Question
Hi Wayne,

I am trying desperately to save my Phael.  I must have been under watering it for a long time because when I went to re-pot it today, I saw that almost all of the roots are shriveled, dry, and brown.  There are only two (very short) roots that are still green, and only one of those two looks perfectly healthy.

I misted the remaining roots and have been soaking my medium (bark-based orchid mix) in water and want to know what else I should do to help the little guy survive.  

Do I need to prune leaves to lessen the strain on the tiny remaining roots?  Should I fertilize?  I am determined not to give up.

Sadly, one leaf has already turned yellow and fallen off, and the base of the remaining leaves has a yellowish/pale green area.

Please help!

Thanks,

Christina

Answer
Christina, your situation suggests that you may have used straight fir bark and/or large fir bark for potting your plant.  Commercial grade orchid potting mixes not only contain medium grade fir bark but also some perlite to help maintain moisture.  Also, fir bark-based potting mixes need to be soaked prior to use as fir bark repels water and the soaking prior to use helps to break down this repellancy.  Dry fir bark actually draws moisture out of the roots.

Pruning the leaves will not help.  Those  that are turning yellow will die so you will need the remaining, healthy leaves to help generate new roots. Be sure your plant is not overpotted (ie the pot is too large for the plant's root system).  Do not feed until you have new leaf growth. Guard against overwatering to try to compensate for dry conditions.  With the right potting mix and plastic pot you should be able to get on a regular watering schedule (ie once per week). If you grow in a clear plastic pot, you should be able to monitor new root growth without unpotting the plant.  It is important to mainatain a stable mix in the root zone as roots don't like to be disturbed.