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[Debra Campbell]

Hi Everyone, Just wanted to say Hi and see if anyone can help me with my problem with my phalaenopsis. The leaves are drooping and very wilted also little flies coming out of the bark. Anyone know anything about this?

[duclay99]

My best guess is that there is something wrong with the roots. Without roots, the plant will derive its nourishment from the leaves. I would check the root system for rot. Dead roots are brown-black and mushy. Cut those away and repot in fresh media assuming that there are still viable roots left. Otherwise, you may try the sphag and bag method. The little flies are probably fungus gnats, which may be a sign of decaying media and rot.

[Debra Campbell]

Thanks Duclay99, I will take them apart and repot again But they are now all flowering. should wait until they are done? Before I repotted them some of the leaves were like that. That was the reason why I repotted I thought they needed it because of the leaves and they were high in the pot. Also brought new plants in could they be the problem? Maybe virus or these flies. I didn't notice the flies before. But thanks for answering! Have an awesome Day! Thanks Debbie

[Fabolusus]

Yes, you should wait until they are finished flowering, once it starts to put out new growth. Otherwise, you might set it back a couple of years. If it is in really poor condition, you may have to cut off the flower spike prematurely. A picture would help

Phals can be repotted while they're in bloom with no ill effect, if you're very careful not to break the spike. Put your fingers across the top of the pot around the base of the plant, turn it upside down and lift the pot up. This will give you an indication of the condition of the roots and medium. If everything looks okay, slip the pot back on and upright the plant. If the bark or roots look deteriorated, repot the plant. I suspect the medium has degraded considerably by the appearance of the flies. You should treat the plant for the flies, as they can attract other insects. Repotting will not eliminate them.

[Debra Campbell]

Hi, I have already tried to repott the orchids and the roots really weren't bad trimmed a little but no real rot! Really confused by this. have you seen the ebook by Mary Ann Berdak for 19.97 ? Orchid Secrets Revealed.

[Debra Campbell]

Hi What is the best thing to use for the flies? Thanks for replying. Debbie

[mayres]

If you have little itty bitty gnats flying around your media this will take care of itself when you purchase some fresh media and clean 100% of the old stuff from your plant. They feed of old decaying organic material and you will remove their food source.

[Cynthia, Prescott, AZ]

How long has it been since you repotted before? For the mix to rot, it must have been awhile, that, or you got some bad/rotted mix to start with. Mosquito Dunks, from a home center put in the water you use to water the plant with should work on the gnats, but it may be a seasonal thing, so don't know what to do until the stuff shows up at a home center. Repotting may be the best approach. However, be sure to wet the mix very thoroughly when you water, as the roots may not make very good contact with the new mix for a while.