Question
Hi Wayne King,

How to rescue severely dehydrated phalaenopsis? It's leaves are floppy now.

Thanks,
Nwe Lay

Answer
Nwe, usually dehydration is either the result of root loss or a potting mix that remains too dry. In the case of the former, you can unpot the plant and perform a careful evaluation of the roots.  This should be undertaken before evaluating the potting mix.  If the roots are mushy or stringy, they are dead and cannot provide the needed plant sap to the leaves causing loss of turgor (ie fluid pressure in the leaves).  A poor grade of potting mix can either remain too wet causing rot or too dry.  In the potting mix remains too dry, it will take water away from the roots instead of providing adequate moisture.  That's why orchid potting mixes contain several different ingredients: Charcoal. lava rock, tree fern fiber are examples of inorganic or slow-to-decay materials too keep the potting mix "open" to air movement. Fir bark is the organic component to which roots can attach; perlite to help maintain moisture at the roots.  Any potting mix needs to be soaked before use as a dry potting material will deprive the roots of needed moisture.

Once there is root damage, it is rare to see recovery in the leaves. However, correcting the potting environment can result in new root and leaf growth which can replace the lost roots and leaves.