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Rescue Orchid, Help?

Vbkid

Getting There...
So my girlfriend said last time we were at Lowes that she likes orchids, so when I stopped by tonight and saw some withering ones on sale for $5 I picked her one up. The flowers don't look very good, but the leaves are still a healthy green so I have faith it can be salvaged. From what I've read, I plan on treating it like a Nep and just watering it it thoroughly once a week or so. For a first time grower, are there any pitfalls I need to look out for? It will be in indirect sunlight in reasonable temps inside.
 
A few questions...what kind of orchid is it? Is it in a pot with a drainage hole?
 
It just says Phalaenopsis, and yes, it has a drainage hole. Also, any idea how often I can expect it to bloom?
 
Cool! Well, hopefully folks with more experience will also chime in, but here's what I've learned about my Phalaenopsis...

Whenever I've tried to rescue orchids, my problem has always been unhealthy roots. It was especially bad when they potted the poor guys in undrained pots...yours is drained, so that's good! But maybe water very sparingly the first couple months. That will encourage new root growth.

Blooming can apparently be almost non-stop if a plant is healthy enough. Mine went a few years without blooming, but last year and this year started sending up spikes in December. One nice thing about the flowers is that they last a long time!
 
If it's potted in bark, rather than "watering" it, soak it overnight in purified water. Then, let it go until you notice the lowest leaves start to get wrinkly/wilt a little. I sometimes go a month between waterings for my Phals, during the cooler parts of the year. You might consider reading up on "hydroculture" methods - basically you replace the orchid moss/bark with hydroponic clay pellets, and leave the pot standing in a little water. The inorganic media helps protect against rot, but the tradeoff is that fertilization is more important.
Best luck with it. :)
~Joe
 
So my girlfriend said last time we were at Lowes that she likes orchids, so when I stopped by tonight and saw some withering ones on sale for $5 I picked her one up. The flowers don't look very good, but the leaves are still a healthy green so I have faith it can be salvaged. From what I've read, I plan on treating it like a Nep and just watering it it thoroughly once a week or so. For a first time grower, are there any pitfalls I need to look out for? It will be in indirect sunlight in reasonable temps inside.


Do not let you pseudobulbs dry out. Period. That is not healthy for an orchid. While it may look ok, you are weakening it and opening it up to infection. Orchids are more susceptible to diseases than CP's, and many more of types than afflict CP's. Watering should happen twice a week or when the soil begins to get dry. Fertilize only with a specific orchid fertilizer. There are generally two kinds, a bloom inducing fert and regular orchid fert. I use a regular orchid fert once a month and use the bloom inducing one only occasionally. It should be quarantined as any new plant should. I have found plenty or pests on my rescues, but some neem oil insecticide makes short work of them. Otherwise they will eye up your neps and any other plants you have. I have bought quite a few rescue orchids from Lowes and Home Depot, and have managed to keep nearly all of them alive and blooming. You will lose them if you do not thoroughly check them out before purchasing. I use the same growing medium as my neps, and it works well. A mix of LFS, orchid bark and perlite. I have had new orchids take anywhere from a couple weeks to a couple years to finally start blooming for me after saving them. I find my orchids need a little more tender loving care than my CP's but it is just as, if not more so, rewarding for me in the end. I started with only growing CP's, but now have almost as many orchids as CP's. All of my neps and orchids are grown in windowsills btw. Some full sun is good for them, but do not leave them in it to long or the leaves will burn. My orchids generally bloom twice a year, but some only once, some three times. The care for various orchids is all about the same with subtle changes here and there, mostly with amount of light needed and how often to water, but the general guidlines laid out here are good for Phals, and Dendrobiums, as well as any you can generally find at the major stores. Any questions feel free to PM me.
 
Dont let the roots rot.
They need to be green/white, not brown.
I have some garden center phals, most over a year and i think i havent seen any of them bloom a second time :p
 
Thanks for all the responses, been sticking to the instructions, the larger one still looking great, but the smalelr one is still waiting to show signs of recovery....
 
