I inherited an orchid from my mom two years ago and it finally bloomed back in April. Sadly after leaving it in my hot apartment for a long weekend, all the petals dropped. I’m trying to nurse it back to health and have no idea where to start - should I repot it? What should I do with all the visible roots? Please help! - Aspiring botanist
I would repot. Generally, you’ll need to repot every 2-3 years or when the media is broken down. It looks like most or all the roots in the bark are dead. Which make sense as the leaves look very dehydrated. I would cut away any of the base that is dead. That should eliminate most of the dead roots and shorten your plant considerably. Remove any dead or dying roots that remain. Be careful not to cut into any the the living tissue. I would soak the roots for 15 minutes in water only (no fertilizer). That will make the roots more flexible. Gently position the roots into the pots. Be careful. The roots are brittle even after soaking. If the plant will not fit back in the current pot, upsize so that the roots just fit in the pot. They like a tight fit. If you have to upsize, orchid pots with additional ventilation are very helpful. They are typically clear so you can monitor root development. If you don’t have one, you can add holes to a growers pot or any other plastic pot you have on hand. Because it is so dehydrated, I would use 50% sphagnum 50% bark. That will allow moisture to hang around long enough for the roots to take in what they want without cutting off air circulation. If you are a heavy waterer you can reduce the amount of sphagnum in your mix. My preference is straight bark. The key is a loose airy mix that will allow the roots to dry between waterings. Regardless of what mix you use, gently work it around the roots. I use an old chopstick for the job. The goal is to firmly seat the plant in the pot without packing the media. You want an airy mix that allows the roots to grab the water they want and then dry out. Orchids like their water but the LOVE for their roots to dry out. Good luck!
5 Me gustaYes, it looks like it’s time for a repot. The leaves are starting to go leathery and wrinkled, that means dehydration. It looks like the old roots are dead, and your aerial roots will be the only thing keeping the plant alive, but you’ll have to acclimate them from air to a more moist bark/sphagnum mix. I highly recommend Miss Orchid Girl and her videos like this on Youtube. Search long stem phalaenopsis repotting. That should be helpful.
2 Me gusta Thank you so much for all the help! Really appreciate the detailed tips. I have repotted the orchid with orchid potting mix- it seems like pretty dry mix but fingers crossed this will revive it!
Think of them kinda like succulents if that helps. Is not a perfect comparison but they have adapted structures to help them deal with periods of drought.
0 Me gustaLooks like you did a great job! Keep us updated!
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