Hi, I received a Phal for Christmas. It hasn't been looking good and several of the buds have dried up so I decided to look at the roots. Everything is moldy. The orchid medium is bark and that is moldy too. Please help. It is so beautiful and I want to save it. I've read other posts and it seems like I need a new pot and new medium. Should I continue to use bark? Also should I cut off the moldy roots? Thank you for any help. Leigh
you should put your plant in a clay pot, use a good quality orchid mix,(bark,charcoal,stones,etc), soak the medium for a few hours before using, cut off all the damaged roots and re-pot into the new medium and clay pot(with drainage hole). I would also cut off the flower spike, cut it about a node or 2 below where the first flower was.this will helps encourage new root growth, since the plant won't waste energy on the flowers. when watering make sure to never let it sit in water put it in the sink and let the water drain from the pot completely. hope this helps.
Leigh, I am curious. Was the pot wrapped in decorative wrapping? How often have you watered it? What did you water it with? How are you growing it inside: behind a curtain , in a corner under lights, ?????
Hi, When it was given to me it was in pot with no holes in it. I did keep it in that pot for a week and watered it once. I put it in a clay pot with holes on the bottom and four around the sides. It is in the house. By a window. I've been using bark, but when I got the orchid it also had spanish moss on top of the bark which I did keep on it when I put it in the other pot. I've been watering once a week so I've only watered it three times since I got it. Our light hasn't been great lately. We've been having a lot of gray days. If I cut the flowers and put them in a vase, how long do you think they'll last? Thanks, Leigh
Take the moss of the top, its keping to much moisture in the mix, water in only when it is dry, never use a schedule when watering plants, its only when they need it. if you have been having lots of gray days then its probaly only need water once every 2-3 weeks, this is how much you should be watering it in the winter anyways. if you cut the flowers off and placed them in water they will last for a few weeks-a month, just keep cuttingthem every few days and adding fresh water.
