Part 1: I’ve not had this orchid very long and I just wanted to see if the purple on this new leaf is normal? I’ve heard of some plants turning a reddish colour under stress but I don’t really know. Part 2: I’ve not changed the pot since I got it in summer and I know it’s not got many roots showing so would it be a good idea to remove some of the potting mix to allow them some more air? I know the root in the photo isn’t looking the best.
Part 1: You are right about the purple - it’s sun stress. It just means your plant is getting almost too much light. As long as it doesn’t get worse, you should be fine. But if concerned, move it to a little less light and see how it responds. Part 2: It looks like there is salt buildup on the media. And most newly acquired plants are in old media and should be repotted when they are done blooming. FYI - you’ll need to repot every 2-3 years or when the media is broken down. When you get ready to repot, I would first give it a good soak as things are easier when hydrated. Take the orchid out of the pot and gently remove the media from the roots. Try get it all, but it’s fine if you have to leave some so you don’t damage the roots. And don’t worry if you damage some roots. It isn’t great but it happens. Just try to minimize as much as possible. Examine the roots for health and pests. Trim off any dead or dying roots. Dead roots are papery or mushy, black or brown. Healthy roots are firm and green when wet, silvery when dry. Deeper into the media you may encounter pale yellow roots. It just means they haven’t been exposed to light. They are fine as long as they are firm. I would leave any wrinkled roots as long as they are firm. After you have trimmed the roots, evaluate your pot. It should be sized so the the roots just fit inside. Phals like a tight fit. It looks like the pot you have is clear. Those are super helpful. If it doesn’t have side ventilation holes, you might consider adding some. To minimize transplant shock, use a similar mix to what it currently is in. If your plant is in sphagnum, I would repot using a mix of 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. When I water, I soak the pot for 10-15 minutes. Wait until the media dries out (look for silver roots) before watering again. For my setup, that works out to roughly once a week. Each time I water, I use fertilizer at 1/4 strength. Once a month flush with pure water to reduce salt buildup (this is especially important if you are using synthetic fertilizer). There are several channels on YouTube with information on orchid care, like Miss Orchid Girl, Here.. but Not, and Hello Plant Lovers. Podcasts like Plant Daddy and On the Ledge are useful. The American Orchid Society is another handy resource. I especially like their monthly to do lists. If you really want to dive into the rabbit hole, you can look for orchid societies in your area; nothing can replace interacting directly with growers that have been doing it for years. You might also consider moving this post to the Orchid Oasis forum. There are lots of helpful people there that can answer your questions.
1 like Thank you so much! I’ve moved her back to a darker spot and will repot when I can. I can’t stress how much I appreciate this!!
0 likes Happy to help. Just remember they need bright indirect to bloom. Good luck!
1 like Thank you!
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