To repot or not to repot

[Ridley Ann]

I have a question about a recovering orchid that I have. It’s is a dendrobium - little green apples. I mistreated it when I first got it because I didn’t understand its needs. I repotted it a few weeks ago in a mixture of just bark that I got from home-depot that said it was specific for dendrobiums. I had to cut away most of the roots because they where dead. The last leaf that my poor orchid has is now turning yellow. The canes are still green but are very wrinkled which tells me that this is a hydration problem. Now should I just keep watering everyday in hopes it’s getting hydrated, or maybe buy some moss that stays wet longer and put it around the roots? I’m just hoping I can save it

[Ray]

The issue is likely one of balance - the plant has a very limited way of taking in water, but is still capable of losing it through transpiration.

Rather than soaking the remaining roots, you'll need to max out the humidity around it, slowing the losses. That's the idea behind "sphag and bag", in which the plant is placed in a clear plastic bag with a source of water. For a totally rootless plant, the two should not be in contact with each other, but if your plant has some viable roots, moist (not wet) potting medium can suffice.

Keep it very warm and shady, and it has a good chance of recovering before it desiccates itself to death.

Once you see new roots emerging, you may return it to normal culture.