so my orchid is currently very young, and i need help identifying if im watering her too much :( she already has some developed buds, but im afraid that her buds that are trying to grow aren't sprouting properly. im very inexperienced with plants, so ive just been misting her daily and hoping she'll develop properly. is there any way i can help more of her buds grow?
As far as an id, most phalaenopsis that you find in stores are very complex hybrids, bred and crossbred to get great characteristics. They all take about the same care. As far as the buds not developing… buds can blast from the shock of being in a new environment, from blasts of hot or cold air (being positioned in the draft of heater or air conditioner) or from dehydration. Addressing the dehydration is important because the cause can be detrimental to the health of the whole plant. Are you misting the flowers and the leaves? You can stop that. Water on the flowers can cause botrytis. Water in the crown or leaf joints can accumulate bacteria and fungal spores that can lead to infections and stem rot. Can you pull the inner plastic pot from the decorative ceramic and check the roots? Do they look firm or mushy? If you have been over- watering, the roots will rot. Phals are epiphytic orchids. They need air around their roots as much as they need water. If they look brown and mushy, you’ll need to repot and cut the roots away. You will want to water the media only when the roots look silvery gray- if they are green- don’t water.
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Could the flowers be getting blasted with too much hot sun from being right next to a window? Would that make them wilt?
0 likesIt’s possible, but from the photos, it doesn’t look like it’s direct hot sun. Also the way it’s 2 mid spike blooms on either side of the spike, and not all the ones facing the window makes me think it’s root related, or an adjustment to the environment.
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You really shouldn’t be misting them to water them. Look up how to soak your orchid, that’s a much better watering method for phals. Also look into fertilizer if you don’t fertilize already. Miss Orchid Girl on YouTube has a whole beginners series with videos specifically on how to water, fertilize, and repot phalaenopsis for beginners. You should definitely check her out!
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