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orchid petals


Question
I was given an orchid, i don't know the type but the tag reads 'exotic orchid 'voluptuous''. The leaves are a bright green and look very healthy, however the beautiful petals are limp and curling in, even the flower that has just opened is starting to curl in. The plant is indoor under florescent light, is this a problem? Please help

Answer
Carley, I'm going to assume that your orchid is a phalaenopsis or moth orchid but it could be some other type.  The potting mix may have been kept too moist or has broken down.  The fact that you still have healthy leaves is a good sign.  Still, the plant may have roots that are in poor condition and cannot deliver the needed plant sap to the flowering parts.  Were it my plant, I would buy a bag of orchid potting mix and soak a portion of it in water before using it to repot the plant.  Examine the roots when you unpot the plant.  Any root that is collapsed or mushy is a source of potential trouble for the plant, so those mushy roots need to be removed before repotting.  Repot into a plastic pot with lots of drainage holes.  If the roots are damaged, it is unlikely that you will get any well-formed flowers this flowering season as the plant needs to grow new roots. Phalaenopsis reflower each spring so the repotting should give the plant a boost toward next year's flowering.  Phalaenopsis grow well under florescent lights as long as the temperature is between 60-85 degrees. After you have repotted it, water once per week and feed it every other week with 1/4 tsp of plant food per gallon of water.  Some phalaenopsis are sensitive to day length so you may want to put your lights on a timer with 13 hours for the winter and 16 hours for the summer. Do not let the pot stand in water.

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