot her after this if you wish. Use a bark mix that drains well. You can get it at a big box store. Lots of threads here on repotting and orchid medium. Good luck.

Cheers,
BD

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RVO's OrchidTalk Forums - "Bringing People Together" Help support our Community: Donate or Become an OrchidTalk Subscriber today!
We could learn a lot from crayons: some are sharp, some are pretty, some are dull, some have weird names, and all are different colors....but they all exist very nicely in the same box. ...Hmmm? .

Oh and one more thing... can I dry out all this wet "fluffy stuff" she was in? It would be great if I could use it again, or do I need to buy new? It doesn't smell bad... its just very wet.

Awesome, Thank you for all your help... I will let you know how she is doing in a couple of days!

No, throw that stuff away. Most likely it is sphagnum moss. Get orchid bark from a box store and pot your orchid in it. You will want the orchid to be able to almost dry out between waterings. The sphagnum will hold too much water for someone who like to 'take care' of their plants every few days. It is better to let the roots have air so that they can get back on track. If you want, you can get some new sphag and shread it a bit into the bark mix to help hold a bit more water - but only if you find your plant is drying out too fast.

Cheers,
BD

__________________
RVO's OrchidTalk Forums - "Bringing People Together" Help support our Community: Donate or Become an OrchidTalk Subscriber today!
We could learn a lot from crayons: some are sharp, some are pretty, some are dull, some have weird names, and all are different colors....but they all exist very nicely in the same box. ...Hmmm? .

I will by some lovely bark and throw the soggy stuff away! BUT... what about the other "Sister" Orchid? I should replant her too... huh? Ok, but can I do it after I have gotten over the trauma of this one?