sick orchid

[livineasi]

Please help. I recently got an orchid and I fear I may have already killed it. I think I watered it too much. The root of the leaves got very mushy and all the leaves fell out as well as the majority of the flowers. I stopped watering it about a week ago and I would have thought that all the heat and lack of water would have dried the plant out, but the stems still seem exceedingly moist and are a darker green color. There is also some white fuzz at the root of the plants that looks like the mold that grows on flower stems after they have been left in a vase too long. Is there anyway I can bring my plant back to life??

[Cynthia, Prescott, AZ]

If this is a Phalaenopsis and all the leaves have fallen off and there was wet mushyness at the center of the plant where the leaves come together, your plant is dead. It is time to start thinking about a replacement, and how to treat the next one so that you have a better out come.

If it is not a Phal, then we need to know what it is and a description of the bulbs/canes. Cynthia, Prescott, AZ

[captripppp]

Cynthia is absolutely correct, if it is a phal it's gone. One thing to remember about growing orchids is that the number one way most orchids are killed is by overwatering. If you grow your orchid inside you really should water maybe 1-2 times per week. Or even better... if you grow inside you can get one of those deco orchid pots that have a little saucer at the base to retain water, and therefore keep up humidity. If you go the "orchid pot" rought then you should only have to water maybe once every 7-10 days. Aaron

[Orchid_lady]

I agree with the rest. Your orchid is long gone. I have killed 2 phals that way when I was new to orchids. Take this as an experience, get yourself a phalaenopsis since you are a new bee. If the medium is moss then its good to water it once a week with warm water, since orchids don't like cold water. If its in bark then two times a week is good just don't let the plant dry out completly because they like to be moist.

[orchidheart]

Oh dear, reading all of this truly breaks my heart. I just got my baby not even 2 weeks and it is so so so sad, my mom overwatered it, I know she did!
I'd like to try and save it but after reading all this, I feel like I need to prepare for a funeral. Nevertheless....many of the flowers are still there but the leaves are gone.... but there is a leaf coming up.
Any advice?
-Orchid Heart

[jerrymeola]

orchidheart

if there is a new leaf your plant will recover. Give it time and treat it like a young plant regardless of how big it was when you bought it. That means easy on water and fertilizer.

[Cynthia, Prescott, AZ]

Also, remove that bloom spike and put it in water to enjoy. The plant can not support new growth and the bloom spike. If you really want the plant to recover relatively fast, or at all, you must do this. Cynthia

[desertgal]

I have a phal that was blooming from a branching spike. It was in bloom for a very long time including the original spike. It has 2 small leaves, both the same size, that have stopped growing. Perhaps I should have cut the branching spike off when the new leaves started. I've ordered some SuperThrive and will put that on my phal when it arrives. Perhaps that will start the leaves growing again. Is it common for a leaf to start while the flower is blooming? My big Phal clone has 4 spikes full of flowers and buds and has started a new leaf. Do I fertilize and use SuperThrive? At the same time?

[Ellen]

Yes, it's perfectly normal for a phal to start growing a new leaf while it's still blooming. You can fertilize in moderation, but there's no reason to use SuperThrive if the roots are OK. If your little phal is healthy, it will grow a new leaf when it's ready to.

[atcrosby]

Superthrive is a good "addition" to your weekly watering routine. It's a hormone and vitamin supplement (not fertilizer) so adding a drop or to a gallon doesn't hurt anything. I think my Orchids are enjoying the extra minerals and seem be doing better since I started that regimen.

[orchidheart]

Fertilizer? What kind.
Remove the bloom spike?
Do you mean remove it and plave it in water....till the root picks up?

Ok do explain.......a newbie is always a newbie
Thank you for your help and support!


-Orchidheart

[Cynthia, Prescott, AZ]

I mean to cut the spike completely off the plant. You put the flowers into water just like any other cut flowers, which is nothing to do with the plant.

Producing and maintaing flowers is a big energy drain on a plant. You want all the energy of the plant to go into growing new leaves, not maintaining flowers.

Any fetilizer will do if the 3 numbers on the lable are all pretty close to the same (20-20-20, 15-19-12, 20-15-15, etc), or the first number can be a little larger if the plant is growing in a mix containing bark. BUT, you must use the fertilizer at 1/4 to 1/2 of what it says on the label, unless it is orchid fertilizer, where they have already changed the label to reflect this lowered amount. Cynthia

[jerrymeola]

A Phal in bloom will take a lot of strength from the plant but when the flowers are done the plant starts to grow.

I sometmes get small leaves on Phals in bloom which grow rapidly after the flowers are done.

But with a stressed plant that has droped most of its flowers I would cut them off and discard them or if still nic treat as a cut flower it will not grow roots.