New to Orchids

19 years ago

I bought my first orchid (phalaenopsis) about a week ago and I have been fussing over it ever since. I have read lots, but am still confused. One thing is clear, I bought it with dark green, very thin, wilted leaves that are slightly wrinkly and I know this is not good, but I don't know what to do about it. There are three large leaves (all as described) but there is also one small leaf that is yellowish. The plant has six beautiful blooms on it and three tiny buds - they all look great. The roots are greenish and whitish in parts and seem firm to the touch. There are a few roots that do have some brownish areas and one root on the top of the plant that is hollow (dead). I think the plant was both not getting enough light and also not getting enough water. On day one, I left it alone thinking it is better to be too dry than to take a risk of over-watering. On day two, I watered it a little bit with distilled water. On day three, I sprayed it a little with orchid fertilizer (worm poop). I left it alone for two days and then decided it might need more water because I never soaked it. I poured a lot of distilled water on the plant and then dried the leaves and the inside of the pot. It was in a small plastic pot when I bought it, but I gently pulled it out and set it in a clay orchid pot which was too big (which I thought was good because of air flow, but had second thoughts and slipped the plant back into the plastic container that it came in). I did not mess with the growing medium at all -- I did not even disturb it -- and the flowers seem fine despite all this moving around. It is currently growing in sphagnum moss and styrofoam peanuts in a 4 inch plastic pot set into an orchid pot. I went into a restaurant tonight that had 5 gorgeous orchids of various types. They were all still in their original plastic containers and growing medium, but they all were gloriously healthy with thick, hard, light green leaves. We just got our first rain in over a month and so I put the Phal out in it (about 20 minutes). The growing medium is wet, but not soaked. It is currently sitting in the late morning sun on my screened porch.

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Comments (6)

richardol
19 years ago
Bring it out of the sun. Now.
mswmom
Original Author
19 years ago
Man, I have never moved so fast. It is out of the sun. Can you elaborate?
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richardol
19 years ago
Sorry for the alarm, but direct late morning sun is too strong for almost any orchid and a Phal in particular. A Phal is a house/shade plant.

There is a link to the FAQ above which will help clarify the care. But since the roots sound like they are alive, put it back in the original pot and let it be for a week, then give it a thorough drink again. By that time you will have read up a bit.

Do you water your other house plants with distilled? If not, use tap water. Don't worry about fertilizer for the moment and don't mist.
mswmom
Original Author
19 years ago
Thanks. Whew! I am trying to learn. I have been reading a great deal, but you get conflicting information that puts you back at square one. If I had my life to live over, I would have left it in its original pot and given it a thorough watering on day one and then left it alone for a week. I am definitely one who likes to fuss with things and it appears that orchids prefer to be left alone (once their growing conditions are correct!). Anyway, thanks. How long before the leaves start to thicken up and get hard? They are soft and wilty at this time, but I *think* they might be improving ... slightly.
mehitabel
19 years ago
Sometimes the wilty leaves rehydrate, sometimes you have to wait for new leaves before you get nice leaves.

About the beautiful plants in the restaurant-- lots of businesses employ a service that brings in new plants every so often and removes the ones that are showing wear and tear. So you can't compare yours to them.

More light is good, but you have to increase light gradually, a little more every couple of days for a week or more. Always start a plant new to the outdoors in total shade for a couple of days, then gradually acclimate to a little bit of early morning sun each day.

Richard is right, late morning sun is too hot. I have some phals outdoors, they get morning sun only til 9:30 AM. After that, the sun is too hot for them.

I agree with richard about reading up as much as you can. There's a point in your reading where you start to "get it". It takes time to get confidence in what you're doing. You have to have a little success and a little failure first.

I recommend reading the culture notes at Big Leaf, Bedford, and Robert Bedard Orchids. They are phal specialists, and the three together cover just about everything.
mswmom
Original Author
19 years ago
Thanks for all the advice. There is a new chapter to the story. Yesterday, I was at a grocery store and there was a cart with old plants reduced to sell. There were two orchids in the mix. Both had no flowers and a dead stalk, but the leaves were firm and healthy. Both plants were VERY dry. One was $2 and the other was $3 -- I could not resist the impulse to buy them, so now I am nursing 3 orchids! It is a very addictive hobby, as I am now seeing. I brought them home and watered them thoroughly and cut the dead stalks off. I also bought pebbles and pans. All three are on my screened porch out of direct sun and I am reading, reading, reading!!!