Please help me with my Phal!

[kitsune]

I have had my Phal for about a year, and it was fine until I moved it from my house to my dorm (about a month ago). It was planted in sphagnum moss, and here my room is so dry due to the radiator (which I have no control over), so about an hour after I watered it the water had evaporated. I decided to get some new potting material, which was a mix of fir bark, charcoal and perlite to see if it would like that better, and just topped it with a bit of sphagnum to keep it looking nice. Ever since I moved it here, it has been drying out. the two bottom leaves are getting limp and wrinkly. I have always watered it from a tray at the bottom which it liked fine beforehand, but now its not taking water well. When I took it out of the pot to replant it, there were a LOT of dead roots which I clipped, and I just checked it a few minutes ago and there are some roots already dying. what can I do to help my poor phal?

[CharliesAngel51]

Did you soak your bark mix for several hours before you potted your phal in it? The bark needs to be soaked for about 24 to 48 hours before using or it won't absorb the water when you water your plant. It will just run through. When I pot with bark I first soak the bark and then after potting when it is time to water I soak my plant in a container of water with the water level just to the top of the bark in the pot. I soak for about 20 min. This lets the bark get thoroughly wet,

I am new to orchids myself so I am still experimenting to see what works for me. So far this seems to work.
I don't think sitting it in a saucer of water to water it would allow all of the bark to get wet.

I'm sure someone with more experience will be along with more info.

Margaret

[kitsune]

I have the mix soaking right now, no I hadnt soaked it before, I just went by the instructions on the bag =\
I am also soaking the roots in a cup of water, its already perked up quite a bit.

[amersault]

it sounds like you have a really porous mix. add to the fact that your heater is really drying out the environment. that long soak you are doing will help your plant a lot.

now, daily care after that should probably be the addition of a humidity/pebble tray beneath the pot to allow some moisture during evaporation. i would also suggest misting the surface bark in the mornings to give it a sip if it's as dry in the room as you say it is. when watering, water from the top and let the water run to the saucer. once the saucer is empty, you know it's time to give the plant another drink.

[kitsune]

I had it in a pebble tray since before I moved it here, which fed it fine until I got here. No matter how much water I gave it, it would have dried up overnight. and yes, its a very porous mix. I was watering it by putting water in the tray and that was fine back home, but I will try watering from the top from now on.