Question
Hi. I got a Phal last year.  It bloomed for about 2 or 3 monthes.  A little while (maybe a little over a month) after it bloomed, I repotted it into a slightly larger pot.

I have never had an orchid before, and was not exactly sure about how to care for it.  I have been watering it about onces every week or two, and not spraying it at all.  It has been inside, in partial sun at a north window.

We did NOT cut off the spikes after the phal flowered last year.

When repotting it, we noticed that many of the roots were rotting and unhealthy, but I was uncertain about cutting off too many roots and leaving none on the plant.

The roots, now, are brownish and wrinkled.  The plant has one spike (it hasn't grown at all since I got it, and is not flwowering), and three leaves.  The bottom leaf of the three is yellow and very wrinkled.  The other two are still green, but fairly limp. (Not wrinkled.)

What can I do to help my Phal?

Answer
Hi Lori,

Sorry to hear about your phalaenopsis orchid problem.  From your description of what happened, it sounds like it was not in the best of health when you repotted it last year and it has continued to go down hill since.

To begin, it may not have been a good idea to repot into a larger pot size. Phals should be placed in a pot just barely large enough to contain the roots and you said there were not many healthy roots on it. Now, there are no healthy roots on it and the leaves are showing the effects of this. Phals use their leaves to store water and nutrients for its survival during short dry spells, since your phal has no roots, it is taking what it needs to live from the leaves.

My suggestion to you is to take it out of the pot, remove all soft mushy roots and cut the spike off. Place some moist (not wet) potting material in a large plastic ziplock bag then put the whole phal in the bag, close the bag while leaving some air in it. Put the bag in a warm shady place. Once a week open the bag to allow an exchange of air then reclose it. Check to make sure the potting mix is still moist, lightly spray it if it appears to be drying. Hopefully, within several weeks to several months, you will see new roots growing. Once the new roots are over 3 inches long you can remove it and pot it into 3 or 4 inch pot. Keep it where it is warm and shady until you see a new leaf grow from the top. Water only when the pottting mix becomes almost dry.

Once it is well on the road to recovery you can put it back in that north window with partial sun exposure but keep it about a foot from the window.

I hope this helps save your phal.  Good luck!!!

Jim Kawasaki
San Jose, Ca.