Question
Orchid Leaves
Hi Wayne, this is a Phalaenopsis orchid that I got in May.I'm worried that I might have accidentally over watered the orchid. After the last flower fell off it was pruned at just above the second node from the bottom. Now I see that the stem is starting to go yellow/brown and the one leaf is starting to yellow. I'm not sure that it's "safe" to water it as the medium that it's in feels damp now and I'm in the southern hemisphere so the weather is cold. Should I re-pot it?
AnswerDee, you should repot it. Be sure to use a fir bark based orchid potting mix or equivalent. Wet the potting mix prior to use as fir bark, when dry, will remove moisture from the roots. During repotting, check the roots and remove any that are mushy. Use a pot that has lots of drainage holes as that helps to prevent the mix from staying too wet and allows air movement to the roots.
The flower spike on some phalaenopsis hybrids is good for only one flowering and dries up after flowering. It can be removed. It has nothing to do with the way you are growing the plant. Try to keep the plant above 60 degrees F as phalaenopsis do not tolerate cold. After repotting, use room temperature water and it's okay to water once per week.