Thanks for all the responses, been sticking to the instructions, the larger one still looking great, but the smalelr one is still waiting to show signs of recovery....

I have had orchids take a few years to come around after being saved. Like Tal said, don't let the roots rot. This happens if you keep them waterlogged like a sarracenia. Before I studied up on orchids, this is how I kept my first orchid, and amazingly it never died on me, but the root system was nearly destroyed, and made a full recovery. I always read that orchids are very similar to CP's in care. This is as true as it is untrue. A little love and yours will be reblooming soon.
 
  • #10
Welcome! I currently have 4 rescue orchids, 1 from Low's 3 from Wally World, and the only thing I can add is about watering.

As said you don't want them water logged but you don't want them bone dry.
One thing you can do to keep it even is thus:
Put a plain pop sickle stick in the media going a few inches down and wait for a few minutes or so.
Pull the pop sickle out
if it is soaked: wait a few more days then try again,
if it doesn't have any water on it: water soon,
if it is just a little wet: water.

Eventually you'll be able to look and tell but for a beginner it helps. I would check every week and also try to water only in the morning. That way the sun has all day to evaporate the water and you don't get crown rot. If you can only do it at evening then you need to wipe any excess water off the leaves and away from the crown (top center portion) of the plant with a paper towel or something. Also, as silly as it seems, try talking to them; they do respond and the Carbon Dioxide in your breath helps them.
Good luck!
 
  • #11
First off orchids should never be kept in "Soil". Not even terestrials orchids should be in "Soil" Cymbidiums can grow in a heavy soil mix and take the wetter conditions but still not recomended.

Ok all rescue plants need repotting period. You have to inspect the root system and remove anything rotten. Firm roots are ok but like someone else said white are excelent roots. The green tips come when the root is growing. Get fresh orchid bark. Can use the stuff from lowes or wally world but stay away fromt he peat based phal mix. I don't recommend it.

Remember orchids are epiphytes and grow on trees in the wild. So they getr watered every day with the dew and dry by night. So we make them adapt a lil by only watering a few times a week and grow in a pot. Now when you go to repot the medium should be soked over night before potted up. Make sure there are good drainage holes in the bottom and sometimes sides of the pot. (Orchids are sold to "Look" good not grow at the chain stores.) So Now you have it repotted and you want it to recover. Sarahlydear told you a great method to see if it is time to water. I recommend the same thing but use a bamboo screwer instead. If it comes out damp wait a day. You want it to come out dry but not bone dry. Also when you water YOU WATER!! Flush the pot. Orchids are very sensitive to accumulated salts. So water the crap out of it. you CANNOT over water with your amount of water at one time. You over water by watering too frequesntly and keeping the plant too wet. I water plants atleast every other day during the summer here in GA and SC. Sometimes every day. and with fresh media you can do that. As the medea decays it holds more water. That is where learning how to grow comes in. Remember orchdis SHOULD be repoted once a year to keep the medea fresh and the air pockets in the bark.

Fertilize weekly weakly That is 1/4 what the package says once a week. Do this once you see new roots coming. You will notice the roots turn green if when you water if the plant is thursty.

Phals bloom once a year. They can be enticed to rebloom lower on the spike but keep in mind it keeps the plant from devoting energy to recovering and growing. Once they have a good year of growing the cooler temps cause it to spike. Temps of 50 F for 3 days and it will trigger a spike. A few months later you have flowers.

Keep water out of the crown like someone else said because phals are prone to crown rot.

Orchdis are rather easy. They are just different. And have specific needs. The book All about orchids by ortho is a great book. Lowes has it for around 18 bucsk. Atleast it was. Phals can take it wetter than alot of orchids and also have the longer lasting flowers too. If there is not too much change in the humidity while it is in flower then they last. WHen I bring a plant in from the GH the change in humidity shortens the life of the flowers, but the plants grow better when outside. So it is a trade off to me.

Try to stay away from sphag with phals. I know it is used alot and can be done but it breaks down too quickly and you end up loosing the air pockets. Not recommended.
 
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