HELP!! something is VERY wrong with my Orchid!!

[Bamboo]

there is am Orchid at he restrant i work at and i feel as if it is dyeing on me ti loks as if it is wilting. the leaves are starting to shrivle up as if it is not getting watered. but i am watering it. i kinda adopted it 3 days ago i watered it two days in a row because it looked as if it was dyeing i have Ot wattered it today. it has flowered and the flowers look fine as well do the lower leaves.

Resently a whole section of it dryed up dyed and fell off. i did some trimming of dead branchees today but i don't knoew how to care for an Orchid please help!!!!

[psyc1210]

I bet you need to check the roots to see if they are rotted. The roots should be firm, so any squishy roots would need to be trimmed off.

[Bamboo]

i know no one has wattered it in a long time i mean before i have. i can't really take it out of te pot at the restrant is there anything eles i can do to see if it is a root issuse??

[psyc1210]

The only way to check for a root issue is to actually inspect the roots.

Do you have a picture, or do you know what type of orchid it is that you're talking about? If you know the genus, that would help us help you.

[psyc1210]

Also, if you could update your profile with your location, that would be awesome

[made4engineering]

I think I understand your situation. This is the restaurant's orchid, so you can't repot it. Make sure that the orchid is getting enough light - it needs to be in front of a window. Water the orchid well once a week - no more!

[Christina]

Is this orchid in a pot that drains the water as you water it or does it store the water? Sometimes people who buy plants for decoration do not realize that some require much different care. Orchids do not like "wet feet"; meaning..they do not like having their roots sitting in water. I understand that this plant is at your restaurant and you probably can't take it out of the pot to inspect the roots, so to start out, check the pot. The restaurant might have put it in a regular pot that doesnt allow drainage.

Another thing is that whoever bought the orchid, probably didn't repot it in fresh media. ALOT of orchid growers repot an orchid after purchasing it because many places that sell orchids either pack the media down too much, or have had the plant for a while so the media might be deteriorating or housing bacteria.

Orchids only like to be watered usually once a week depending on what type of potting mix it is in. It is time to water when you feel the potting mix with your finger, and it is not soggy but just a little damp. Too much water can kill an orchid. So, if i were you, Id hold off on watering it for a few days since youve already watered it twice.

Make sure it is getting sunlight. They need sunlight (or artificial lighting) to survive. However, they can not tolerate direct sunlight. Usually sunlight coming through a sheer curtain or blind is great.

So..to make things more simple, these are some quick suggestions:

1. Hold off on watering it for a few days (I don't think being thirsty is the problem).

2. Look to see that when you are watering it, the water isn't gathering at the bottom of the pot with the roots, see if its draining from somewhere. If it isnt than this is probably rotting the roots and the plant is getting "too" much water.

3. Be careful when cutting things off of the plant. And do not cut the leaves! Orchids are sensitive to getting infections through unsterilized utensils. So, by cutting with a regular pair of sizzors that haven't just been washed with soap or alcohol, might create other problems. And if you cut something off near where there is probably healthy growth, it is good to use regular ground cinnamon that you buy from the grocery store to sprinkle on the wound. Cinnamon helps to eliminate some bacteria that may create an infection later on.

4. If it is still blooming with flowers, than all hope might not be lost, so possibly consider whether it is getting enough sun or whether its getting too much sun.

5. If the orchid is potted with a soft moss-like mix (and if youre able to do this while at the restaurant) take your fingers and gently fluff the moss by picking some up and just setting it back down in the pot. ***Considering we dont know how long it been in this potting mix, and how many times its been watered, the mix is probably very compacted and smothering the roots. This actually might help some of your root problems.

6. Make sure the plant is not anywhere near an air vent that is blowing cold or hot air. They need moderate temps. and too much of hot/cold can kill the orchid. ~But it is good to have it where theres good air circulation. Either a window open with a little breeze or a tiny fan. **This will help the roots too since you can't repot it. This will allow air to circulate around the roots to prevent anymore roots from rotting.

With orchids..its all about the roots. The plant is only as healthy as its roots. So, if there is any way that you could ask someone if you could take it home to care for it and repot it, than that would be the plant's best bet.

If you decide to repot it, let me know. I have this great website I found that shows you step-by-step pictures on how to repot. And its so simple. It also shows you how to handle rotted roots and how to properly cut them!

Let me know~! And goodluck!!! I hope this helped you out some. Im so happy that you care about this plant!

[Bamboo]

thank you very much.
i poked the moss soild and it was dry allmost like straw

[Bamboo]

i am, gunna post so pics of it

[Bamboo]

Originally Posted by psyc1210

Also, if you could update your profile with your location, that would be awesome

i am from North Nj

[Bamboo]

i could not get the flower in the shot the white was too brigt for my phone is just loked like a white blob

[Bamboo]

[BunnytheOrchid]

The first picture makes me think that its a phalaenopsis from the leaves. I can't tell anything from the second one, i'm sorry As others have said, hold off on watering. If the moss was like straw, then perhaps it did need water, but moss holds water for awhile so it should be good for at minimum a week or 10 days. If the restaurant is very dry (the air conditioner is always on or something like that), the moss will dry out faster. You can try to put it on an attractive tray with stones and water to increase humidity.

[brookn]

Hi and welcome, if you could get a shot of the entire plant pot and all that would be great. The first is a Phalaenopsis, the second pic, is not an orchid as far as I can tell. I would say you have two plants potted up together. The Phal in the first pic looks okay but you do need to check the roots if possible. A common houseplant or small tree would not be able to tolerate the small amount of water that the orchid can survive on. They are competing for existence, and I am happy to see the orchid is winning (I am so bad!) Maybe you could convince the owner of the plant that it would be in it's best interest to let you take it, or at least take it home and repot it. Maybe an offer of a plant as a replacement (that you conveniently buy, and repot before taking it in, so you know that one is healthy)? Anyway, just some suggestions. See if you can get a pic of the whole thing for us, that would really help.