I need help with my phal orchid quick!

[mbleily]

I got two moth orchids last year. At the local discount grocery store. They were blooming and very pretty. One bloomed twice for us last year and then made another plant on the top of the bloom spike. I have done nothing with them. But now since I have been reading about the way they plant them and the way they really like to grow I panicked because I saw the roots were shriveling and dark on top of the one and then then other one started. I am going to address the big one in this post.

It was potted so tight I had to cut the pot off and soak the roots to get the moss out them. Layer after layer of it. Now I will show you the damage and hope that someone can help me repair it. I read about peroxide to pour on for the rot but have not done that yet.

I didn't take a before picture. Wish I had but didn't.
This is the top first.



this leaf I just noticed too.



Ok now what do I do??
Thanks for your help
Micki in Idaho where Orchids are few and far between.....

[panam]

Your phal looks good! You have a few roots that should be trimmed up, but really - looking good! Rather than rehashing advice, take a look at the information in this article:

http://www.rv-orchidworks.com/orchid...laenopsis.html

Good luck - and let us see the results when you're done.

[jrfehon]

Looks like a really nice orchid! Are you going to repot it in moss or bark? I've found that moss isn't a good medium for windowsill growers. At least I've had bad luck with it. Now I have all my phals in bark and they're much happier and are all blooming this year. Moss often stays too wet, even for phals. Every time I buy a phal in moss I repot it right away into a bark mix.

-Jason

[mbleily]

Your phal looks good! You have a few roots that should be trimmed up, but really - looking good! Rather than rehashing advice, take a look at the information in this article:

http://www.rv-orchidworks.com/orchid...laenopsis.html

Good luck - and let us see the results when you're done.

thanks for getting back to me. I was afraid since it was Christmas that no one would answer. I read the link and I will see if I can find those things. I live in the country away from everything. So it may be a while before I can get the things needed. I had already potted the plants by the time I read this.

I had two pots with lots of holes in the bottom that I had already washed and bleached. The big plant had a baby on the top stem that is now almost a year old and bloomed with the big plant on its second bloom. I cut it off and potted it in a plastic drink cup that I cut holes in the bottom and side. The second plant had more bad roots than the big one. I potted it first. since I had only some packaged orchid potting material I put more than half foam peanuts in the bottom of the pots and put the plants just on top of them and put a couple of handfuls of the potting material on top of the plant and shook it down some. The potting material is quite fine with not much bark in it. Then today I found that my husband had bought some bark and perlite and didn't tell me. So now I can repot with that.

These pictures are how I have them potted now. I feel like I am swimming in uncharted water. LOL So I guess I will pot again today. They really are just sitting on top of that stuff right now.
First is the smaller of the two that didn't bloom again.

next is the baby. I haven't sprayed any with water when these were taken.

next is big one.

And here they are in bloom last year.


Thanks Jason for you answer. I ended up planting them mostly in packing peanuts with some Orchid Planting material on top. Which is mostly moss it seems. Now I have found that we did have some bark and perlite so have to redo....see my post above for pictures of how they are now.
Micki

---------- Auto-Merged DoublePost - Post added at 11:19 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:17 AM ----------

I guess my other post with potted pictures hasn't come through yet. Micki

[panam]

I think you should repot it into the newer mixture your husband got. The mixture you have them in looks too fine, and I'm afraid it might suffocate the roots. Remember that in their natural habitat, the roots are constantly exposed to air and that's how they absorb their water the best.

Where do you live? That might make a difference on whether you want any moss or just the bark mixture or mounting...

The flowers you got from these sure are pretty - I hope you get more!

[mbleily]

Thanks for you answer. I will repot them again. I don't think I want to mount them. I understand that they need more moisture then. I am afraid I wont get that done right. ;] I think potting is best for me now. I thought I answered this but it isn't here so don't know what happened. I am in Idaho. We have a green house attached to the kitchen and we leave the door to it open in the winter. We have a wood stove in it to heat with but have not used it yet.
Thanks again.