I need advice on my phalaenopsis orchids

[Idiggi]

I have just managed to upload a few pictures. They should be in my gallary. I have noticed when i got home that two blooms on one of my ochids have shown signs of drying. Byt i think the orchid was older one i bought and i think its just started coming out of bloom.

[Idiggi]

I found when i got home two blooms on one of my orchids is starting to dry out on the two bottom blooms

[rbarata]

Welcome Idiggi
Those flowers seem beautiful.
However, and although we love to see the blooms, usually we are a bit more "technical" and also love/need to see the pot, close photos of the medium, leaves, the whole plant, etc. Each photo is a source of valuable information.

[Idiggi]

The medium is brand new. Im really trying my best to provide detailed pictures. Im really trying to learn about phalaenopsis orchids. Havnt noticed any new root growth yet as the orchids are still in bloom and spiking.

[camille1585]

Great that you got some photos posted! :-)

It's rather common for blooms to wilt only a couple weeks after purchase. Open flowers and buds are rather sensitive to changes in environment (temperature, humidity...) so sometimes they don't deal well with the transition from shop to home. You also don't know how long they've been open, unless they opened in your care.

As to your original question about brown patches on roots, does it look like my photo? This is an example of the roots on one of my Phals. These sort of patches are generally nothing to worry about, and might be caused by fertilizer, or sunlight on wet roots, or other things.

[Idiggi]

Yes my phalaenopsis roots look like yours but only on the top exposed roots. I bought these orchids over 2 months ago and they were in bloom in the shop when i got them and they been in bloom since then. Just noticed today that two of the blooms on one of the plants are starting to dry up. Ive stoped watering the orchid media as i was told it looked too wet. Im giving them a dry period. I still mist the leaves daily. I am worried that its becos they are on a windowsill. Im still learning lol

---------- Post added at 08:28 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:26 PM ----------

Is there a fix for the brown burn marks on the top roots?

[camille1585]

No fix for the brown marks unfortunately.

For the wilting blooms, sounds like natural aging, the usually last 2 or so months, sometimes less, sometimes more depending on the parentage of the Phal.

And for watering, I'm assuming they're in bark in transparent pots. One good trick for watering is to look at the color of the roots through the sides of the pot. When roots are wet they are green and once they've dried out they are silvery white. Wait until they become silvery before watering, and it should be fine. If in doubt it's better to wait an extra day, Phals are more tolerant of slight underwatering rather than overwatering. If you haven't gotten far in that 'Phal abuse stops here' thread, it's usually best to water by soaking the pot 10-20min. Never get water in the base of the leaves, it can lead to rot.

Windowsill is fine as long as they aren't getting too much direct sunlight (morning or late afternoon sun is fine).

[fishmom]

The trick with phals is to maintain a moist but airy environment around the roots. A dry period is okay as long as it doesn't last so long that they completely dry out. Phals prefer to be watered when they are just almost-dry. You can judge this by the weight of the pot, or by sticking a skewer into the medium so you can pull it out and feel the moistness.


I wouldn't worry about the color of the roots. They are fat and firm looking, and they should be fine. New growth will happen from green, growing tips at the end of a root, or when a new root sprouts from the base of the plant.

[Idiggi]

I always dry the crown if i get water inside the top leaves or inbetween the leaves. I think one of my orchids may of been in bloom for awhile in the shop so i guess its natural for them to start fadeing. I will keep my eyes pealed incase of any drastic changes. I will wait and see now. Thankyou for your help. 😀🌺

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

You don't have to dry the crown if you let it lean to one side of the pot like it naturally wants to do.

---------- Post added at 01:30 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:14 PM ----------

This is how they grow in the wild:

Phalaenopsis mannii in situ

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