phalaenopsis in hollow log

[GPeach]

my first phalaenopsis orchid rescue! i bought her in 2012 for $4.50 at kroger in the 'manager's special' basket. she looked sad, only asking for a little water and TLC. look at how she repaid me! THEN...
i repotted her in a hollow log. everything was going well til this winter. i moved her into my bedroom when the temps dropped. from a south window to an east facing. she still spiked. but, i noticed a bud fell off. and then another. i moved to the window with 4 flowers and then lost 2 more buds. i moved away some of the bark medium to check out the roots. i think maybe she is too dry. nothing rotten down there but, air roots look shriveled up even though i mist several times daily. also, her leaves started to get 'floppy' and sort of shriveled.
i'm thinking maybe i should place some spagnam moss around her roots deep to hold some moisture in. when i pour water in, it just runs out very quickly. it doesn't hold moisture at all. i only used phal bark to repot after removing all of the packed moss she came in.

[Subrosa]

Make sure not pack it too tightly!

[AnaLuisM]

probably the heater ?? it looks dyhadrated, similar thing is happening to me, I dont use the heater here in Fl, but they ones I have mounted dry up faster inside the house. sometimes I have to water twice a day, have you try placing a something with water in the bottom, not touching the roots, but to give it some humidity

[GPeach]

no. not packed tightly. too lose if anything. i might have to mix some fresh spag moss and bark to hold in some moister. what do you think?
yes. i would agree it's probably the heat. it's a small room. i keep it about 70°F during the day and it gets to around 55-60°F in the evening. i try to keep humidity level around 50-55%. i have saucers with water/pebbles in the window as well. and a small fan running, too. and i mist the windows and outside of plastic pots several times a day.
the phals i have in clear plastic seem to be doing very well and have all bloomed. i posted pix somewhere....can't find them now. :-/

[Paul]

Phals will often abort buds if there is a sudden radical change in growing conditions. From what I understand, it underwent a big change in lighting and temperature. Are there drafts by the window? If so, chilly drafts could be an issue. If the plant is getting too dry, that can also cause buds to abort.

If the roots in the media look okay (not brown/black & squishy), then it is likely just insufficient watering. Fresh bark is not water retentive at all. Adding some sphag to the mix or even as a "top dressing" will help the media to retain water longer which may help.


I doubt your heater is an issue unless the plant is sitting right above it.

[Janegrace]

Fungus maybe? I don't let the temp drop as far in the winter as much people recommend.. I kept losing orchids until I used artificial light and kept them warmer.its just too dark too long in ny.you don't say where you are

[Paphluvr]

I'll just comment on the flowers. The second photo taken against the white background is lovely and brings out the delicate coloration of the bloom.

I hope you can get your cultural issues worked out.

[birdybrain]

Originally Posted by Paul

If the roots in the media look okay (not brown/black & squishy), then it is likely just insufficient watering. Fresh bark is not water retentive at all. Adding some sphag to the mix or even as a "top dressing" will help the media to retain water longer which may help.

I agree with the above comments.

I struggle to keep 40% humidity indoors during winter & have added sphag as a top dressing even to many orchids (Catt & Vandaceous hybrids) that don't like near as much moisture as a phal. You should check the roots down in the media to make sure they aren't rotting. If they look ok or just dehydrated then add some sphag to the top of your bark & also pack a little into any cracks/crevices in the log. You want to use enough sphag to create a breathable barrier to reduce moisture loss. The sphag will all be on the outside surfaces & should dry fast enough to not cause problems, while at the same time it will help to delay the bark inside from drying out too quickly. By just using it as a top dressing you can remove the sphag in summer if your area gets a drastic increase in humidity, then add it back next winter.

Also many inexpensive hygrometers aren't well calibrated by the manufacturer & this can lead to thinking your humidity is higher or lower than it actually is. To make sure I was getting a fairly accurate reading I bought a hygrometer that you can calibrate manually along with a calibration kit. I think it was under $25 for both through Amazon.

That phal looks lovely the way you've planted it & now I'll be on the look out for hollow logs

[fredi*frogi]

If you don't mind my asking, where did you get the hollow log to plant in? TIA!

[My Green Pets]

I also agree that the plant is dried out. You could probably soak it twice a day in this set up and it still be thirsty. A good amount of sphagnum to maintain the moisture is a great idea, as long as it's not tamped down too tightly. In any case, I think it would be very difficult to keep this plant too wet.

Also, the flower photos are gorgeous!