Question
QUESTION: I'm panicking!!!!!
I have realized why my orchid is turning brown

IT HAS FUNGUS!!!!!!!!

*screams and runs in circles*

Some of the roots that are in the potting mix have a white fuzzy fungus growing on them!!
Help help!! How can I save it!?!?

Should I trim those roots? should I immediately repot it!?!? Should I soak it in some sort of orchid fungus removal?!?! HEeelp!!

ANSWER: Desirai, let's not panick. I'll assume that your orchid is a phalaenopsis orchid (otherwise called a moth orchid).  If it is a fungus, it is likely harmless to the orchid.  My best guess is that your orchid potting mix has degraded.  When this happens, the potting mix stays too wet.  For this reason, repotting in fresh orchid potting mix is recommended.  Be sure that you use a standard fir bark based orchid potting mix to repot your plant. The garden centers of Home Depot and Lowes both carry orchid potting mix.  Repot it to a plastic pot that has lots of drainage holes.  Before repotting, rinse the roots off thoroughly.  If any are mushy, remove them as these roots have rotted from the wet conditions.  Do not cut any healthy roots (roots that are firm).  Be sure to soak the portion of fresh orchid potting mix you intend to use as fir bark, in its dry state, is water repellant and soaking reduces that repellancy. After repotting, set the pot where the pot can drain overnight, before moving it to your growing area (an east window is preferred). Once you have done this, be patient, water once per week and in a month or two you should see new growth.  These plants flower once per year and should be repotted after each flowering.

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QUESTION: HELLO!

Thanks for your reply!!

I went to lowes and bought orchid phaelonopsis mix  (that is the type I have) and when I took out my orchid YES it was very very mushy in there!!!

I trimmed the slimy roots and left the hard firm roots.

I trimmed away the fuzzy fungus stuff also.

I hope I repotted it right..I've never had an orchid before.

I bought a pot that had lots of drainage and I filled it half way with mix, then I put my orchid in, leaving some roots down and then covered it with the rest of the mix, leaving some roots sticking out (that is the way it was in the original pot) but the orchid feels very loose, like I could just pull it out of the mix. Is  this normal?

Will the roots grow back?

I also trimmed some of the little leaves that were turning yellow brown and I also trimmed the stalk that the flowers bloom off of because it also was getting yellow brown.

I hope I did right.

thanks!!

Answer
I just have two concerns about what you did: 1) If you place "crocking" in the bottom of the pot it should be inorganic.  By putting potting mix in the bottom of the pot, it will deteriorate (ie rot) quite quickly.  If you put material in the pot bottom, use inorganic material such as rocks, broken clay pot shards, etc.; 2) Your pot diameter should be samll enought to just fit the orchid roots into it.  If you place the plant deeper into the pot (but keep the leaves even with, or above, the top of the pot) and use a smaller pot, the plant should be better anchored. As the plant grows, new developing roots should anchor tthe plant better.