I'm trying to post more pictures but it won't let me. But the plant looks overall in good health - blooming, some buds still opening, no yellow leaves. Also I meant to note that there are teensy little insects in the sand - really teensy - couldn't tell the shape. Maybe for that reason alone I should repot yes? Thanks in advance for your wisdom!

What Taylor said: Repot Immediately. It looks like there is an inner pot, hopefully it contains something other than black sand. If it does, let us know what it may be.

If you keep water out of the crown of the plant, crown rot should not be an issue. If the base of the plant looks 'rotted', it could be a very bad sign.

You can grow orchids in lots of different media but black sand is new to me, especially for a phal, no wonder you are having issues with this one.

Sorry to hear you didn't get a keiki on the other phal.

Good luck,

Bob

Ok I will repot today! Yes, the sand is weird. And murder on my coffeetable too. (Stray kernels scratched it up ugh.) There is an inner pot. I'll report back after I unpack it. And thanks Bob - yes I was hoping for a keiki and it seemed like it might be holding on to produce one, so I haven't tossed it yet, but one of the two last leaves is yellowing. I hate to give up though.

I keep trying to post images but when I click Submit it just goes to a white screen. So the update is that I unpacked it - lots of rotten roots - I gently pulled off the loose/mushy brow parts from the roots - should I trim the inner roots that no longer have casing? (Sorry I know just enough to get me in trouble but not what the root parts are called).

I figured out that I wasn't letting the image upload all the way I guess before hitting submit. Now I know. ;)

Also could I wait to repot until tomorrow do you think? I've got some orchid pots I made coming out of the kiln tomorrow. Or would it be bad to leave it exposed that long?

Personally, I would trim the “leftover“ roots and make sure any remaining rotted or mushy spots are cut off. Your orchid should not have any problems at all sitting out.

I'd trim the "strings" (not sure of the actual name, possibly the 'pith') also. What was in the inner pot?

Bob

Okay I will trim them, then. The inner pot was filled with moss. Totally soaked. I think I had watered it once since I got it a couple of months ago - I could tell the sand was still damp. I should have repotted immediately - I think I hesitated because it looked healthy and the blooms were so pretty. Lesson learned (again). Hopefully those few healthy roots will be enough.

Just wanted to thank you all again for the help and give a quick update (for anyone who remembers my attempts to save my birthday orchids lol) After repotting, this orchid dropped all its flowers, as expected, but recently got a new spike off the old spike! So thanks all for the guidance!

Another (sad) update: it now seems to be dropping the buds it produced. M

ost have shriveled up and fallen off. The leaves are soft and wrinkled. Was the bloom just a false start? Or a swan song? I'd think it should be trying to make new roots now anyway. The medium isn't dry. I've been watering every 10 days or so. Should I just be patient? Or is there something I should do? I haven't fertilized. Should I unpot and investigate? Or would that be worse?

I would definitely unpot. Dropped buds and wrinkled leaves are due to not enough water, but the roots could have rotted off causing that.

Ok thanks. If I repotted two months ago, (trimmed bad roots, planted in new bark / moss) and the roots are continuing to rot, what else should I do to treat the rot? :(

Is it over?

Definitely looks bad. I would remove all the root that is not firm to the touch. Depending on if you want to try and save it or not, you could try the spag and bag method, or possibly see if your orchid will put out a Kiki from the spike or base of the plant.

Just read up on Sphag and Bag and I think I've got the gist of it. I'm going to cut the spike I think, get some Physan 20, trim and treat the roots (whatever are left) and bag it. I have a warming mat somewhere I'll try to find. thanks for your advice!