Hi everyone, I’m having a hard time keeping my orchid healthy. I… | The Orchid Oasis 🇺🇸

Naomi

9 months ago

Hi everyone, I’m having a hard time keeping my orchid healthy. I recently repotted them and realized I was overwatering them, most of the roots were rotten. I removed the rotten roots, replaced the soil (used orchid soil) and since they were still kind of moist, I skipped a watering rotation. Now the leaves and stems are dry, however I checked the soil and roots and they’re super wet and even mushy (I had to squeeze the water out of one) At this point I’m not sure if I need to water them because the stems and leaves are dry or not water them because the soil is very wet. Lastly I keep them near a window, but it’s part shade. Should I keep them outside (considering I live in FL) in order for them to get more sun?

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Madison

9 months ago

If you keep it outside, make sure it’s in some shade. The sun is much more intense outdoors so part shade outdoors = full sun indoors. They naturally grow on trees in the wild so hanging it off a tree would mimic that nicely. You could also give it a grow light or put it by a south facing window inside for more light. If you still have some mushy roots, you might need to trim them again like you did before with clean scissors and you can also spray the roots down with 3% hydrogen peroxide to help prevent the spread of any fungal or bacterial issues from the root rot. Make sure the roots have turned silver in color before watering again; if they’re still green, you need to wait to water.

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Madison

9 months ago

Also, when you say orchid soil, do you mean orchid bark? They’re epiphytic plants so if it’s in soil, you’ll want to repot it into an orchid bark mix that doesn’t have any soil.

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Naomi
9 months ago

Yes, orchid bark!
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LaDonna

9 months ago

Three things: 1) Probably too close to the window and scorching the leaves. Orchids don’t want any harsh direct light on them. Because they are epiphytic, they grow UP trees—not just ON them. I think people get that part confused. It matters because on the trunk of a tree— if it’s a tall, mature tree (they usually are), there’s no direct sun hitting the trunk. The orchid would get very bright indirect, dappled light (filtered through the canopy of the tree) all day long. So, they scorch easily when they’re receiving direct light. 2) If you keep finding that they are too wet, the likely culprit is that the pot you’re using is too big and the medium is staying wet for too long creating anaerobic pockets. Trim the roots, spray them with hydrogen peroxide, use orchid mix (it sounds like you’re doing this already), repot into a pot that is only 1 or 2 inches wider than the root system. For your case, I’d keep it to only 1 inch larger until the roots grow out, after 2 trim-downs there’s likely not much left. 2B) Once you’re using a proper orchid mix that’s chunky and VERY aerated (I add extra orchid bark to the miracle grow orchid mix that’s widely available—just to give it more aeration), water by soaking. Assuming you’re using a pot with drainage holes, you’ll put the whole pot into a bowl, or the sink, or whatever you want to use. Fill 2/3rds with water and then pour water over the top part of the pot avoiding getting water on the leaves and crown. If there’s splash that gets between the 2 center leaves, dry it immediately. Let the plant take in water for 15 minutes, then take the pot out of the water and let it drain completely and then don’t water it again until the roots start to turn silver— usually a couple of weeks. No sprays and splashes between watering. When you water your other plants you need to pretend the orchid(s) doesn’t exist and pass it by. You want the pot to feel very light when you lift it up before you water again. If you follow a watering schedule, your orchid is the one for which to throw away the schedule—it’s not going to do well that way. 3) The leaves are seeming dry because they’re not getting enough water from the roots and they’re respiring water that’s not being replaced fast enough. Grab a humidifier and put it near the humidifier to help slow down that water loss.

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TX plant momma
9 months ago

Excellent way to describe watering an orchid!
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LaDonna
9 months ago

Thanks 🙂
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Naomi

9 months ago

Thank you very much for all the advice! I will definitely start implementing ASAP and hope I can save my orchids. I was now able to take a photo of them for reference. (One of them got a new leaf last week while being outside and now it looks like it’s molding)

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Waspinator

9 months ago

Yeah that one is very likely dead. Time to start fresh. Your problem may have been getting water in the crown (where all the leaves meet)

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Naomi
9 months ago

Okay, the crown is not supposed to get water? I was told plants like to be fed through the center so I have most likely been doing that
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Waspinator
9 months ago

Most plants do, but with orchids, the water just gets stuck there and never drains into the soil. Orchids are also epiphytes that cling to trees in the wild, so they'd normally fully dry out between waterings. They're very sensitive to stagnant water
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LaDonna
9 months ago

Yeaa what Waspinator said… It looks like you buried the crown. I har a few orchids that I’m rescuing and they each went through a major chop. I keep them in these kind of orchid pots— with the holes all around it. Notice how the crown is well about the soil level. This one could probably stand a larger pot because it’s pushing itself up but I’m going to let it go a while longer so that it can full earn this 4” pot.” Before I give it more space

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