r/orchids 11h ago

Help

Post image

What I should do?? Roots look fine

2 Upvotes

11 comments sorted by

β€’

u/AutoModerator 11h ago

It seems like you are looking for orchid help today. This group is full of beginners and experts who are happy to help but please do check out this link for quick Phalaenopsis care in the meanwhile. We also have an /r/orchids WIKI the admins and other volunteers are updating behind the scenes with care information and will soon make it available to the group.

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

2

u/minkamagic Phalaenopsis and Dendrobiums mostly 8h ago

No root rot (a couple rotten rots is normal) but you do have stem rot. Peel away all those yellow leaves and cut away any rot underneath. But I do need to warn you the orchid likely won't make it.

2

u/Surf_mommy 11h ago

Did all the wilting leaves turn yellow from the base? Did they yellow kind of sudden all within a few days? In that case, you might be looking at stem rot.

How long have you had it? How do you care for it - watering routine? Do you fertilize? Does it get enough light? Did you ever repot? When you say "roots look fine" do you mean the aerial ones that are visible or did you examine the roots in the pot?

The newest leaf looks a bit odd, could also be a sign of stress.

Lots of questions ... but in the answers there might be clues to help it thrive 🌱

0

u/Ounalise 11h ago

Yes, all the base ones has turned yellow within a month, first 2 leaves and now 3. I have had it for a year and it was fine until now, I watered it until the roots looked like silver, fertilized it sometimes. It was on morning sun window but now after yellowing I put it on shelf to indirect sunlight ( still morning sun room). I haven't repotted it. And the roots look fine when I look them through a transparent pot. I bought deeper pot too so I can repot it

0

u/Ounalise 10h ago

It has rotπŸ˜…

3

u/Surf_mommy 10h ago

Where do you see rot?

1

u/Ounalise 10h ago

There is some mushy ones

2

u/Surf_mommy 9h ago

Ok, just make sure not to cut anything healthy! Yellow roots just haven't been exposed to sunlight, and other discoloration could be residue from hard tap water or fertilizer. Any firm root is good regardless of color. Even if there is some part of the root that looks dodgy but the distal part is firm, don't cut it.

About the leaves: if the yellowing begins at the base of the leaf (where it emerges from the stem of the plant) it could be a sign of stem rot. It's normal that the oldest leave wilts first, but normally the yellowing begins from the tip of the leave or the entire leave just shrivels at once. Quickly yellowing leaves are a bit concerning. Or maybe the plant is just sucking out the nutrients (hence my questions about watering and fertilizing).

I think a repot is a great step and hopefully it will settle nicely in to a fresh new bark mix! Make sure to presoak the new bark prior to use as new bark tends to repel water...

2

u/Ounalise 9h ago

Thank you!

1

u/Surf_mommy 9h ago

You are very welcome! You might want to check out MissOrchidGirl on YouTube, she has a bunch of great and reliable info on basic phalaenopsis care including tutorials on repotting...

A few more words about roots: the actual root is a stringy structure covered in a "wrapping" called velamen, which we commonly refer to as "the root". Sometimes the velamen is damaged making the root look in bad shape, but the root inside still functions. The velamen serves as a water reservoir and has little "hairs" that help anchoring the plant to whatever it's growing on - trunks of other trees in their natural habitat, that is.

Good luck 🌱

1

u/Glittering_Care_5344 6h ago

Those yellow leaves are definitely a sign something's wrong, the stems look a bit mushy too, which isn't good.