Phaleonopsis Problems?

[donsjuand]

1- I have had 2 plants that are in bloom for 1 month.
2-They are placed in a filtered light area of our place, receiving moderate light through curtains.
3-They have been watered when moss feels dry to the touch by soaking the pot in room temp water for 30 seconds.
4- I tried running water on the pot for 30 seconds instead the last time I watered. That's a big difference, but I tried it anyways, as a seemingly credible website source suggested that.
5- I live in a dry apartment, so I have been misting them with a spray bottle every morning to keep them humid.
6- Started to noticed flowers developing veins then shrinking and seem like they could wilt or are starting to.
7- My white Phal actually dropped buds and no longer makes new blooms.

Did my watering lead to this problem? Perhaps not enough air to the roots? What do you think? I'm looking for a solution that works.

[walingwaling]

i cant see what you did wrong, my guess is the roots, pls check if they are fresh and green.
and maybe stop misting for a while.

[donsjuand]

i cant see what you did wrong, my guess is the roots, pls check if they are fresh and green.
and maybe stop misting for a while.

Thanks for the heads up on the roots! Since I'm using a plastic pot with 6 holes inside of a clay pot with 1 hole, I figure you could very well be right on the money given the fact that my clay pot has been up on a flat table; therefore blocking the only bottom hole! So I decided to wedge the pots (sans clay) into a shoe rack lol. That way, more air should get to the roots until I can find a plastic mesh pot to transfer them after bloom's done. I hear when transplanting, it's a good idea to remove all old medium and clip the rotten roots with a sterile pair of scissors or knife, then dip into diluted root stim then put into new moss in a new extra aerated meshy pot....I'll try that next.

But first, I'll give at least another week or 2 to see if new blooms come. Some good advice here, so Thanks everyone and keep it coming!!

[donsjuand]

Upon close inspection of my pots I noticed the grower of these (i got them in bloom) packed the moss down really tight, so not much air must have got to the roots as some are starting to rot, but there are still alot of green healthy ones too. So I ordered clear orchid pots with more holes, bought a mixed orchid medium with bark etc, cut off the rotten roots with clean scissors and fluffed up the spag.

I'm anxious to repot once my supplies are in and I'll use the re-potting guide from this site; great advice in here.

After clipping, I'll likely rinse the roots well and soak in peroxide, but is it straight peroxide? or a dilution? If it's diluted, what's a good ratio? Also, my pictures don't show any white "fluff", but their is a tiny bit of this at the very base of my plant. Will peroxide help that? Is it mold? Let me know if a picture is needed.

[cindiras]

Might be the natural end of their blooming time. For watering, find a container taller then your plan's pot, set your pot inside and fill with water, let soak for 10 or 15 minutes. That gives the roots time to absorb plenty of fluid, but isn't long enough to 'drown' them. then be sure to check the center of the moss under the roots for moisture before you water again. It might be two weeks befor youneed to water. You could try a tray or pan about an inch or two deep, filled with Marbles, stones or colored glass pieces from the floral area at the big box stores, add water to just below the top of the stones, set you phal's pots on top of the stone and water layer. As the water evaporates, it increases the humidity right around the orchid pots. Less need for misting with the humidity in their immediate area increased.

[Brutal_Dreamer]

Photos are always helpful, but I suspect that the white fuzz on your phalaenopsis is mold. When you wash and clean the roots up, the mold will go away. Please check out the video below on repotting a phal to see if that information will help you to.



cheers,
BD

[espranch]

Hi Bruce & Louis, Just watched your video of both of you re-potting a Phal. That was the BEST! I guess I tend to re-pot right away with Phals, because I believe that the moss keeps them too wet. I did not know, however, that we were supposed to use only the media that is floating on top! Except for that, I do everything the exact same way. Thanks again for the video, guys. Later...Betty in Texas

[Brutal_Dreamer]

Thanks, Betty.

Cheers,
BD

[gardenguysorchids]

You may have root rot. I had a white phal do the same thing with its flowers wilting and buds dropping. I removed the spike and repotted the plant from moss to bark. The roots were rotted only had one that showed any life at all. It has been almost a year and finally it is recovering. Am happy in that it was the first orchid I bought and have had it for 7 years.