Question
QUESTION: I had an orchid plant that was sick. The leaves were dark green and had some rotted roots in a moss mix.  I took it to the garden center about 8 months ago and they repotted it to a bark mixture and put it in a larger pot with holes around it. They told me that i may not be able to save it but there are new root growths. it is still growing new roots now but the one main leaf that was there was damaged or cut  at the end and is now turning yellowish red.  Earlier there were two new leaf growths, but they are dark green, one split, and stopped growing after they  reached an inch length. Can i still save the plant? should i do anything to the dying leaf?  i don't keep the plant in direct sun. and water it every 4-6 days because the weather in  ohio is hot.

ANSWER: There is still some hope to save the plant but that is not a sure thing because it is so weak.  They prefer temperatures 65-85 degrees and not much sunlight.  They should not be grown outdoors because of the extreme temperature fluctuations. They are houseplants and like a little morning sunlight.  Try providing a more stable environment temperature wise.  Do not water if the potting mix is damp (you can't often tell from the surface of the potting mix so you will need to plunge you finger well down into the potting mix to know when to water.)  At this point, the plant is much smaller than when it was repotted so it may need to be repotted into a somewhat smaller pot.  When it is repotted, the roots should be examined and any "mushy" roots should be removed.  I prefer a plastic pot for phalaenopsis to help retain moistue so,if it is in a clay pot, repot it to plastic.  You may then set the plastic pot in a clay pot to help keep the roots cooler.

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QUESTION: My orchid does not receive too much sunlight. it is 73-85 degrees.  I keep it indoors in a ceramic pot made for orchids. It is in a bark mixture that the garden center re-potted for me.  So it doesn't stay damp.  They did not tell me that the pot was too big, but i feel that it may be.  Is that a problem? or will it just make the plant concentrate on growing  roots?  What, if anything, should i do about the leaf that is turning yellowish red?

Answer
Sounds good on the light and temperature. There is nothing that can reverse the effect of a damaged leaf.  If it is yellowish red due to the damage it will eventually dry up and fall off.  Your best bet is to concentrate on new growth.  You may want to reduce the pot size to something that is just large enough to accommdate the roots. Normally, phalaenopsis orchids should be repotted once a year.  Since your orchid was repottted 8 months ago, you are not that far from its repotting date.  The bark mixture does deteriorate over time, restricting air flow to the roots and tending to hold more water. The condition of the plant is best known by examining the roots.  Good solid, firm roots is the sign of a plant that has real potential to recover.  If one or more of the roots are "mushy", it (or they) need to be removed and you know it needs to be repotted in fresh potting mix because the existing mix is holding too much water or restricting air flow. Repotting does not damage the plant and encourages new root growth which is a key to plant health.

You asked "what, if anything,should I do about the leaf that is turning yellowish red".  In short, the answer is that there is nothing you can do about it. The leaf will die. Your feeling about the  pot being too big is probably correct.  Still, you need to have the roots examined (or do it yourself).  I would not have potted the plant in a ceramic pot but prefer a plastic pot for phalaenopsis. My answer is based upon growing phalaenopsis for 30 years.  I  hope you follow my advice, but that is your prerogative.  I hope that your plant improves and regains the strength it needs.