Help! I have been taking care of this orchid in my office. The flowers have gradually fallen off over the last month or so (which I think happens every year, right??), but now the leaves are falling off as well. But I also see a new leaf?? Also this root doesn't look good. What do I do???
I would trim back the stalks all the way down. The plant will grow new ones next year. That root looks fine but thirsty. I'm not sure what medium you have it in. I only use orchid bark and give a 20 minutes bath when the roots are silvery.
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Yes orchids lose their flowers and should grow new flower stems next year under the correct conditions. My advice would be to cut those spent flower stems right down now. The leaves look healthy, what did the leaves that have fallen off look like? That aerial root looks healthy to me, it looks like the outer part of that root might have a split in it, but as long as the inner wire like part of the root is still intact it will be fine and still be useful to the plant. I would probably repot them in new clear pots with lots of ventilation holes, like a basket type pot and use orchid bark instead of the moss to allow the roots to get air to prevent rot, as well as light. As the comment above, I water mine by soaking the whole pot (avoiding the crown of the plant) for 20 minutes and allow to fully drain, do this when the medium is dry and the roots are a silvery colour, they will go a vivid green once hydrated. The app is pretty spot on with orchid watering schedules I find.
1 likeI agree on cutting the flower stalks back; the plant is done using those. Good news: those new leaves look super healthy. Now is the best time to repot, and you should definitely check for root rot because they seem to be in 100% sphagnum moss. Using sterilized cutters, trim off any sections of root that are squishy, hollow, or sickly/moldy colored. Keep roots that are green, silvery green, or white and firm when you press on them. To avoid shocking the plant, change the substrate gradually each time you repot. If it's 100% moss, switch to 80% moss (loosely packed) and 20% bark. I've found moss usually needs to be sterilized to prevent mold (put it in a bowl, pour boiling water over it, let it cool before using it.) Make sure the new pot has drainage; roots sitting in stagnant water is the fastest way to cause rot. You also have two orchids there, so you can give them their own pots or keep them together. Also make sure the crown (where all the leaves meet) sits up above the substrate where it won't get wet during watering. Here's some pictures to help you assess the roots:
